Saddler and his Wife:

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 Honor. 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 solicitors table.

THE SADDLER’S STORY.

An elocutionist’s portrayal of Lindsay Gordon’s “How we beat the favorite’ was as nothing compared to Cadzow’s recital of his domestic wrongs. 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 or 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 village, 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. Subsequent to the separation, Mrs. Cadzow opened a shop, the nature of it was not stated at the time and she started to frequently visit Gwalia, returning to Leonora by the last tram.

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.

Accompanied by two friends, Cadzow broke open the door of a sleeping apartment and discovered Margueretta and Redling locked in the arms of “Morpheus”. Explanations naturally were asked for, but Mrs. Cadzow made no bones about being caught, and addressing her husband remarked: “You are clever. I suppose you are satisfied now.” Then she put on a wrap. Redling by this time began to realise that the situation was somewhat hot, and made it hotter by  inviting Cadzow to sit down and make himself at home. Not a bad joke at the husband’s expense, but somehow the saddler did not seem to appreciate the humor of the situation, and declined the invitation, hence the proceedings for divorce. The issue of the marriage was two children, one of them being a boy who is now 18 and earning his living in Victoria, and the other a lad aged 8 years, now —residing with the mother. The petitioner asked for the custody of the younger boy. Such was the gist of Cadzow’s story, but under cross-examination he admitted that he had quite omitted to inform Redling that his lady partner was Mrs. Cadzow, which placed a rather different complexion on affairs.

Corroborative evidence regarding very interesting little episode, and which eventually dissolved the marriage tie between Margueretta and her husband, was given by Peter Donnelly and Robert Gullen. The co-respondent is a prospector carrying on operations at a place known as Wilson’s Patch. While engaged at his work he was very abstemious, but on coming into town he met the fair lady, and had a few drinks with her. At the tea adjournment he left his room while he visited Mrs. Cadzow’s shop in order to purchase some fruit. He had had too much drink and remembered nothing more, not even getting undressed or retiring to bed. On being aroused he saw Cadzow, but did not notice Mrs. Cadzow in the bed. He did not commit adultery with her. nor was he aware that the lady was the wife of the saddler or even a married woman. Replying to counsel for the petitioner, Redling said the woman asked him to go into her bedroom and stay all night for which he was to pay £2. Mrs. Cadzow did not say she was carrying on a branch of the oldest profession in the world, and all he knew was that she kept a shop. He knows more now!

Mrs Cadzow added that it had been her intention to enter into an arrangement with Redling as she heard he had ‘Rich Reef’, and he might help her to live a good life with him. Money speaks all languages, even the language of love. Margueretta said that ever since she had arrived in Leonora her husband tortured her. He had given her no money for clothes, and she was therefore compelled to paint pictures and raffle them in order to get some cash. While in Melbourne she she had been left with her boy for three months without money. She strongly objected to the petitioner having the custody of the boy. His Honor said he considered that the adultery bad been proved, and granted a decree nisi returnable in six months.

Owing to the fact that Redling did not know that the respondent was a married woman, costs would not be given against him. His Honor thought the mother was better able to look after the boy than the father, and gave her the custody of the child.

Perhaps Redling will now help the woman to ‘lead a good life’ on his “big rich reef” at Wilson’s Patch !!

What happened to the players in this family drama???

CADZOW John Brown,  65yrs, died 24 Jun 1929, at Leonora Hospital, Occ: Saddler, Cause: Myocarditis, buried Leonora Cemetery.

REDLING Matijes Ferdinand, died 13 Oct 1930, Leonora Hospital, Cause:- Anuresym of auorta,
Occ Blacksmith, Born Hevera Hereng, Sweden, In WA 40yrs, buried Leonora Cemetery.

BROWN Margueretta, she may have returned to Victoria.

John and Margaretta had two children: William Cadzow, died 1926, Sydney, NSW (served in WW1 – trained at Blackboy Hill) and John Phillip Cadzow, died 1951 in New Zealand.