EX-DETECTIVE MILLER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 29

EX-DETECTIVE MILLER.

SEPARATION CASE,

WIFE’S EXTRAORDINARY ALLEGATIONS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, August 1

Some extraordinary allegations were made in the Magistrate’s Court to-day by Ethel Miller against her husband (the ex-dotec-tive) in the course of an appl.cation for a separation order. Mr C. U. Kettle, S.M., presided. The complainant based her application on an allegation of persistent cruelty. She married Miller, about 15 years ago, and knew him two years before that. The Magistrate: Then you knew him very well ? Witness: Oh, you can’t know a policeman very well. He is too much on duty for that. Continuing, witness said she had three children, the eldest being 14 years of age. Up till about five years ago they had Jived in Auckland, and during their residence there he had had regular bouts of drunkenness every three months. She used to do her best to screen him from his superiors, while she nursed him and gave him chicken broth and all that. She had even bathed him and rubbed him down so that ho could appear cui duty at 2 o’clock, but in spite of it he would not reach the office, but would come home drunk instead, i

The Magistrate: Has he ever assaulted you ? Witness; Yes. He has rushed at me, and always made for my throat. The Magistrate: Has he ever made any suggestions against your character ? Witness: He has said that I have fancy men and that I could always get fancy men to keep me. The Magistrate: Jealousy. I suppose?

Witness: Yes, I think it’s that; but there is no reason for it. Mrs Miller further stated that she and her husband had gone to Lyttelton and Christchurch about five years ago. Miller had improved somewhat as far as drinking was concerned whilst there. About 11 months ago they had returned to Auckland. “ One night,” she continued. “my sister and I went to the pictures at Onohunga, and were to have met my husband afterwards. We missed him, however, and when wo got home ho was very angry, lie struck me once, and tried to do so again, but my sister got it.” Her unhappiness had reached its height on July 15. r lhat evening she was in bed with her youngest child when her husband had abused her violently. Then he struck her heavily on the left side of the face, badly bruising it. “ The trouble between us of late,” she said, has been caused by the fact that I had him sent to Roto Roa. He says I put him there because I wanted to live with other men.” During cross-examination the witness maintained that she had used her influence to obtain false certificates from certain medical men so that she could shield her husband from the authorities. These certificates were given during the time they were living in Auckland over five years ago and during the time Miller was in the force down south. The Magistrate: Do you say that they deliberately sent in false reports? Witness: Yes, that is true; but I am sorry for their sake to have to say so. The Magistrate : If this is so tho medical men concerned should have tho opportunity of coming forward to protect themselves from the charges. Give me the names of these doctors. Mrs Miller gave the names of several medical men. Tho Magistrate : This is very serious, and certainly should be inquired into. Miller cross-examined his wife at length, and eventually asked: “Have not I been a peacemaker always and attempted to get a proper understanding? W itiioss; Yes, by choking mo and blackenmy eye. Nurse Elizabeth Casson, who had lived in the Miller household for some lime, gave evidence to tho effect that tho husband bad been drunk on various occasions. On one occasion Miller had chased his wife into witness’s bedroom, and had half-strangled her. Victoria Neild, who lived next door to tho Millers prior to their removal to Christchurch, gave similar evidence. A sister of the complainant {Violet Morris) corroborated the statement of Mrs Miller concerning the Onohunga picture show incident; while a daughter gave evidence that her father had made accusations against her mother. This closed tho case for (ho complainant. Carmelin© Rodgers, mother of the complainant. said she had known Miller for about 17 years, and during tho last few years had stayed with her daughter and e on-in-la ty at various times. During her visits she had seen nothing wrong between them, but she considered that her daughter was hard to get on with. Evidence was also given by Agnes Rodgers (complainant’s sister) who considered that Miller had always been a good husband; while Edward Herbert Morris, a brother-in-law, said that he had never seen anv blows struck by Miller.

The Magistrate (to Morris); Did Miller drink to excess?

Witness: Well, I have never seen him lying about the streets like a log. Miller (to witness) : You don't drink yourself. do you ? Witness: Yes, I do Alexander Robertson with whom iho Millers lived at one time, testified that he had not seen Miller intoxicated; while Andrew Fernandes said he had seen Miller under the, influence of drink only once. Miller, in evidence, admitted that ho had “clipped” his wife on July 15, but that was on account of the allegations his wife had made against his sister. Tie admit tori that some years ago he had been in rim habit of <1 rinking considerably, but of lure years he had reduced his drinking very

considerably. He complained that his wife had nagged him excessively. In cross-examination Miller denied that he had attempted to strangle his wife. Sometimes she had scratched his face, and he had been forced to push her off. The Magistrate reserved his decision in the hope that some settlement might be come to. August 8. In the Police Court Mrs Miller applied for a separation order against her husband, ex-Detective John P. Miller, alleging habitual cruelty. The case occupied the court all last Friday, and was adjourned in the hope of a private settlement being reached meantime, but this proved impossible. Mr Kettle, S.M.. to-day granted a separation. He said he was satisfied that tlae cause of the trouble was Miller’s excessive drinking. His wife had stood by him for a long period of years while he was a police officer, and had shielded him from his superiors when he was absent from duty as a result of excessive drinking. The magistrate said he would not express an opinion as to whether Miller was committed to Roto Roa Island rightly or wrongly, but the few' months he had spent there evidently did him good, as on his own statement he had not touched drink since hie return. The assault which Miller recently committed on his wife, together with his conduct in court, satisfied the magistrate that it was inadvisable that Mrs Miller should-be compelled to cohabit w'ith her husband. Miller agreed to pay £1 a week for maintenance, and an order was made accordingly.