A LAW UNTO HERSELF

NZ Truth, Issue 1155, 19 January 1928, Page 5

A LAW UNTO HERSELF

That Selina

Martha Suspected

Was Samson's Delilah

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Dunedin Representative.)

HOES Charlie Samson, a Dunedin butcher, deliver anything else besides juicy joints and sheep's hearts; has Ije thrown m a kiss or two as make-weight, whilst Selina Margaret Wilkinson waited for him to deliver the goods?

MARTHA, Samson's wife, infers that Selina should have been named

across the way and two men who were Avorking nearby — providentially, it~would seem.

"Delilah" and says that Mrs. Wilkinson has caused a cleavage m the Samson home.

And because Martha forgot that such things may not now be settled according to club law, she has been fined twenty shillings, additional to five times as much m medical and law costs for assaulting the "woman m the case."

In relating the "why" of it, Mrs. Samson," behind the legal battlements reared by Lawyer "Bill" Hay, had some distinctly clear views on the alleged relationship between her husband and Selina.

But we must return to what Mrs. Wilkinson had to observe on the assault and battery question and the previous incidents said to be pendant thereto. Selina, a married woman, related the coming of Martha to the Wilkinson home m Burns Street at 2 o'clock one afternoon.

. Rattle, rattle, rattle! went the handle of the front door and an irate feminine voice, filtering through the letterbox, screeched: "If you don't let me m, I'll break all the AvindOAVs."

thus, did

Thus and said Selina,

Martha introduce

her presence,

The lady of the house Avent into

the passage leading to the front door, but did not immediately obey the summons to open and after a feAV moments of AA'aiting Avas greeted Avith a coo-ing invitation to "Let me in — I've come to make friends," from Mrs. Samson.

Rather a change of front, it must be admitted, but tactics betAveenf tAvo women under the circumstances outlined by Mrs. Samson possess a quality which permits of SAvift transitions.

Probably on the principle that the soft ansAver turneth aAvay Avrath, Mrs. Wilkinson admitted her caller, was taken by the hand, patted on the shoulder and then —

"I've come to kill you!" shrilled Martha, according to witness, and if action is proof of intention— and if what Selina told the court bo correctMartha Avas apparently determined to check the tender passion which Selina was said to cherish towards Charlie Samson.

Seizing with one hand a thick stick from the hall-stand, a strong grip with the other hand upon the arm of her rival, Martha was alleged to have 'belabored the head and shoulders of | Mrs. Wilkinson, who, struggling hard, at length- got away.

She ran along towards the front door, but still Martha followed — it was said — and thwack! thwack! relentlessly went the stick.

Half -fainting with fright and exhaustion, Mrs. Wilkinson said she called for help, an appeal which was promptly answered -by a neighbor

Wife's Suspicions

Her recollection of what followed- is extremely hazy, she told Sub-Inspector Fahey, but she was obliged to remain m bed for the next three days.

Counsel: Prior to last November twelvemonths was Samson not m the habit of visiting your house to deliver meat? — No.

Was he not m the habit of visiting your house? — Yes, as a friend of ours; my husband's, you knov^. Sometimes he -called m on a message.

Oh! What sort of message?— A business message! (warmly). - '

Would you swear that Samson has not brought any meat during the day? — I wouldn't swear that.

Legal father- confessor Hay decided to let Selina go at that and he then placed Martha on the witness-stand.

She began her story by saying: "I haA r e a family of seven, the youngest of which is five months old, and since the police served the papers on me, my husband and I haA'e not lived under the same roof. Only the tAvo babies live with me now.

"On the day when the assault was supposed to have been made, I was going to a house m Cargill Road, but whilst on the way there it occurred to me that I might go to see Mrs. Wilkinson.

"I went to ask her to help me regain my husband's affection. She has interfered and ruined the happiness of my home for the last ten years and I thought it better to go to her than to a lawyer.

"I went to her place, knocked at the door and when she answered my knock I told her that I hadn't come to harm her, but that I came to plead with her.

"I begged of her to discontinue her relationships with my husband, but she said she wasn't the only woman who did- that. She then insulted me and grabbed at me ;. •■; .

"We came to grips ? and a tussle took place. She hit me with a stick and while defending myself I managed to take the stick out^of her hand.

"I don't, remember much more after that . . . I don't remember hitting

her with the stick v

The bench, m reviewing the evidence before him, said there was no doubt that whilst Mrs. Samson had gone to see Mrs. Wilkinson for the purpose of soliciting her help m regaining the regard of Samson lor his wife, she waa suffering from such a stress bf mind as to be incapable of realizing what she was doing.

There could be no doubt, he declared, that Martha was the aggressor and whatever the relationship . between Samson and Mrs. Wilkinson, Martha should not have taken the law into her ovjfcn hand*.