DIVORCE COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13430, 22 March 1907, Page 2

DIVORCE COURT.

(Continued from yesterday.) (Boforo His Honour Mr Justice Cooper.) BURROWS V. BURROWS AND TALIN. His Honour: Who is George? Mr Weston: George refers to Talin, the co-respondent, Your Honour. The letter also said: "I don't know who would have an ugly old man like him." "I only know he has a good heart, and he\nas cheered me up many a time." By Mr Welsh : His married life had not been a h#ppy' one. Thoro was absolutely no ground for this jealousy shown by his wife. The first letter he received after returning from Wellington surprised him. He did not know what she meant by neglecting her. She had accused him' whilst at Wellington of going after loose women. He did not think, the whole trouble arose v because he persisted in going among his own people. He had never been a victim to drink. Respondent all through her married life seemed frightened of drink. He took the first letter he received to Mr. Weston, who advised him to try and make peace with his wife. He did so, and things went all right for some time. Owing to his- wife not doing the cooking, he stopped giving her the £1 ; a week, only allowing her 2s 6d. He bought the food and cooked it himself, leaving, of course, his wife to cook her own. The 2s 6d was for pocket money only. If she wanted anything for clothing for herself or child he gave it to Jier, His work often kept him out at nighi, and his wife's complaint was : wat.he ivent after other women. He^never remembered her asking hi,m to stay at Home and not go out. He first suspected her of infidelity because of her frequent charges against him. He told Talin he would give £10 for reliable ; evidence against his wife, and was introduced to Feeke. He was not determined to get rid of his wife. He admittea ,he had told a cousin he would run away and leave her. This was about the time he met Feekes in August. Mr Welsh read a letter addressed by petitioner to a cousin in Australia on August 18th. In this he unfolded his trouble, saying, "Things are getting from bad to, worse." He asked if Jiis cousin Qould* get something for him to do over there ; he did not caire what it was. He was goings to give notice and leave* his wife.

Petitioner admitted writing this letter, but said it was never posted. It was tossed on the dresser and his wife got possession of it. ' Proceeding with his cross-examina-tion, Mr Welsh elicited that petitioner had "told his wife not to go to Talin's, as no gpod^oufcj. come, pi it. This was after his suspicions were aroused. He agreed to Free £1 Is a day while he was engaged. On November 15th he met Free, and ascertained his wife was in the back of Talin's restaurant. It was then they saw respondent and corespondent come downstairs. He did not go upstairs, because he was acting under other advice. As soon as they came downstairs he left, not wanting to be soen. Wheif they were there on the 23rd he wanted to rush in, but Free advised him not to do so. He did not think he had acted unwisely in not doing so. He beaten or kicked his wife. lie admitted he had sworn at her. He had to guard himself from his wife's violence. . By, Mr Quilliam: It was at the first interview h$ had with the co-respond-ent they talked about getting Feeke. Ec denied making a suggestion to Talin uiat he should get evidence on which he could obtain a divorce. He denied he had said he would starve his wife so that she .should do wrong. He did not propose thai Feeke should go round to his hous& He remembered having a conversation with Feeke at the latter's gate,, but. denied saying he "was foolish not to, take the job on ; it would be" an easy-earned £10." He begap taking notes about the time he had this conversation with Feeko. . ■ He went to Wellington on the 20th on business regarding a billet. It would be after the 15th November he shook hands with Talin. He went to the Silver Grid as late as last Saturday, and drank a bottle of lemonada He went for the purpose of seeing it there were any, alterations to the back of the premises.

Samuel Fr t ee, a private inquiry agent of Wellington, said he was engaged by Mr Burrows to Avatch the movements of his wife. He had seen Mrs Burrows enter the Silver Grid daily from October 27th, sometimes twice a day; and she had stayed two hours at a time. She took the side entrance instead of the front door. After the dates of the alleged adultery she became, bojd, and took the front door. On November 10th he (witness) 'visited the Silver Grid, and in conversation asked co-respond-ent how his! friend was. He used to call her (Mrs .Burrows) his friend. Tahn said she had gone 'to Stratford. The same day witness went to Stratford, where he stayed Saturday and Sunday. He watched., the trams, and saw Mrs Burrows on a ti-ain in the afternoon which had just arrived from Hawera. Witness came' on to New Plymouth by the same train, Mrs Burrows leaving the train at Inglewood. She arrived the same night by the mail train at 8 o'clock. She went to the Silver Grid, and stayed about ten minutes. On the 15th inst. respondent went to the bilvor Grid at 2.45, remaining until 5.40, at which time she left for home. p bne returned to the Silver Grid again at 7.30, and at 7.55 came down Devon Street. At 8.15 he<saw her by the Red House Hotel, and, she proceeded again to the Silver Grid, arriving there at 8.30. Himself and Mr Burrows went to the back of the premises, and after waiting some little time they saw corespondent, followed by respondent, come downstajrs. On the 17th Talm told him his friend had been seen with another man on the beach on the Fri-, day night, and that if she did not intend to keep yritft him (Talin) he had done with her. Witness detailed other movements of the co-respondent. He had Berved the writs relative to the proceedings on both respondent and co-respondent at the Silver. Grid. In serving. Mrs Burrows he told her he had been to her home, bui could not find her, and she replied, "No f this is my home now." He asked co-respondent on one occasion if he was not afraid of getting into trouble having this woman about, and he replied no, giving certain reasons. > By Mr Welsh: He aid not think it was extraordinary for co-respondent to

take him. a stranger, into his confidence. His remuneration did not depend on his success. By Mr Quilliam : He had taken whisky to the Silvor Grid oh several occasions, and he generally asked Talin to have a drink. The wife of the last witness, Elizabeth Free, gave evidence. Arthur Martineau Burrows, of Eltham, and in business as a photographer, remembered respondent calling her husband "a dirty, drunken little sweep." They had been out together, and petitioner had not had anything at all to drink. On a subsequent visit he saw petitioner's wife following him, and calling out, "Madman, madman.' By Mr Welsh : His brother and wife had never been happy together. William Burrows, photographer, or Inglewqod, said his brother's,wife,neglected her home, and kept late hours. He had seen her break furniture, and heard her use threats towards petitioner. ..lit , By Mr Welsh: He should not say she was excitable, but a bad, violent woman. „.**■ Henry R. Billing, clerk in Messrs Weston and Western's offices, said when Mrs Burrows was served with the wcits at the Silver Grid she said, "This is my home." ' This closed the case for the petitioner; Mr Welsh said he should confine the defence; so far as he couldrto a denial of the alleged adultery. Respondent, Mary Ann Burrows, sworn, said prior to their marriage she had been in domestic service at Auckland. Whilst living at Auckland she got on fairly. well with her husband, who treated her well. She was not at all happ"y on their visit to Wellington, and they had a quarrel. When they were together again at New Plymouth there was more trouble — all her .husband's fault. When her husband took* 1 over the housekeeping he took home one pound of chops, a day, and bread, and butter.- Thisr continued for five or six months, and she only received 2s 6d a week to clothe the baby and herself. Although the presence of petitioners brother became objectionable to her, he persisted in coming. Her husband stayed out until 12 and 1 o'clock at night. Her baby was born on the last day of the old year, and during this time she had not had sufficient to oat. She understood her husband had bee* going to the Silver Grid at night, and this was the reason she went to ask Mr Talin if he knew anything about her husband, because he was not treating her very well. She often took eggs and paper to the Silver Grid in exchange for food, and did Tain's washing with her husband's knowledge. She went to the Silver Grid with her mother on one occasion for dinner, and afterwards they were shown over. ( the premises. She" also went upstairs on one occasion with her sister, Mrs Gibson, and' on another afternoon she went upstairs to change the baby's clothing. She had never been upstairs pu any other occasion. There was no shadow or truth in the statements that she had committed , adultery. She had always been a- faithful wife. She knew she was being watched by Free. When her husband went to Wellington he only left a little bread in the house, and gave hex 4 ss. At this time a doctor was visiting her. On November 21st, the day after her husband went to Wellington, she went to see her brother at the breakwater. On her way home she callod in at Mr Talin's restaurant because she was tired, having carried the baby in her arms from ,the station. iShe asked Talin to carry the, baby home. for her, but he was, too busy. To Mr Quilliam : Her object in going to the Silver Grid was to find out how her husband spent her. framings. Her mother paid Talin. for food, supplied. By Mr Wsstpn : 'Her husband had at first been a good husband to her. Their recriminations were' mutual. She made allowances for the worry of hie work* Her husband constantly accused her of having her "fancy man" to meals during his absence. She always cooked his foo4 properly' when she had the allowance of a pound a week. On one occasion her husband and her brother went out to dinner, leaying her only a little dry bread in tlje house. Her husband stopped hor credit. Witness ' admitted that for five or six- months, when he was allowing her only 2s 6d a week, her husband had to cook and wash clothes for himself. , Her mother had bought nearly all her clothes, and her baby's. When she^ wrote to her husband from Hawera she was so worried that she Jiardly knew "what she was doing. > He had promised her— r«he had, made him promise^— before they o were married that he would 'never touch a glass of drink or go to races. He nad broken that promise. . He had told, her that he had other girls : that he could marry a Sun-day-school teacher. Her husband had done all he could ta drive her f rom> her home, and at one time had thrown a box at her, putting her head open. She wrote another letter to Arthur Burrows (produced) because she was afraid that Tier husband would pay Arthur Burrows to tell lies about her. She mentioned in the letter that she would be glad, to let her husband get a divorce because there were plenty who would want her, and' tliat there was no one in gaol worse than her husband, whom sho referred to as being "downright low." . .Petitioner's counsel put in .a letter from respondent.written after xhe other letters, in which she asked her husband to return home," and that she would forgive him all — that was if he treated her as ho had in Auckland. Respondent . said thi§ was quite tr,ue ; she woul4 have welcomed his return.