A SAD MAINTENANCE CASE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11956, 1 February 1901, Page 7

A SAD MAINTENANCE CASE.

In the Ohi'istchurch Magistrate's Court on Tuesday (says the Press) Walter Henry Palmer Long, a traveller for agricultural machinery, was charged, on the information of Jane Long, his wife, with deserting her, and failing to provide adequate maintenance. Mr T. I. Joynt appeared for plaintiff, and accused was not represented by counsel. Before calling evidence, Mr Joynt briefly gave an outline of the case, remarking it was the worst of its kind he had ever known. Plaintiff, the daughter of highly respectable people, had married Long 18 months ago,

and had been treated in a wickedly, heartless manner, and finally deserted.

Mrs Long, a prepossessing young woman, staled that a year and eight months ago she had married defendant, and lived for a time at Dunedin and Timaru. Some time after her marriage she was taken seriously ill through the improper conduct of her husband, and for some months she was confined to her bed. On recovering her health partially she had gone on a visit to her grandmother at Temuka, and while there her husband passed through by rail on October 4. That was the last sho had soon of him, and since then she had never received a penny towards her support. Before that time she occasionally got a shilling or two—the total amount of money given her by her husband since the marriage not being more than £2. When asked for money her husband always said "hotel expenses swallowed up all he had." Mi Joynt informed the court that Long had written letters to his wife, asking her to release him by divorce, admitting infidelity on his part, and further stating that he loved another, whom he could not live without. Long admitted the letters, which were put in as ovidencc, Mrs Long's replies, couchctl in affectionate and temperate language, were also produeod. Plaintiff, in reply to Mr Bishop, S.M., asked the court to grant her £1 per week maintenance. Defendant stated that he had earned very little, receiving £3 a week for salary and expenses and commission on sales, lie had worked hard, but had been unsuccessful. Ho was not really able to pay anything, but would do his best. In answer to Mr Joynt, he said he had been living at hotels. He was entitled to £200 under a will; ho supposed he would get it; it might, however, be upset if ho disgraced himself. It was not a fact that he lived a dissipated life in Timaru. Mrs Long, in reply to questions, said her husband had always acted kindly, and they had never quarrelled. His Worship said ho could not conceive any man acting as the defendant had done, and before ho would appear in a court to defond such an action and to enhance publicity of the dreadful facts of the case—well, ho would have shot himself. Defendant said ho had come because he thought ho bad to appear in person; he had no money, and borrowed his fare from the north. He intended to do his best for his wife. liis Worship said he could not believe that. After some further remarks, his Worship said he should order defendant to pay 15b per week, and Mr Joynt could apply lor a variation if tho plaintiff thought at any time that she ought to do so, tho order to carry costs.