DOINGS IN DIVORCE.

NZ Truth, Issue 114, 24 August 1907, Page 4

DOINGS IN DIVORCE.

WEEPING WIVES AND HUMBUGGED HUSBANDS.

The Curious Case of the Corleys*

Mr. Justice Button has a Busy Time.

Mr Justice Button was the judicial Solomon m the Wellington Divorce Court on Tuesday, when a few persons who swore that they would cleave to each other until death smote them with his billhook, appeared to explain why their vows had been like pie crust. The fag end of the rush to take advantage of that short road to divorce, the application for restitution of conjugal rights, was noticeable at the sittings, and two or three dissatisfied couples took the first step. Amongst the applications for actual divorce was that 'of . Lily May Manning, • from her husband Frank, who is a cordial manufacturer m Wellington, and found himself m extremely cordial relations with a girl named Ismay James. Lily and Frank were married m 1899, and two children came along to sanctify the union. Latterly, the girl already mentioned had come between them, and the husband, who probably never kept any thin/.!; away from his wife, ADMITTED HIS GUILTY RELATIONSHIP with Ismay. In, fact, the pair were open and unashamed m their sinfulness, for when the outraged wife sought an interview with the hussy who had supplanted her m her husband's affections, the abandoned creature cheerfully admitted her wickedness, and had even written a confession acknowledging that on three occasions, m Nairn-street plantation, Frank Manning had done the thing that has got many better men into trouble. A decree nisi was granted, and Mrs Manning was given custody of the youngest child. John William Cooke sought a divorce from Laura Cooke, on the ground of her adultery with J. H. Johnson. Mr Neave (instructed by Mr Cook) appeared for petitioner, and there was no appearance of the respondent. Cooke, who is a mechanical engineer, stated m Evidence that he was married m England to his erring spouse on July 9, 1902, when she was known as Laura Thompson. He arrived m New Zealand m 1903, and returned to England on business m the following year, his wife accompanying him. He shipped again to New Zealand m November, 1905, and had since resided m the Dominion. At tils beginning of the present year he lourneyed to Kerera, Hawke's Bay, and returned to Wellington after- ■ an absence 'of seven weeks. When he was m Napier he had reason to suspect the missus, and he was not altogether astounded when he received a letter from J. H. Johnson, the co-re. The epistle mentioned that Johnson had "taken Mrs Cooke to mv keeping, for reasons best known to ourseles." During Cooke's absence, the letter said, Johnson and Mrs Cooke had practically lived together, and so the Don Juan had taken the missus altogether. The wife also wrote to the unfortunate Cooke remarking that for some time past she had felt m her bosom absolute.ly no affection whatever for her husband, during whose absence she had met the gentleman, whom she would under no circumstances leave. In conseouence of receiving these letters Cooke sought release from the matrimonial bonds, and saw a solicitor regarding the matter. The woman then verbally admitted 1 to her hasfrand her adultery with Johnson, and Johnson remarked to witness that he would continue to do it. A grey-bearded patriarch named David Neild, who described himself as an evangelist, importer, and general agent, testified that he rented a couple of rooms to the Cookes at No. 6. Crawford-street, and during the absence of Cooke m Hawke's Bay. and more particularly towards the end of the term, •JOHNSON PRACTICALLY LIVED WITH MRS COOKE. The elderly mercantile parson said he was awake at 5.30 one morning and was scandalised by seeing Johnson stealing away from Mrs Cooke's premises. Emily Morgan, a domestic at Neild's, also stated that Johnson was m the habit of poaching on Cooke's matrimonial preserves during the injured husband's- absence. On. one occasion he remained- till midnight, and once she heard Johnson m Mrs Cooke's apartments at six o'clock m the morning, and she feared the worst respecting Mrs Cooke's virtue. A decree nisi, to become absolute m three months, was granted, with costs on the lowest scale. The case of Corley v. Corley. wife's petition, presented unusual features. Ernest and Annie were satisfied with four years of dubious bliss, when Ernest deserted his wife and two children. He subsequently met a girl named Mamie Sullivan, and v CONTRACTED A. BIGAMOUS MARRIAGE with her. The wronged wife instituted divorce proceedings, and when Ernest realised that he was liable to toil laboriously under Government supervision for an indefinite period, he left the colony with undignified haste. Mr Devine, instructed by Mr Tanner, appeared for the petitioning wife. j Annie Elizabeth Corley stated m ! evidence that she was married at j Wellington on August 17, 1899. After marriage she lived with her husband (whose full name m the family Bible was Ernest Agustus Wheeler Corlev) at Wellington and Christchurch, and two children wore born to the union. At the end of three | years, her husband began to exercise ! cruelty towards her, and he left j her twelve, months later. He confiscated the children, but made no j provision for bis abandoned spouse. The wife sulvs^mrnilr rr-rnvorecl the! j vouncor rhiid. vlii'h v.-.-. X brought to! jber brother at J;uko'"s foundry, Ihs 1 assumption being that Corley could- '

n't or wouldn't keep it. The eldest child was deserted m Christchurch, and the mother recovered it also, through the police. Evelyn Spencer Peek, ■ who is married to Mrs Corley's brother, recollected Corley coming to see her with a woman named Mamie Sullivan, from Dunedin, whom he described ;as his wife. They were living m Alpha-street, off Cambridge-ter-race, Wellington, where the guilty, pair rented a room from Mrs Hill, and lived as man and wife. Evelyn called- to see them on more than one occasion, and observed that there was a double. bed m the room. They, made no secret of their relationship, and both produced their marriage lines. They said they had also been living at Mrs- McGregor's. Christina Ann McGregor, a married lady, testified that she had let a room to Mamie Sullivan, who was visited by Ernest Corley. He married the girl on June 13 last. Mrs McGregor being present at the Registrar's office as a witness to the ceremony, and the couple afterwards lived together m the room AS MAN AND WIFE. A" decree nisi was granted, to be made absolute m three months, the wife to have custody of children. Costs were allowed on the lowest scale. His Honor remarked that a man who would desert his wife and children m the manner described deserved to have costs on the highest scale awarded against him. " George Hartinan (represented by Mr Blair) .sought a dissolution of marriage from his wife Mary on the ground of her adultery with John Magner. The parties were married m the Elderly Country m February, 1892, and there were two youngsters now thirteen and twelve years of age. . They did not come to New Zealand till 1904 : and settled at Ngaruwaihia, m the Waikato. Here the woman met a perfidious man named Cottam, who was working on an adjoining farm, and who led her from the path of nuptial rectitude. A letter, written by Mrs Hartman to Cottam was put m. It was one of a number subsequently recovered by the husband, and was 6ne of what the people interested called "hot"— too "hot" to be . read m open Court. Mary confessed to her husband her ( adultery with Cottam after that 4 gentleman had cleared out, and Hubby extended a full and unconditional pardon. • Justice Button remarked that he j was quite disposed to commend a man for pardoning a slip by his wife, but he confessed that after reading this letter written by net, etescribinn- how lieavenlv it would b« to have illicit intercourse with another man. he was inclined TO MODIFY HIS COMMENDATION. Hartman explained that at that time he had not seen the letter ; moreover, there were two children. The unfortunate husband found but later that she had been carrying on with yet another man, Jno. Magner, who was one of Hartman's neighbors m the Waikato. Distracted hubby took his wayward missus to Sydney, where she disappeared, and when next she enters the story she is living with Magner at Haitaitai, somewhere behind Mount Victoria, Wellington. That indispensable secret agent, Samuel W. Free, who is repeatedly mistaken for the Hon. R. McNab (which would be a more suitable name for a man of his occupation), watched the guilty couple, who were known to the neighbors as Mr nnd Mrs Magner. Free even concealed himself at a point contiguous to the premises, and detected Mrs Hartman and Magner m the bedroom at 9.30 ,- at night, a happening most obnox- / ious m the sight of Mrs Grundy,.'and an infringement of the proprieties generally. Samuel served th« divorce- papers on the lady, and wrsb accompanied by Hartman, who wae dramatically "produced. The lady screamed, and looked as if she was going to faint. His Honor : She thought it wa* , his s-host 7-^-Probably. your Honor. A decree nisi wr=s granted, to' be made absolute m three months, and costs on the lowest scale were awarded against Magnev.