WIFE’S ADMISSIONS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18551, 10 November 1934, Page 5

WIFE’S ADMISSIONS

MORGAN DIVORCE CASE SOLICITOR’S EVIDENCE “ELEMENTARY IDEAS” * - (Special to tho Horalil.) WELLINGTON, this day. Evidence in the, case in which Edward Morgan, the hoxer, is a petitioner in a defended divorce suit, was continued in the Supreme Court yesterday. wife was formerly Miss Norma Wilson, of Gisborne, and they met when hotn ..were away representing, New Zealand ni the idkl Olympiad.. Tho rhnu party is itaiigr AlUish, a jockey,'of Hastings, with wnom Morgan alleges that his wile eomnntted adultery, and-from whom; he claims a«hOO. CdUtmuiiig'liis evidence, the petitioner saic| that there had been some discussion as to whether his wife would be bettei off with Morgan or with Marsln He and his wife arranged to see' a solicitor, Mr. Ougiley. In his wife’s presence lie told Mr. 'Ongley that his wife admitted misconduct. She did not deny it, and wanted to know how soon she and Marsh could be married. At Morgan’s request, Mr. O.uglsj’ Ei' e a . document for signature iitJknoWiea’gihg that misconduct had taken place. -- Morgan- added that he and his wife then took the train to Hastings, and found Marsh waiting for them on the stationJ Morgan gave Marsh thd paper to sign, bat before signing it Marsh wanted an assurance that Morgan would not claim damages. He gave this undertaking. Some weeks after his return froin Hastings, his wife issued maintenance proceedings against him and as a result, he,had taken out the petition for divorce. ENGAGEMENT BROKEN OFF The witness; said that he and his wife had- become engaged after they met on theifvtHpvto the Olympic Games, home time alter that the engagement was broken off,' and-be got his ring back. Mr. .Rollings: From that time until you got married I think you scarcely. saw your : wife?' - You met only a few weeks before you were married m the registry offifcef ' Morgan: That is true. yj&a your married life from the commencement a happy one?—We were happy , m lot£ of ways. • Were there any ways in which you were, unhappy?—When my wife lost her temper we were unhappy. Were you ever unhappy when the husband lost his temper? —The husband never lost his temper. 'Never? —He bad good occasion to sometimes. Hi? Honor: A boxing man isn t much good unless ho can control his temper. >iorgan said that on one occasion his * wife had thrown a brush at him and his head had been cut opeu. Mr. Rollings: Without cause? Morgan - saw that he was in the bedroom singing a song. . Mr. Rollings: That explains everything. (Laughter). Morgan, smiling, said ho admitted that he did not have a very good voice. Morgan denied, that he had been cruel to his wife, and had blackened her mother’s eye 3. His wife’s mother, he said, had madq a rush at him; he had side-stepped her, find she collided with the door.. Morgan also denied that his Wife had accused him of being cruel to her.

/ AN UNSAVOURY CASE Frederick William Ongley, the solicitor on whom the Morgans-called, gave evidence that Morgan said: “My wile wants a divorce. Bhe a found someone she likes better than me, and wants to , marry hiffi.” me witness explained that he did not think the wife could get a divorce under tne circumstances, but the husband could. Ha suggested to Mrs. Morgan Uiat it would oe something of an unsavoury case for her, and there probably would be damages against the other man. Would he marry her alter all that wouble had been caused? Mrs. Morgan replied that she thought that would be quite all right. He advised her to see ner. people about it. Morgan then asked liia wife if she was going to leave him, and she replied that she was. The witness said that, seeingi Morgan was not anxious to get rid ol nis wile, and thinking that the trouble might be patched up, he suggested that it Mrs. Morgan went away Morgan should see her father. On Morgan s request, witness made two copies of the admission to be sigtned by Marsh. Witness thought Mrs. Morgan’s ideas on divorce insofar us she thought that it was quite easy to get a divorce if both parties wanted it. were rather elementary. HEARING ADJOURNED

Reginald C. Carr, of Wellington, an acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, 3aid.tihat he met Mrs. Morgan one day early m March and gave her a lift through the city. She told him that she was on her way to see her husband to arrange a separation, that;the marriage hf(d been a; mistake from the styrt, and that it had been her fault, and suggested that witness should make arrangements j' to go out with her husband sometimes, he would be,“very cut up” over the separation. Frank Allen, of Gisborne, said that one race night in February, when he went to a certain dance in Gisborne, he saw Mrs. Morgan there dancing several times with Marsh. She told witness; “I hope Ted doesn’t find out I’m here.” Morgan was at that time in Gisborne. Mrs. Emily K. Miller, George Fraser, and Constable A. T. Cleverley, whowere close friends of the Morgans, gave evidence that before Mrs. Morgan went away on a holiday they seemed happy. Constable Cleverley said that Morgan was a clean-living, quiet young man He had not heard of his, being cruel to his wife. The hearing was adjourned.