EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1593, 9 November 1912, Page 6

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

— «— —— IN AUCKLAND COURT. HEIR OF A RICH MERCHANTAND HIS MARRIAGE, (Bj Telegraph.--Preas Association.! Auckland, November 8. Some extraordinary facts were disclosed during the hearing of ! a maintenance case before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., at .the Magistrate's Court to-day. Variation of an order was sought by Samuel Cooper' Wright, defendant being a woman who, since 1900, had passed as his Wife. A Fortune of $80,000. The story Was briefly related by Mr. Singer, who appeared for Wright, defendant not being represented by counsel, Wright, ho Baid, was married about twenty-five years ago, but, after wme years, ho and his wife drifted apart. Ho had afterwards met defendant, and they had lived together, passing as man and wife. Defendant had borno him three children, but, eventually, his, real wife appeared once again, and a reconciliation, had followed. Wright was the son cf a wealthy merchant, Who had leceutiy died in- England leaving a, fortune' e£ about He would have benefited under the will but for tho fact that defendant had written certain letters which had caused the parent to disinherit his son, At the present time Wright was practically penniless, but was looking forward shortly to a position. In 1910. defendant had obtained a maintenance order against Wright for the payment of 81s. 6d, per week, the order being afterwards Teduced to 2fe. Gd. At the present time he was willing to keep up tno payments, but defendant was not his wife, and he desired a variation of the order. Alleged Marriage by "Rev. Branker." In the course of her evidence, defendant stated that a marriage ceremony had been gone: through between her supposed hus* band and herself, and, for over a year, she had believed that they Were really man and had met in a country town, and Wright had,come to Auckland, where, afterwards, she had joined him. He had taken her to a house in. Vincent Street, and here, as she believed, a marriage ceremony was performed by a man in clerical garb." He was stated to be the "Rev'. Mr. Branker"—a visitor who. was touring the Dominion.. Notices re* garding the marriage had, asserted defendant, been inserted in the Nelson and Wellington papers, and she. expressed the opinion that they had been sent to those papers (she had relatives in Nelson) by Wright. ■ The evidence of defendant regarding the alleged marriage ceremony by the 'Utev. Branker" was flatly refuted by Wright. ■ Interrogated regarding the notices in the southern papers, Wright -stated that he had no recollection whatever of having been responsible for their .insertion. ': "Something Should be Done for "the Children." The magistrate- stated that there was little, doubt as to the fact rf defendant not being Wright's .wife. The.' variation of the order applied for Would be granted,defendant being given the custody of the three children. His Worship also remarked that something should be done to fit the children tor the battle of life. He stated that he. would probably communicate with plaintiffs relatives at Home, with the idea of ascertaining whether or not, they could render any assistance.