Every now and then I find an intriguing reference to something that most newspapers would not have covered due to its tendency to corrupt the purity of their readers.
A RUINED ROMANCE.
HAREM SKIRTS ON SHOW.
A Draw in Dunedin.
Why Horton was Hauled In.
Just another horrible revelation from Dunedin which Sassiety vainly speculates over, while it ruins its nerves and digestion with large doses of tea and buns. About a fortnight ago an empty shop in George-street became suddenly full, although not in the accepted sense of the term. A signwriter got busy on the large plateglass window, and the legend that he gradually evolved in three colors, for the benefit of a breathlessly interested public, was that the shop would shortly contain the precious burden of
TWO LADIES FROM FRANCE (this isn't a Limerick) who would, for and in consideration of the small silver coin known to bookies, barmen, or other vulgar people, as a "tanner," display to the envious, pious gaze of Holy Dunedin, the real (pedigree guaranteed) harem scarem skirt in all its primitive beauty and bagginess, and also it announced that at the time Dunedin was gazing on the classic outlines of the scarem skirt there would be a continuous programme of music, likewise the show would be continuous and Dunedin could bring along its tea or a little drop of gin in a medicine bottle to assist the gaze on the scene of unrivalled splendor. Dunedin blew along in great style to see the show, and sixpences became suddenly scarce in the "pubs" as mother and sister were collaring father's beer money, and brother Willie was romantically "doing in" his lunch-money on the inspiring scene. The show consisted of two rather nice looking young things who were supposed to be French, but looked as if Wardland was their native heath.
THEY POSED AND POSTURED in several brands of the scarem skirt, and a piano cheerfully tinkled the noble, classical melody, "Has anybody seen Kelly?" and other things all the time.
The presiding genius of the galaxy of talent was a dark swarthy individual of sombre mien. He had a mop of black curly greasy hair, and deep tragedy peeped out of his dreamy black eyes. The nice young girls who left their typewriters and sewing machines to see the show, were sure that he must have been a Count or a Marquis which a rude and vulgar French Republic had cast into the world, after collaring the family castle and the silver spoons, with the crest upon them, to pay the national debt.
But a change came over the scene. One day the door of the treasure house was closed. No more did the sweet scarem skirt excite the envy of Annie, and the wearer of it touch the loving heart of brother Willie. The piano tinkled no more, and the sixpences failed to jingle at the front door — because it was closed. Dunedin began to imagine that the Republic had relented and had given back the silver spoons and the turreted castle, and that the Count had come into his own again. Alas for those fond imaginings! It was not the Republic but
A LARGE UNROMANTIC DETECTIVE who blue-pencilled the show by collecting the tragic looking Count. Gone was the romance attached to the fair ladies of the harem and the curly mop of the French noble. An unimagintive watchhouse keeper put his name down on the charge sheet last week as William Fernandez, alias Joseph William Horton.
Plain Bill was charged before Mr Widdowson, S.M., with having on March 8, at Westport, unlawfully made a false statement representing that he was Joseph William Horton, and did sign the marriage register to that effect.
Bill was sent along to the coaly city to see about the matter on Ll00 bail.
Foreign nobility is severely discountenanced in Dunedin just now. -NZ Truth, 3/6/1911.
So far, so interesting. But what was the harem skirt? A quick look revealed that it was a new fashion at the time, an otherwise standard skirt, split and hemmed above the bottom to look a little like trousers. Outrageous!
And who was Fernandez, alias Horton? (Or maybe Horton alias Fernandez?)
RUINED ROMANCE.
JOE FERNANDEZ OR JOE HORTON!
Is He Mrs Major's Long Lost Brother?
Some Peculiar Evidence — An ex-M.P.'s Wife — Cannot Swear if Accused is Her Brother — He was a Wanderer — A Sort of Will-o' -the- Wisp — Horton's Magic Cleanser — A Lady who Addressed Him as Joe — The Police Make Allegations — A Remand Granted.
"The Ruined Romance" from Dunedin, which, appeared in "Truth's" last issue was advanced on Thursday of last week at Westport, where before Mr E. Rawson, S.M., the dark-haired distinguished personage, Joseph Fernandez, alias Joseph William Horton, was charged with having, on March 8, at Westport, unlawfully made false statements touching particulars required to be known and registered under the provisions of the Marriage Act, to wit, falsely representing that he was Joseph William Horton, and signing the marriage book in that respect. Mr W. Gr. McDonald appeared, for the accused. Sergeant Dew, who prosecuted, said that the accused went through a form of marriage at St. John's Church on March 8, and signed a declaration in the marriage register as Joseph Horton. The prosecution would prove that accused's proper name was Fernandez, that
HE WAS BORN IN NAPIER, but that he had gone by the name of Horton. The first witness called was Julia Sarah Major, wife of Chas. E. Major, of Napier, formerly M.P. for Hawera. Her maiden name it appears was Julia Fernandez, and she was not sure whether she was fourth, fifth or sixth of a family of eight. Thirty-two years ago she left Gisborne, when she was sixteen years of age. At that time she had a brother Joseph, who was younger than she, but she could not recaltl when or where he was born. It was now some years since she saw that younger brother, but she was not prepared to swear to the man in the dock. When she last saw Joseph (her brother) was seven years ago, then it was only for a minute or so, in the evening when the light was bad. Further, Mrs Major could not say that the man in the dock was like her brother. She said further, that she was married when sixteen years of age, and she had revisited Gisborne in recent years, but all her family were gone. She never corresponded with her brother Joseph, whom she believed
WAS A WANDERER AND A TRAVELLER. She corresponded with her mother. She had no photograph of Joseph, and could not remember if he were referred to in her correspondence with her family. She thought she saw Joseph about twenty years ago. He seemed to be quite young, on the threshold of manhood. That was when passing through Hawera. She did not know his occupation. It was in Wellington she saw him about seven years ago or more. On one occasion someone said her brother was and she saw him. She saw him in the street, but did not go up to recognise him. She could not recollect what conversatipn passed. She doubted him and said so. At that time she was very ill; she was under the doctor. She was not interested. There was nothing disreputable in his appearance that made her not wish to make his acquaintance. She thought he had gold teeth in front and gold in his teeth. Fernandez was a Spanish name. She was of Spanish extraction as far as she knew, but her parents were English. She had a conversation at Hawera with the man claiming to be her brother. It was just while the train was passing. She did not recognise the man she met about seven years ago as the same one who had accosted her about twenty years ago. When the second man claimed acqaintance she did not think the incident of twenty years crossed her mind. She understood she had a brother Joseph. He was a sort of will-o'-the-wisp. She understood the brother was known as Horton, but he had no legal claim to that name. That was the reason why she did not take any interest in him. She heard it through some company he was interested in. A patent was known as
HORTON'S MAGIC CLEANER. That was about seven years ago or longer. She recollected that he said he had taken the name of Horton because of the companies he was interested in. She learnt this in Wellington about seven years ago. She had never heard of him as Joseph Humphries. Witness was never sufficiently interested to ascertain whether the man was her brother or not. She believed twenty years ago the man was her brother. Witness had a sister, Mrs Humphries, and a brother John, who was on a survey party in the Mt. Radiant district. Knew these two intimately, but was not sure about the number of other brothers and sisters. Her mother was dead three years. Witness remembered that the man told her on one of the occasions of meeting him that he had taken the name of Horton owing to the companies he was interested in.
Harriet Ellen Mackay, wife of R. P. Mackay, of Westport, said she recognised accused. They went to school together at Napier public school. She left school about 1890. His name was Joe Fernandez. She could remember him for four or five years at least. She remembered his mother, Mrs Fernandez. She saw him in Coromandel fifteen years ago. He was still known as Joe Fernandez. He was there on a holiday the same as herself. He was staying with some of his relatives. She met him in Westport, about two months ago in her husband's shop. She got in conversation with him about school days.
SHE ADDRESSED HIM AS "JOE." He made no reference to going under any other name at that time. She did not think the name Fernandez cropped up because they knew each other. He looked a little older than when she met him fifteen years ago, but otherwise had not altered.
Cross-examined by Mr McDonald: Witness said she had not seen accused in the interval between seeing him at Coromandel and at Westport. It might have been more than fifteen years ago, something between fifteen and twenty.
John R. Dart, Anglican minister at Westport, said on March 8 last accused came to him to conduct a marriage ceremony by license. A declaration was put in. This declaration was outside the Marriage Act altogether, a church custom. The declaration was made before witness and signed by the accused as J. W. Horton. He subsequently married accused to Joan von Dunker. After the marriage ceremony accused signed the marriage register. Accused made no reference to having any other name. The signatures appeared of Joan von Dunker and J. W. Horton. On the application of the police a remand for eight days was granted, the Police Sergeant intimating that he desired to call a brother of accused, and also the Registrar. Mrs Major (who lives at Hawera) had intimated that she was leaving immediately on a twelve months' trip to Australia. His Worship said he would look into the question of binding her over to appear as a witness if the accused were committed for trial.
Bail was fixed at accused in £100 and two sureties of £50 each.
In arguing the question of bail, Mr McDonald said the charge was a simple one, and, could be met with a fine.
Sergeant Dew asked for substantial bail. He said there was a good deal in the case. Accused had brought a young girl here, married her, taken her to Greymouth, paid her passage back, and left her with five shillings. -NZ Truth, 10/6/1911.
All the more interesting. What was his patent cleaner? A quick look through some advertisements brought up this from 1907 -
A company has been formed in Welltington under the title of "Horton's American Manufacturing Company," to place upon the market "Horton's Magic Cleanser." It is claimed for this preparation that, in addition to its being a perfect cleanser for paint, furniture, floors, linoleum, etc., it is the best preparation of its kind at present on the market for washing clothes. Various public tests have been made in Wellington of its efficacy to the complete satisfsfaction of all who have witnessed them. Many public bodies in Wellington are now using the Magic Cleanser, and testimonials voluntarily given testify to its worth. As a disinfectant it has also been particularly successful. It is a local manufacture, and it will doubtless soon obtain universal acceptance.
Horton's company spent plenty of money advertising his "magic cleanser" but the company was wound up in March, 1909.
Joseph Horton, alias Fernandez was acquitted in Westport of making a false declaration.
THE CRITIC
No true bill was filed by a recent Westport jury in the case of one Joseph Fernandez, otherwise Joe Horton, charged with making a false declaration, under the Registration of Marriages Act. Justice Denniston in his charge to the jury, said there was no evidence of fraud or criminal intent. Fernandez was a very good name, but it had the disadvantage of being a foreign one, and for business purposes a man might prefer to adopt an English one. Quite so, but it all depends on the business. If it was in the "steakandtheoyst" line, Fernandez would be "bosker." His Honor probably overlooked that fact. -NZ Truth, 8/7/1911.
And there fades back into obscurity Mr Joe Horton. It was still fairly easy to change one's name and make a new start in those days...
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