WIFE SELLING IN WELLINGTON.

Marlborough Express, Volume XIII, Issue 1052, 17 August 1878, Page 6

WIFE SELLING IN WELLINGTON.

We cut the two following paragraphs from the New Zealander of Friday last : —

"Occasionally we' read 1 m-'fofei^a^papefs'of wives being sold by their husbands, but sucih occurrences are rare m this Colony. The sale of a wife, however, was successfully 1 negotiated yesterday at that peculiarly-constructed establishment known as. Jones' Hairdressing Saloon, Willis-street. Elsewhere will be found a paragraph relating to. a. Courjcasg in. which a man named John Igo was fined 10s for assaulting one Sarah Ann Koberts.., After, the ( caie wa3 .disposed of, all differences were 'peacefullyyseiitled between Igo, the woman, and her husband (Thomas John Roberts), and the trio adjourned to Jones's ahop. While there,'; Sarah' told her lord and master that she was very fond of Jack Igo, and asked him not to part them. Jack also pleaded not to, be parted from Sarah, and the result was that. Roberts' heart softened towards "them twain," and he .granted their prayer. He said if Igo. would pa> the marriage fee, the price of the dress, he had destroyed, besides 50s, and throw in r .a ;" shout/ Sarah . should be . his for ever. .A, general hand-shaking cerempny followed \ap4 4 r H 3^ 9 followed on top of that. h ßut the matter was not yet settled to [ JapkV entire satwlactioii. ;He was businesslike, and wanted 1 a written agreemeiit. His request was corsidered a very proper one, and ere the lapse of many minutes the following brief and to the point document was drawn up and signed by the wife,' vendor," and two wit-

nesses :— c Wellington, August, 1, '78—1 here^ by sell oat to Jack Igo, her original lover and Colonial husband, all claim to my wife Sarah Ann Roberts, pianist at Jones's Wellington for the sum of £2 10s.— Thomas John Kobebts. — Witness— James Morrisey and E. "Winson.' After the signing of the document Igo took formal possession of his purchase, and JRoberts went his way." The following is the paragraph referred to «bove :— At the R.M. Court yesterday, before T. A. Mansford, Esq., M.M., a man named John Igo was fined ss, or m default 24 hours* imprisonment, for drunkenness. The same prisoner was also charged with assaulting Sarah Ann Roberts m Jones's premises, WilUs-street. The facts of the case as. given m evidence appeared to be as follows:— The woman Roberts and Igo had for some monthß been living at Jones's, and last week the latter went to Blenheim. Upon his return on Wednesday he visited his previous lodgings and the lady of his affections. He asked her how it was she bad been carrying on so during his absence, and she said, ' What's done can't be undone.' She spoke the truth, for she had taken advantage of the departure of her friend and protector to get married to another ' love. 1 The 'first * love' was angry at this .add knock : ng the woman down he tore lip her sills, dress,, which was a wedding present. The woman stated- that she believed that the accused was very fond of her. The Magistrate was of opinion that she did not deserve much consideration, but as an assault had been com- ' mitted he would fine accused 10s and costs.' An advertisement has been issued :by the man Roberts, who was reported yesterday as having sold his wife for 50s, which somewhat complicates matters. It runs as follows : — "The amount of money which I received is true, but I did not sell my wife, as stated m the papers. The money received was on her behalf. I will have my wife at any time. Apply to me, Ev J. Roberts." This announcement is somewhat puzzling, and would lead one to believe that Mr Roberts' a sale of his wife was not what the lawyers term c. conveyance m fee simple, but that he merely executed an assignment for a period detefminable at pleasure.. Seriously, speakincr, however, the amount of depravity which the whole affair exhibits is absolutely disgusting, and no words of contempt can te too strong for. such despicable conduct. A man who cpuldsign such a document as that which we published yesterday is not worthy of the name of man, while the announcement quoted abaveiß, j if possible, more shameful. — Post.