HIS SAMOAN SPOUSE.

NZ Truth, Issue 282, 19 November 1910, Page 5

HIS SAMOAN SPOUSE.

A YANKEE ON THE HUSTLE

Afraid of the Color Line.

A Texan Rancher— His Island Bride— And Brown Baby— "Smoked" to Suva— But is Brought Back— Lawyer Lundon and Jack Johnson — What Jack Could Not DoIn Southern .Texas — A Case of Cruel Desertion —Magistrate Suggests a Settlement.

Alfred Max Phillips, a fair-haired, short and sinewy citizen of Yankeeland, with a' sullen demeanour, made his appearance at the Auckland S.M.s Court, before Magistrate Kettle, this week on a charge of wife desertion and failing to provwJe for the maintenance of his wife and child. Citizen Phillips explained that he had a ranch m Southern Texas, but left there to take a pub. m Samoa a couple of years ago. While he was living m the Islands he went through the marriage ceremony with a Samoan damsel, and they had a child. THE YANKEE RANCHMAN made a few hundred as a publican and came to Maoriland with his wife and child. After spending a few weeks rusticating with an aunt of his wife at Pungaroa, not far distant from the Bay of Plenty. Phillips got full up of Ward's Loan Land and wanted to get back to Uncle Sam's free country. His chief reason for wanting to get back to the States was, he explained, that he had worried out some original and wonderful patent to paint barber's poles or something of the sart, and Uncle Sam was the only person who could fully appreciate his genius. With this deep-rooted conviction m his head, Citizen Phillips determined that for the benefit of humanity and his own hungry I pocket, he would have to get with | all haste to Washington and patent j his ideas, 'Accordingly the Yankee, his Samoan wife ./ AND THEIR LITTLE "BUSTER BROWN" came back from the scenes of their rustication m the country, and after a few days' sojourn m the salubrious climate of the Queen City his fertile brain hit upon another original idea. He told his dearly beloved that he intended to go back to the sunny Pacific islands from whence they had come. Accordingly, the Talune was selected as their transport; and she was timed to sail on a certain Monday afternoon. During the morning of that day the party went aboard, and the cute Yankee deposited his luggage there, but told his wife that -her baggage (which was left m the railway parcel office) could come down laterv s The American citizen then suggested that they should go ashore* and have lunch. The meal having been duly settled Brother Jonathan toW his Samoan wife he had a little business to attend to and would meet her on board the Talune about five o'clock, half-an-hour before the time of sailing. 1 As a matter of fact the Talune sailed ati 2.15 that afternoon with Phillips aboard. When dear wifie and the baby arrived at the wharf later m tho afternoon they realised the full significance of the two little words, "too v late." The police came to the rescue of the lorn woman and Phillips was arrested on the arrival of the Talune at Suva, from whence he returned m custody to Auckland. | When arrested, the cute gent of American nationality bad about £200 m his possession.

Previous .to being brought before; Magistrate Kettle Phillips had an importunity of meeting bis wife at

■Lawyer Lundon's office, and after a lengthy confab an understanding was arrived at between husband and wife. Counsel, after outlining the above .facts, said that when Phillips left he •did so fully intending to give his wifie the slip, because heleft a note •at t.he boardinghouse they had been . staying- at, together with 265, .withwhich HE DIRECTED THE FORSAKEN PARTNER ito pay her board and release her. luggage from the railway station. No <doubt any surplus out of .the \Jew shillings was intended, to keep wife aotd, chiM until hubby came back., TJhe worthy citizen of the States told the Court quite candidly he considered it necessaryi, if he was to get ashore m, America, to trick his wife, because a rigid drawing of the "color Hne": there might prevent his lawful spouse landing with ham. "Besides," he said,, "if I had told her I was going, and raised any objection to her .accompanying me, there would h»ve been trouble. She would never have let me get away, sol had to conceive a trick to give her the slip. X never intended to desert her for ever, I was going to send her money from Suva, but was arrested before .1 could." Lawyer Lundon : Did your wife give you any money ? She gave me £20 of Her money— all she had, I think— before I left. What did she give you the money for ? — For safe keeping, I suppose. Well, I don't know. It seems to me you took it for keeps. Accused : I don't think so at all. She would have got It all back. And besides, if my patents had' turned turned out right, I reckon she would have cbuae off good. Lawyer Lundon (to the magistrate) : Mrs Phillips does not want to lose her husband's company, but he seems determined to go to America, and so the lady proposes that hi

should leave £100 on security here to keep her tor a year. The S.M. : Would it not be better if she went to Suva with him and awaited his RETURN AMONG HER OWN PEOPLE ? . - ■ i Lawyer Lundon : Well, she prefer* to stay here, your Worship. She has an aunt at Pungaroa, ' who has befriended her till' her husband was brought back. It is the only friend she has m the country. The S.M. : Of course it must be borne m mind that she might become a burden to the State if she remains here and her husband fails to return or provide money for her mainten- ; ance. . | The S.M. (to accused) : There is nothing to prevent you taking your wife with you to the States. ; Accused : There might be trouble il I go back to Southern Texas to take-up another ranch when I've got my patents through at Washington. The S.M. : Oh, that's absurd; Lawyer Lundon : Perhaps, your. Worship has heard the name of Johnr soii/ Mr Jack Johnson. Well, he could, riot take his white wife with hiro to Texas. And he was a pretty : solid | gentleman, too. Magistrate : This man could-: protect his wife all right m Texas if he was a. man, and it is his diity to take his wife with him. •■ ■ Lawyer Lundon : But I don't think the lady wishes to go. He might drop her at any wayside port and she would be worse off than ever.' Magistrate : It is a will's duty to go with her husband wherever he wishes to take her m reason 1 . She's got to go. I feel sure this man will do the rigfat thing by his wife now; He has had his lesson. •' . Lawyer Lundon : Your Worship is more confident than the wife. SHE'S HAD ONE SORRY EXPERIENCE, ' ' anil it has shaken her faith a bit m human nature. The Magistrate : Well, I think if I adjourn this matter for a week or a fortnight some amicable settlement may be come to. The police,, X .under* stand,' have £75 as a surety for' bail from this man.. He won't leav« witb* out that. Detective <3ox : That is so, youf Worship. We are also interested t« the extent .of £6 16s 6d, th« pact of bringing' accused back. Wili th# Court authorise this money t» "W taken out of the money we hold ? Accused : I'm <iuite agreaalsl» W that. TJie Magistrate : Well, the mattes is adjourned if or a lortnignt, and 1 hope some arrangement will be arrivbdatin the -meantime.