M'CULLY'S MISSUS.

NZ Truth, Issue 105, 22 June 1907, Page 4

M'CULLY'S MISSUS.

SOME TORRID ALLEGATIONS.

A Claim for Maintenance.

Was Her Honse Disorderly?

'A' story m which old age, penury, brothels, and general debaunchery figured, was told m scrips .and scraps at the Christchurch Court t'other day, when some rough allegations were made against a woman named Mary McCully, who was proceeding against her elderly, feeble husband, Edward McCully, for support. When they separated, some sixteen years ago, she obtained an order from the court for the payment of 18s per week for the support of the two daughters of the marriage. She asked nothing for herself. That order was obeyed until the girls • arrived at an age when they could start out for themselves. And now, after all these years, the mother, a quaint, volume, greyhaired woman m black,, applies for maintenance. Long years ago the McCully's had a good name. ; he was employed on the railway, but he is now superannuated, and is drawing £52 a year from the fund. Also he is making - about 10s and kept fooling around the private house of Lawrence of the Club Hotel, Sydenham. When she started to give evidence, led by Lawyer Leatham, Mrs. McCully wasn't quite sure about dates. She forgot exactly how long she had been married, and she wasn't certain about her age— about GO, she fancied. Anyway, she was destitute, and required assistance. Her husband had kept the daughters up till a couple of years ago. She wasn't old enough for the pension yet ; she wished she was— she wouldn't ask the old buster for help. The cross-examination of Mr. Hunter started off most satisfactorily, from a timorous point of view. ! Do you drink ?-*No thank you, I don't want one. (Laughter.) I wasn't offering you one. (Laughter.) Do you take a little drop?— Oh, yes, a glass of beer with my friends, 1 BUT I'M NOT A DRUNKARD. . You are about the hotels a good deal ?— Yes, sometimes, but I don't stick to it. . Haven't the police turned you out of pubs ?— Never. Have you brought up these' girls well ?— Yes. • - Do they drink ?— Yes, I suppose so, now and' again. •' : j Further . questioning . elicited that tfce eldest was, m an office as typist m the city. She had been, m another big office at ..first; but left for three months owing to an accident; but she w&h't -back, again. It wasn't a fact that she had to leave because she was badly; treated at home, halfstarved, and lat-er on had no clothes to face the office staff m. Now, said counsel, weren't you asked by the poliqe'to . leave Sydenham because you kept a brothel ?— No. I. never ran a brothel. When your daughter got a billet at the ' Black Horse Hotel at 13s a week, didn't you collar every cent and spend it on drink ?— Never. The Magistrate was curious to know why husband and wife separated years agone, and when the lady said it was through religion, the audience looked morethan surprised. Mr; Hunter, sought to prove what a spotless .angel complainant was, and he enlisted the services 6t the police. Constable R. Allen, *of Sydenham, said' he had known her fora twelvemonth, and nine months „,o she was living with her two daughters near the Crown Hotel. The place was frequented, by men and women at all hours, and he characterised it as a disorderly house. One ni°-ht he visited the show with Sergeant Rem--1 er, and he discovered tijre woman under the influence iof drink. Both herself and her - daufgtrtors were .the worse for drink often. He warned her that if she didn't leave the j shanty he would proceed against her for keeping a brothel. She left and \wnt tp SydenJiam, and complaints came -along once again tßat ier house came under the category of disorderIv. He watched the place, and as a result she had to do a g# some more. : • Mr. Leatham asked the officer as to why he thouerht it was A HOUSE OF ILL-FAME, and remarked on the two daughters being there. He thought the eldest had been suspended from one billet because of her drinking ,habits ; he didn't know that it was the result of an accident, or that she was typY ing m another town office that day. Constable McKjeefey said the old gal first came under his notice at Spreydon. One complaint he got was ; that there were "funny people living next door,", so he biked out o? nights to watch the unpalatial mansion complained about. • His discerning orbs noted men and women waltzing m an out of Madam's abode of pleasure long after midnight. The neighbors gave it a very bad reputation so he advised her to pack her tent. It was packed. Later on, the same goings on came under his notice m his own district, and he told her to so again, as her conduct wouldn't be tolerated. After the . defendant had stated his means, and his wife's great fishdrinking . capabilities, Mr. Day said he would make an order for 10s a week, .but as she would likely splash the lot at once m a wild, whirring boo?e every pay-day, it was decided to hand it over to some reputable person on' her behalf. Ten bob isn't munificent, but it's all the old bloke can afford. Possibly the lady mightn't buy liquor with the money at all ; she may invest it m Bank of New Zealand shares.