STRANGE STORY OF A MARRIAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 263, 10 November 1906, Page 13

STRANGE STORY OF A MARRIAGE.

A etrange story of a marriage arranged by a marriage broker is told In "Truth. , The hero, called Mr A., is an elderly widower, and the claimant to large estates, said to be worth millions. Some years ago he was reduced to bankruptcy, and since that date lias limij occupied in seeking evidence to strengthen 111" case and money for fur r 'i-jr proceed ngs. About the beginning of 1805 his solicitor introduced him to a client woo, bethought, might assist him financially. The financier was iyi American, a colonel, and a awyer. We wlll call him Colonel B. Colonel B. suggested to Sir A. that he should get mail'ied, and shortly afterwards introduced him to a lady, supposed to be in a position 10 dnd him a wife. At an early stage of the negotiations two commission notes for IO.OOOgs. were executed by Mr A- in. favour of Colonel B. ana this lady, Lady , and a third note in her favour for £4000. The colonel shortly afterwards mentioned to Mr A. the nau,es of o.ne or two ladies who be thought would entertain the 'des. of matrimony, and also advance the mousy reIcrred to in the commission notes. Lady , on her side, was not idle. By her Mr A. was sent to the office of auotlnr solicitor, who had a client disposed to consider the question of advancing the asouey This lady, who we will call Mrs C, was a widow asd a friend of Lidy . Mr A. was ax this time much coueernca about the commission notes he had given to Lady and Colonel E., and was endeavouring to get them back. Mrs <-- s solicitor negotiated the surrender of 1-aJy v s 10,000gs. note, and, in exchange for it, Mr A. gave two fresh commission notes for IOOOge. each, one to Lady :ind tlie other to Mrs C, and henceforth this >;:th seems to have acted for Mr A. lv fact. Sir A. gave the firm his commission notes, lv which, in consideration of their carrying his case through successfully, he protaUni to pay them £10,000, "in addition to costs.'' Shortly after, from his brother and rrom the lady's solicitor, Mr A. iearn-ed that Mrs C. had a comfortable income, airl a ri-ver-slonary interest in a large estate, and was uot only disposed to find the required money, but to take over Mr A. and his claim at the came time. Within a fortnight the marriage tooK place, and Mr A. executed a settlement on his wife, by way of jointure, one-fourth of the income of the estate which he was to recover; and Mrs C. on her side gave h'm nn undertaking to pay by instalments wltuln six mouths a sum of £30iX>. of which £500 was to gc to the brother and £1:500 to oe applied to the contpoiplatec l litigation ror the recovery of the estate. Sirs A. (as ehe had now become) proveu, however, unable to rtiiae thr £3000. The "•brokers" sire still waiting for their commissions, and the principals are now living apart, apparently by the lady's choice. Lady is now also in the bankruptcy ■court, with the result that Mr A/s two notes for £4000 aad £1050 have passed Into the hands of the Official Beceireiv