The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-07-25
NO DIVORCE FOR .
Chinese COUPLE
Judge Whitney Denies Marital
Dissolution In Pau On Leong
Double Case

The Pau On Leong divorce case is
pau. z'"
In a lengthy decision handed down
in the circuit court yesterday by Judge
Whitney the old and long-winded di-
vOrce case instituted by Mrs. Mary
t.eong against her rich and aged hus'
bond, Pah On Leong, came to a close,
the decision leaving the couple in the
SEINE marital status they enjoyed be
fore the suit was begun a couple Of
years ago. r -.
Judge Whitney denied Mrs Mary
Leong the divorce she sought. He
also denied Pah On Leong the divorce
he wanted under the cross bill fled by
him just prior to the trial.
No divorce case ever tried in Ha-
wall required more witnesses and a
greater or as long a time as did this
particular one. The case was a cele.
DRAFTED one and IL stirred to the depths
Chinese society in the Territory, espe,
cially in Honolulu and Kauai, where
the couple lived.
Is wealthy Rice Planter
Pah On Leong, well known in the
sixties, is reputed the weaIthiest Chi.
nese in Hawaii. He is said to be
worth at least quarter of n million
dollars. On Kauai he owns and con.
trolls the richest and best rice feldS
and rice mills. His nome there and
the one he provided for his wife in
Honolulu cannot be excelled by any
other citizen Of DR.. Sun Vat Sen y
great empire of the East living in
Hawaii. N.E......
Mary Leong was but girl of fifteen
when she married Pah On Leong, who
was then already pretty well along in
years. They lived happily on Kauai
for many years. Then Mrs. Leong
sighed for real city home. Their
children were growing, and she and he,
es well, wanted to give them the best
education to be had in the Islands A
home was established in the city, and
while Pah On Leong remained gener.
ely on Kauai, looking after his bust
ness interests, Mrs, Leong and the
children resided in Honolulu.
In her suit she alleged extreme cru.
city on the part of her husband. She
charged that her husband wrongfully
cast slurs and imputations in regard to
her chastity, used vulgar and abusive
language toward her very frequently
End assaulted their daughter, chasing
her with a chair.
Net Happy Couple
In his cross-Iibel, Pah On Leong
charged that Mary Leong was guilty
of statutory offenses, mentioning in
this connection young Chinese
boarder at the Pah On Leong home in
this city. He claimed, further, that
his wife used abusive language toward
him, when she chose to speak to him
ut all, and that for long periods she
refused to say a word to him. He
also claimed that she systematically
tried to estrange his children from
aim; that she made of her home q
card'playing and drinking place, and
neglected the religious education of
their children. "rIH.t
The trial occupied several months
and about sixty witnesses were called.
At the conclusion of the trial Judge
Whitney called for the briefs, and sew.
eral months aftetward these were fin-
iShed. The libellant's brief contained
only 300, 900 words, while that of the
libellee was more modest IN volume,
containing probably not more than
$4,000 words. =
Both Are Denied Divorce
Through this mass of literature
Judge Whitney has waded and rumi-
mated for many months past. His de,
eision covers nine pages, and his con.
customs are embraced in just two
lines.
1.-The prayers of the libel
and the cross libel are denied,n he
says in conclusion. There is a likei-
hood that the case will be carried to
he supreme court, for neither husband
nor wife secured what they started
out to get-a divorce.