Noel Cuthbert FOWLER

A POLICEMAN’S lot is not a happy one, they say, and Constable Noel Cuthbert Fowler, stationed at Granville, discovered a lot of truth in the old Gilbert and Sullivan line when he found, in 1939, that his 19 year old wife had other fish to fry.

Immaculately dressed and good looking, Constable Fowler, now 27, brought his marital woes to Mr. Justice Edwards’ Divorce Court last week. He charged his young wife with adultery, naming one Arthur James Clayton, of Bankstown. as co-respondent.

It was on January 18. 1938, that Fowler, a 24-year-old Victorian constable, led his 17-years-old bride. Sylvia Mary Bye to the altar of the Presbyterian Church at Swan Hill, in the Southern State.

Shortly afterwards he transferred to sunny New South Wales, and the young couple went to live in Livingstone-road. Lidcombe.

Along came young Barry Noel, now two and a bit, and all was well with the Fowlers.

Then his wife commenced to go out a lot, Fowler told the court.

At that time he was alternating day and night duty, and had no absolute check on her nocturnal comings and goings. He knew she was keeping hours a little later than a young wife and mother should keep, however, and spoke to her about it. She told him she was visiting her brother and grandmother a lot, but hubby was a policeman, and had heard a lot of yarns in the course of his duties. And thus it was that he bethought him of a private sleuth he’d heard of one Thomas Hugh Thornley, of Randwick.

To him he went, and on the night of November 1, 1939, Constable Fowler met Thornley, who brought his wife to bear him company, as well as another man named Buchanan. They all went by car to Railway Parade, Lidcombe, where they sat in the car and waited for what the very near future might bring. And sure enough, it brought Mrs. Fowler, who little thought that the eyes of the law, as represented by her husband, were upon her.

It wasn’t long, the court learned, before a panel van came into view. In stepped Mrs. Fowler and away went the panel van towards Strathfield with the husband and the private sleuth trailing along behind.

LIGHTS OFF

The panel van stopped at the Strathfield picture theatre, and Clayton and Mrs. Fowler went in to view the show. The constable and his merry men sat down to a long wait outside, and at 11.20 p.m. out came Clayton and Fowler’s wife. They drove to a large vacant allotment off Bombay-street, Lidcombe, and stopped near a canal. All the lights in the panel van were then switched off, and, after a few minutes Thornley and Buchanan went up to the car.

Constable Fowler told the court that he went up to the car a minute or two later, and, grabbing Clayton by the lapels of his coat, spoke words of wrath to him, finishing off with a demand to know what Clayton meant by stealing his wife away.

Said Clayton: ” Don’t hit me. I didn’t know she was married. ” But, Fowler told the court, his wife was wearing her wedding ring.

After Clayton‘s full name and address had been taken down to use in evidence against him, Mrs. Fowler stepped back into the panel van and off it went.

And home went the disillusioned constable, and packed his bag.

He strode down the garden path and met her coming in the gate. They met as strangers meet and passed without a word.

Thomas Hugh Thornley, private investigator — he corrected Mr. Simon Isaacs ( for the husband ) when called a ” private inquiry agent ” — said that when he approached the panel van on the dark allotment he heard the sound of kissing, which led him to believe that then was the time to swoop. He swooped, and when he opened the door of the van, Mrs. Fowler, whose head was resting on the door, fell into his arms. He saw quite enough to realise that the husband’s worst suspicions were indeed well founded. Thornley lowered the girl gently to the ground and verbally attacked Clayton.

Thornley said he told Clayton that a divorce suit would result, and heard that gentleman tell the outraged husband that he did not know Mrs. Fowler was a married woman.

Mr. Justice Edwards found the adultery proved, and granted the usual decree nisi.

He made no order as to costs, none being asked for.

IN DIVORCE.

( Before the Judge in Divorce, Mr. Justice Bonney. )

DECREES ABSOLUTE.

Decrees nisi were pronounced absolute and the respective marriages dissolved:—

A recent ruling by the High Court of Australia on the control of new cars had a bearing in cases before the Lismore Court of Petty Sessions yesterday.

Noel Cuthbert Fowler, for the Commonwealth Government, charged James Willow with selling a car without a permit and Albert Goodman with acquiring a car without a permit.

Both cases were adjourned to February 14 by which time, it was stated, the effects of the High Court’s ruling could be considered.

Mr. W. P. Walters, appearing for Willow, said the charges may be withdrawn as it had been ruled that the Commonwealth no longer had the power to control the sale and purchase of new cars.

Mr. W. P. Walters ( Trench, Walters and Pinchin ) appeared for Willow. Mr. T. E. Rummery ( Rummery and Liddy ) appeared for Goodman.