The Waitress, the Barman, and the Wife

WHAT WIFE SAW THROUGH A CUE WINDOW

Lively Ructions In Girl’s Room
Chief Justice Grants Decree Nisi

That a wife through a Cue window saw her husband in bed with another woman was alleged when before the Chief Justice (Sir John Northmore) this week Edith Bowes sought a dissolution of her marriage with George Glenn Bowes on the ground of his adultery with Freda Armour. Mr A. C. Muir appeared for the petitioner.

George Glenn Bowes married Edith Marshall – Dressed neatly dressed in a black costume, with a smart black hat and black shoes, Mrs Edith Bowes told the Chief Justice that she married the respondent on December 9, 1931, at the District Registrar’s Office in Perth. There was one child of the marriage, and the petitioner had lived with her husband at various parts of the State, she being with him at Cue in July. 1934, when he was employed as a barman at the Murchison Club Hotel run by his father. Both lived on the hotel premises.

Freda Armour (possibly not her real name) was employed there as a waitress, and she also lived on the premises. The girl subsequently left the hotel when she had a child, which was born dead on July 16. 1934, according to the petitioner. Later the girl was taken from the hospital by the petitioner and brought to the hotel for a couple of days, as the girl was penniless.  Subsequently, the girl went to live at the Murchison Club buildings. In consequence of information she received, petitioner accused her husband of ‘carrying on’ with Freda Armour. This he denied. On July 28, at about 9.30 p.m., with her two nephews, the petitioner stated that she went to the Murchison Club buildings where she went to the girl’s room, but it was locked. She heard voices talking quietly, but she could not recognise them. She asked for the door to be opened, and when it was not, she went to a right-of-way, where there was a window looking into the room. Getting a box, she looked into the room and saw her husband and the girl Armour sitting on the bed.

The girl was fully dressed, as was the respondent, with the exception of his coat. They heard and saw the petitioner at the window, it was stated. The petitioner then got off the box and went round to the door, which was now unlocked. She proceeded to argue with her husband, telling him that what she heard about him and the girl was true. The petitioner then gave the girl to understand she considered her to be of loose morals, but according to her, the other woman only grinned. The respondent then made to strike her in the stomach.

One of the nephews came between the husband and the petitioner and stopped the respondent from any further action. Mrs Watkins, a relation of the respondent, then came over and took her back to the hotel. Some 45 minutes later the petitioner went back to the hotel with one of the nephews and again went to the window. She saw the pair sitting on the bed, and they were again fully dressed.

The Murchison Club Hotel, Cue 1934 – Image SLWA

About 10 a.m. the following morning she went over to the Murchison Club building. When she went to the door she again found it locked. She again then went round to the window where she saw her husband and the girl in bed together. By smashing the glass in the window, she was able to climb into the room. When she got into the room, her husband leapt from the bed clothed in a shirt and trousers; the girl was in pyjamas. The girl stayed in bed, and the petitioner and the woman went to her and struck her in the face. The respondent then pulled her away and pinned her against the wall. While he was holding her against the he shouted to the girl to get up and get dressed.

A Mrs Grogan from the next room then came in and took her and the petitioner from the room. Later she departed from Cue, leaving her child with the grandparents. She had not subsequently lived with her husband, although she stated, on one occasion, she asked him if he would mend his ways, but he refused, saying that he preferred the girl Armour. Mrs Annie Grcgan, who lives at the Murchison Club buildings, told of how she had heard a disturbance in Miss Armour’s room, and on going in she saw Bowes strike his wife.

His Honour granted a decree nisi returnable in six months, with costs against the respondent.