Sleuth Engaged

NZ Truth, Issue 1175, 7 June 1928, Page 7

Sleuth Engaged

Her present address, he added, was Rosemont Street, Waihi. There were two children, both boys — one aged 19, the other 11.

He knew Edwards and was aware that he had, been living at Mrs. Harley's for the past two and a-half years. "I have never seen him do any work except drink beer," he added.

Mrs. Harley and the co-respondent exchanged glances.

Proceeding, witness stated that at Christmas, 1925, his wife had told him she knew a man named Edwards.

It was m. 1926 that he agreed to a separation and maintenance order, under which he was to pay £1 per week for his wife and the youngest boy.

Later this was increased to 30/-

The cause of- their separation was his wife's conduct over a business he 'had owned m Waihi. She had "beaten" him every time by taking the money and banking it to her own account.

During the last two years he had frequently seen Edwards and his wife arm-in-arm.

Thei'e were two beds on the verandah of the house m Rosemont Street. Edwards slept m one, while Mrs. Harley occupied the other. There was "just a small table between the two beds "

Henry told the court that he finally decided to engage a private detective and on the night of November 7 he met Lawrence Potter at the Waihi post office about 8 o'clock.

They stood talking for half an hour or. more, then Jackson came over to them and imparted information which promptly started Potter and witness en route for the Harley boarding-house.

Under the window of a bedroom the listeners were rewarded, so Henry stated, by hearing Mary Harley say: "Now that Harley has come into some property, I wonder if I can get anymore maintenance out of him?"

The court proceedings at Waihi to decide this question were to be held the following day, witness added. :

He was not able to recognize the voice of the man to. whom his wife had addressed her remarks.

Shortly afterwards there were certain suspicious sounds. It was decided that the moment had arrived for direct action.

"We went rouffd to the front door an.d, entered the house," witness stated. "We walked quietly down the passage and I opened the „ door quickly and threw it back . . .

"Edwards jumped off the bed — that man there!" shouted Henry vehemently, pointing towards Roderick.

"Mrs. Harley was m her night attire

. . . and she pulled the bedclothes up over her. I said: 'You thought I was too slow, but' I have you where I want you now!'" .

Henry's attempts to be sociable m a conversational way were a rank failure. His wife promptly suggested that he take himself off to those particular regions yyliore iceburgs are just about a;-! plentiful as feathers on a frog.