THE OTHER WOMAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11093, 2 June 1914, Page 4

THE OTHER WOMAN.

BUSINESS OR DOMESTICITY. WIFE MAKES ALLEGATIONS: Agnes Leary Blanche Black (Mr Johnston) appealed to -Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., tliis morning for an order separating.her from Robert Black (Mr M. Donnelly), her husband, and asking for the guardianship of tho children. The complainant, who told her story without emotion, but in a weary voice, stated that she was married in 1895, and lived for somo years at Burwood, whoro she ami her husband kept a farm. Her husband used to mention a Mrs Alexander frequently, and a little later ho bought a fruiterer's business. Under,, tho arrangement Mrs Alexander was to teach her and.he r husband business methods. But, according to tho wife, Mrs Alexander's teaching was dovoted almost entirely to the husband. Mrs Black said that sho was not permitted into tho shop, and was asked to give up tho sitting-room ,to the teacher. On one occasion, when she entered the sitting-room suddenly, she found her husband and Mrs Alexander 6eated together on a chair eating chocolates. Later hor husband put her in a house in Queen Street, part of which was not fit to Jivo in, and he neglected her and stayed away. Ho had promised to send Mrs Alexander away, but one morning, when she returned to the. shop early, she found that her husband had been in the house alone with Mrs Alexander. She accused him of impropriety, but ho replied that ho would do what he liked. Sho remonstrated with her husband, and asked him for money. _ Ho turned on her and —(" Am I permitted to eay the word?" remarked the complainant} said: "You can go to Hell and beg. She stated that when she was sent from the fruit shop to the house in' Queen Street she was told that the busiuess was sold, but, as a matter of fact, it was still being run by her husband and Mrs Alexander, and she believed was returning £5 weekly. Mrs Black said that she was receiving no assistance from the defendant. Mr Donnelly: It is your jealousy of Mrs Alexander that has caused this action? Complainant: I havo cause to be jealous. Mr Donnelly; You broke up the fruit" shop, madam? Mr Johnston: It is still there. Mr Donnelly: But you ordered your husband to send Mrs Alexander away? Complainant: Certainly, when I found that there was improper familiarity between them. Mr Donnelly: That is the one thing I will ask you about. Did you see them on the chair together P Complainant: If my eyes did not deceive mo, and they rarely .do, they were sitting on,the*one chair. Mr Donnelly: Might not your' eyes havo been deceived? It might have been jealous imagination? Complainant: I wish it was. Dr John R. Thomas said that when he called to see tho complainant the ■ husbaud led him to believe that .he thought Mrs Black was going out of her mind. There was, however, no suggestion of that. She was then in a state of collapse through continual worry. ' .

Clarence Black, about sixteen years, said that his\ father devoted more attention to the other woman. He heard his father tell his mother that she could £o*to hell and beg. Mr Donnelly put the husband in the box, and asked him" to' tell his story concisely. " I'll put orle question tu you first, and that may save a- lot of time—has there been any serious impropriety between you and that lady, Mrs Alexander?

Defendant (in stentorian tones): No; I deny itMr Bishop: Then there is no need to accentuate the denial, by raising your voice. \

Commencing his story, in more restrained tones, Black stated that Mrs Alexander was a widow, and had had experience in the fruit business. Mi's Black had been worried over taking on the business, but had got jealous of Mrs Alexander, though entirely without cause. The story about the chair and the chocolates was . false. On another, occasion she •' saw hiin talking with Sergeant Jackson and thought that he was referring to her. She threatened • to strike him, so to save trouble he went out. On his return he found that the door had been nailed on the inside. Ho had to go to his brother's for shelter that ni<rht. He had given her money, but the" sons had refused to allow tho mother to accept it, because they said it was not enough. Now •he had lost the fruit business and had had to take work as a gardener at 8s a day. Mr Johnston: But, when you put your wife into that, bouse, why did you not go there? Why did you stay at the shop? '- Beach: We had had a little cooling, and that was why I stayed away. Mra Alexander's grown-up son was at the shop when I stayed there. : Continuing,- the defendant stated that he did sleep at the shop, but he gave money to his wife when she was in the Queen Street house. Mr Johnston: To whom have you disposed of the business? Black: Do I have to make that public?

Mr Bishop: Certainly you must. Black': I sold it to Mrs Alexander. M>- Johnston: With you as first-as-sistant Mr Bishop: How much did she pay for it? Black: Well, I hardly know. She doos not have to pay anything, that is —er—she has to pay off the mortgage.

I cot nothingSir Bishop: And now you say you have nothing! Mr Donnelly suggested that as Mrs Alexander's character had been so ferociously attacked she ought to be called us a witness. Mr Bishop said that he did not think it whs necessary to call Mrs Alexander. The cjnestion of the morality of Black's relations with her was not an element in the case. *' I certainly think that lie thought more of his business relations with Mrs Alexander than of his domestic, relations with his wife," added the Magistrate. He then went on to say that he would not grant a separation order, but Black would have to contribute £1 a week towards his wife's support and pay the costs of the proceedings. After the case Mr Bishop asked tho defendant as to the identity of Mrs Alexander. Black .staled that she bK been iu the fruit business i\w some time. She wa> married and separated from her husband. Mr Bishop: But yen told me she was a widow. 1 know her. I won't eay any more-