DIVORCE COURT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 488, 2 September 1915, Page 10

DIVORCE COURT.

THE BEAN CASE. TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. I The divorce case, Bean v. Bean and R. King Thompson (co-respond-ent) was continued in the Supreme Court to-day: A NEIGHBOUR'S EVIDENCE. Eliza Jane Stevens, the next witness called by Mr Alpers, said she lived next door to the mother of the co-respondent at Fendalton. She had been on intimate terms with Mrs Bean. She had known ever since the beginning of the New Year that King Thompson was a visitor to the Bean's. She saw him there while he was convalescent after his illness in January. On the day after Good Friday Mrs Bean told witness she was feeling lonely because the corespondent had not cbme, and she expected him. Perhaps, she Jiad added, he thought Bean was at home. Mrs Bean had told her on different occasions that she expected the corespondent. Mrs Bean told her Thompson always came on Thursdays to make arrangements for Friday evenings. She had frequently cautioned Mrs Bean. She had spoken to her as a sister, and had tried to lead her the right way, but could not. Mrs Bean told her later that she. thought her husband had been watching her. On June 7, about 6 o'clock, Thompson visited Bean's house. Mrs Bean told her so. She said that while they were standing on the lawn the eldest boy, came home from work. Thompson promised to meet her on the Friday night. About the Tuesday after Mrs Bean told her that she and the co--respondent had been out oh the Friday. Witness told Mrs Bean then to think of her children and her relations. On June 19 Mrs Bean told her that she and King had been out the night before cycling. On June 26 Mrs Bean told witness that Tholmpson had been with her. She said: "We struck a bit of bad luck. One of Mr Riley's sons was at the top of Tay Street with a lantern and a dog." She said they went as far as Sparks bridge. Witness said that Mi s Bean, told her later that if Bean went to Thompson's father and made any row Thompson would leave home, and, if he left, she would leave. Witness replied that she thought it was the' best thing she Could do. Mrs Bean replied: "Oh, no, that would not do; it would be wicked." Witness said she did not think it would be is bad as it was at the time. She replied that King told her he could live with her for ever without a quarrel. She said: "What can I do, 'Tevey'? I love him." Witness asked her what would happen if the thing came to Mr Bean's ears after the warning he had given. She replied: "George would never bring it through the papers and get> his children graced." She also said she was not going to stop at Fendalton another summer. Withess said she told Bean because she took pity on him, and knew Mrs Bean intended leaving

him. In May Mrs Bean told witness she was anxious to see what were the drugs concerned in a case then before the Supreme Court. Later she stopped witness in the street and told her Bean had taken divorce proceedings. Mrs Bean told witness that she wanted to tell her lawyer that King was at the house on June 7, but King told her not to. Later she told witness that King had told her that if she stuck to him he would stick to her.

To Mr Gresson: She had never warned Mrs Bean against her friendship with Mrs Thompson. She told Mrs Bean that if her husband heard of her goings on it would be the end of her friendship with the Thompsons. At the outset she did not take Mrs Bean seriously. She told her it was her funeral. She thought it a cruel shame that after Mr Bean had forgiven the past he should be treated in such a way. She told Bean out of pity for him. To Mr Bishop: Mrs Bean told her she had never loved anyone but Thompson. CONVERSATIONS AND WARNINGS.

Elizabeth Dyer, residing at Leitch Street, Spreydon, said that early in February Mrs Bean told her tliat she had a "boy."—King Thompson. She told her that Bean objected to Thompson visiting the house. Later when Mrs Bean spoke as to her "boy," witness said to her: "Mrs Bean, do not you think yourself a fool? If anything should happen to Mr Bean do you think that boy will marry you or act honourably towards you?" To Mr Gresson: Mrs Bean had asked her to keep it quiet and not say anything ab®ut her "boy." This concluded the case for the petitioner. CASE FOR THE DEFENCE. In opening for the defence, Mr

jGresson said the respondent's case and that of the co-respondent was a complete denial of the case Of the petitioner. It would be shown that since April 15 the co-respondent had never been in Bean's house. Thompson would be able to show that it was impossible for him to have been at Bean's house on July 1. He submitted that it would be impossible for the witnesses to identify the co-respondent by his cough. Annie Jane Bean, the respondent, said she went to live at Fendalton some eight years ago. There were two boys of her first marriage—one aged 18, and the other aged 17. Her husband and herself had not got on well practically from the first, the principal cause being the petitioner's sulking. Of late years he had not got on well with her two boys. The principal reason for this was that he wanted the boys to work in the garden on Sundays. Petitioner had twice sulked for a month, and once for four months. Since she had been at Fendalton the Thompson's was the only house she frequently visited. She had been in the habit of taking to Thompson's bruised apples, etc., for fceir fowls. From the middle of January to the middle of May her husband had not spoken to her. She had not taken less interest in her home and her children. She had not been increasingly going out at night. Her husband's statement that she was out practically every night during the last half of May was not true. The only times sMe went out was when she tdok stuff to the Thompson's. She stopped paying off the mortgage at petitioner's instigation. After the middle of May there was a reconciliation between the parties. Her husband first brought the co-respondent to the house. During his convalescence Thompson went quite openly to the house. When she went to the Thompson's Mrs Thompson or one of the boys always saw Her home. She denied that she kissed Thompson on the night he saw her home or that she had ever kissed him. When she got to the door her husband said: "I won't have you walking with King Thompson." He did not say anything of kissing. She never used to see the co-respondent except when he took her home from his mother's house or on the tram. April 15 was the last time Thompson ever visited her house. She was never at any time near Sparks bridge with Thompson. She knew nothing of divorce proceedings till the papers were served on her. She had not lately been on very intimate terms with Mrs Stevens. She had never told Mrs-Stevens .that she made arrangements with Thompson on Thursdays to go out on Fridays, nor had she ever been out with the co-respondent on a Friday. (Proceeding.)