Truth (Perth) 4 July 1908, page 5
THE SADDLER AND HIS WIFE
The Harness Parted and the Wife Bolted,
John Brown Cadzow, a saddler carrying on business at the lively little town of Leonora, is a man who has a decided objection to wives going out at night unless accompanied by their husbands, and because Margueretta Cadzow (nee Miechel) held slightly different ideas on the subject, His Honour. Mr. Justice Burnside was called on to hear an application for a divorce on the part of the husband.
The suit was heard at Leonora on Monday, and the residents of Leonora were provided with a dainty little bit of gossip. A gay and festive youth named Matthias Ferdinand REDLING played the part of the co-respondent. The fair respondent was not represented by counsel, but, following the custom set by her American sisters, she occupied a seat at the solicitor’s table.
THE SADDLER’S STORY
An elocutionist’s portrayal of Lindsay Gordon’s “How We Beat the Favourite” was as nothing compared to Cadzow’s recital of his domestic woes. He was particularly anxious to impress the court with the fact that he was a good tradesman, but judging by the conduct of his better, or, as it proved, his worse, half, neither the curb bits which he stocked nor the harness which he made were strong enough for her. The parties were married in Victoria in 1891, and the petitioner came to
the land of sand, sin and sorrow in 1902.
He left his wife at Tallygaroopna – a name hard enough to drive any soft woman on the rocks. Mrs Cadzow was provided with housekeeping money by her husband, and in April of 1907, they commenced their second honeymoon at Leonora. Everything in the garden was lovely for a time – why shouldn’t it be after five years’ separation – but then the fair Margueretta, who is by no means bad looking, sought fresh fields to conquer. The quiet home life preferred by the saddler began to pall on her, the result being that she adopted the habits of the owls – staying home in the daytime and going out at night. Cadzow objected to
These Naughty Proceedings!
and after a good deal of argument, in which the fair Margueretta more than held her own, the couple agreed to separate. The breaking of the nuptial bonds took place in March, the petitioner agreeing to allow his wife the sum of 25 shillings per week. Margueretta was a very accomplished woman and supplemented the income allowed her by her husband by taking pupils in painting and music, and keeping a registry office. After the separation, Mrs. Cadzow opened a shop, the nature of which was not stated at the time, and she started to frequently visit Gwalia, returning to Leonora by the last tram.
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Cadzow tearfully told the court how he had met his wife and implored her to give up the immoral life she was leading, for the children’s sake. Cadzow told his wife she would only be left in the gutter, but apparently the lady thought this channel as good as any other, for she said she did not care a ‘continental’ what her end was. His appeal having failed, the saddler took to watching his wife’s movements and was amply rewarded with sights and sounds. The pace was solid up to April 4th, but then she rounded the turn, and as heads were turned for home, she galloped.
