FURS AND FRILLS

NZ Truth, Issue 882, 21 October 1922, Page 6

FURS AND FRILLS

Corban's Capers at Te Koiti

A Matrimonial Mix-up.

If David Corban, storekeeper, m the dry district, of Te Kuiti, had been gifted with the art of foresight he would never have laid charges of theft against his one-time housekeeper, Catherine O'Donoghue, for -when the case camo to be looked into by the v ßench, the police and Lawyer Vernon , took a turn which Corban had plainly not expected nor hoped for, no matter what he might have feared. The dainty Catherine was discharged and David'is family arrangements were given the once over. Corban reckoned that the' lady m the case had been employed by him as a domestic or something of that sort for three months or so and then left, without giving the usual notice, with a violin, a trunk, a suit ,case and a rug tucked carefully under her arm or somewhere else out of sight, the) said articles of furniture being ticketed, accqrding to his valuation, at something like £25. ■ David, after taking the oath, said that he had had a talk with Catherine' m Auckland m July and she had agreed to give a helping hand m the house and shop at £3 per week. She turned up as per arrangement arid kept things m order till October 6, when he missed her and. the violin and other things together." That fiddle, he reckoned, was worth £20 of his money on account of the fact 'that it had belonged to the children for quite a time, and it was worth that much any way. Lawyer Vernon wanted to know details about the invitation to work and the description given of the shop and house. Yes, said David, Catherine had asked whether there were coats for sale ,-there and he had said "No," but he /would pick out anything she liked the look of at a warehouse m the city. Sure enough they did go to the warehouse and she picked out a coat, one of the. best. It was a sealskin, with A FIFTY GUINEA TICKET on the bottom left-hand corner. However, she did not think the price too fierce and sajdf that she would work for it. ' Some more questions followed as to whether Catherine had been told that there would be no wife at home, and it was quite a time before he ,was tied down to an answer that she had been given to understand that there would be no one else, at the place. Do you know that m Te Kuiti she was known as Mrs Corban? — She can call herself what she likes. I don't know who she says she is. Didn't you tell the police that you gave her £163 m money ?-r-No, I told them that I gave it to her m goods and money, too. Back to the violin, Mr Vernon wanted to know all manner of details, and wa^s finally told that it was not Corban's property at all. Once and for all, 'do you deny that this woman lived with you as y^our wife?— David answered, No, no, no) or words t6 the same effect. Certainly not. Never, and so on. Ever been m trouble before ?— No. Ever been charged with assault? — No. i ' ' Ever been m any trouble? — Only m connection with a benzine case. Constable Sheahon took his turn with the Bible and told the Court that Catherine had once made a statement to him to the effect that she had been asked by David to go to Te Kuiti TO LIVE WITH HIM at £ 2 per week, and ' further, that he had taken her to a warehouse and bought her a fifty guinea coat, saying that it would be hers when she arrived at Te Kuiti. She was 'there a fortnight later and got the coat. They had lived together as man and wife and during that time he had given, her the -violin and the suit ■ case. The rug and the trunk she did not take. - / The Miss-Mrs person went to the box next' and gave details about things, and gifts. The suit case Corban had given her for a week-end trip, on one occasion and had not askr ed for it. back again, so she kept it. Lawyer Vernon obtained permission to have Corban m the witness box again for a few minutes while he questioned him as to whether he had not tried to see Catherine after her arrest.— No, he had not, 'and he said the same when he was once more questioned about a conviction for assault. ■ 4 Lawyer Vernon reached out for a watehhoujse record book, but he did not get it before Corban, broke m: Oh, if you mean fighting! : Sergeant Fernley, for the police, added a. few more sentences. Everything m the accused's statement, he said, had been proved to be correct, and ■• INQUIRIES BATHER FAVORED HER. His Worship, summing up, said: "In indictable offences this Court has discretionary power to decide whether or not the case should be heard by a higher court. If this court considers the evidence insufficient to sustain the charge, then the release of the prisoner may be directed. In view of the presentation of the sealskin coat, the payment of £ 3 per week wages and £163 m goods and cash, and also his permission for her to use his name, the relationship existing between them is abundantly evident. Corban, . the chief witness m the case is unworthy and unreliable. If the casfi were sent to the Higher Court, it would only be putting the country to needless expense. I direct that the accused be discharged." The ' decision seemed • to. meet with the peneral opinion of the back of the Court, but the 'cheering wa9 cut out. Anyhow, the case was a change from the sly-grog s,eries.