APPLICATION THAT FAILED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15375, 9 August 1913, Page 5

APPLICATION THAT FAILED.

" GO AND BURY THE HATCHET." Alleged persistent cruelty formed tho ground lor the application of a separation order and a maintenance order against John Thomas Dowd made by his wife, Cecilia May Dowd (Mr. Lowiie). ; Complainant said she married Dowd in. 1898. and added'that she now had three children. "Once, about three years ago," she said, "he broke my jaw. A girlfriend was staying with me, and I objected to something that took place, so later on he struck me across the face at«d broke mv jaw. About nine months ago he struck me, too,"

Mr. Kettle: What was the trouble that time?

Complainant : Ho found a bottle of beer in the house belonging to a lady friend who had come to see me. Last Friday night, when I came home about 10 o'clock, ho was waiting in the street for me. He caught hold of me and dragged me along the street, and when we got into the gate he said he would throttle, me. Then ho went into the house and came back with something in his hand. I ran away to » friend's house, ecreauiing, " Don't shoot me." She added that when the summons* for the present case was served he had turned her out of the house.

Dr. Tracy Inglis stated that, lie had attended the complainant for a broken upper jaw, caused probably by a blow. He had ako noticed at another time that the woman's throat was marked as though it had been grasped. Dowd considered the fault was all on the side of his wife, who. he said, was addicted to drink, and was always practically halfdrunk. He admitted that he had taken drink home to his wife occasionally, but maintained that she got a great deal more through the help of the neighbours. Sometimes she rushed at him like a mad woman, and he had been compelled to close with her. The broken jaw, he said, had been caused by his wife falling against a bedDost.

Mr. Kettle said he regretted that drink, on the part of the woman and her friends appeared to have caused trouble in the home. The two people concerned in the present case ware too young to break tin their home, and if he could help it they would not do so. He blamed the" husband to a certain extent for having brought the drink home at all. "Go home together/' he urged, "and bury the hatchet." Complainant: No I won't do it. 1 couldn't possibly do it. The magistrate dismissed the application.