MARRIAGE THAT FAILED

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 198, 10 November 1934, Page 5

MARRIAGE THAT FAILED

Boxer and Girl Athlete in Divorjce Court "MISTAKE FROM START" - BOTH IN OLYMPIC TEAM Press Association—Copyright Wellington, November 9. Edward Morgan, the boxer, is the petitioner in a defended divorce suit in the Supreme' Court to-day. His wife was formerly Normal , Wilson, the-. Gisborne athlete', and thiey met when both were away representing New Zealand at the 1928. Olympic -Games. - ; : • The third party is another person known in'sporting circles. This is Rangi Marsh, jockey, Hastings, with whom Morgan alleges, his wife .committed adultery and from whom he claims £SOO. Adultery is alleged on two occasions, at Hastings and Gisborne. Both the respondent and co-respondent, deny the allegation of adultery and allege, moreover, that the petition was collusive arid was presented by agreement between the . .petitioner, respondent and . corespondent on or about March 2. They allege that, the petitioner by blows and threats compelled them to sign an admission that they committed adultery, though they had repeatedly assured the petitioner that no such adultery- was committed. . .-• ...

The petitioner,- a plumber, said in evidence that his wife went away on three, weeks' holiday, but did not return at the end of that time. Four weeks passed and still she had not returned. He communicated with her by telephone. She said she wanted to go to another race meeting. He told her that if she did not come home he would come up and would want to know why. His wife then said tha"t she would come. When she arrived he met her at the station. She did not return his kiss, stepped back' and asked if he would divorce her. She said her suit cases were empty and she had come to collect her clothes.

The next day in: reply to his question she said there was another man and that misconduct had occurred between them. Subsequently she told him that the other man was Marsh. Witness went on to giye evidence of the subsequent course taken by him. He denied ever being cruel to his wife or that his wife had accused him of being so.

Reginald Carr said he met Mrs. Morgan at Wellington early in March. She told him she was on her way to see her husband to arrange a separation, that the marriage had been a mistake from the start and that it had been her fault. She suggested witness should make arrangements to go out with her husband sometimes as he would. be very cut up oyer the separation. Frank Allcrl, Gisborne, said that on a race night in February when he went to: a dance at Gisborne he saw Mrs. Morgan dancing several times with. MarshShe told witness: "I hope Ted doesn't find out I'm here." Morgan was at that time at Gisborne.

Mrs. Emily K. Miller, George Fraser an,'d Constable A. T. Cleverley, close friends of the- Morgans,- gave evidence thkt before Mrs. Morgan went away on the holiday, they had seemed happy. Constable Cleverley said Morgan was a clean-living, quiet young man. He had not heard of his being cruel to his wife. The case was adjourned'until to-mor-row.