PAWNED HIS WIFE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 81, 29 December 1934, Page 6

PAWNED HIS WIFE

Hard Up Husband

The English wife of a Frenchman, whose name cannot be divulged owing to the strictness of French divorce law, Is concerned in one of the most remarkable cases ever placed before a court. According to the "dossier” of the case. Mary L—, the woman concerned was married to the husband whom she met while serving in France with one of the women’s units of the British Army, soon after the Armistice, but the marriage was not quite a success. Faced with business difficulties 14 years ago. the husband applied to a friend for. financial aid, and added, "the only security I have is my English wife, who is not nappy with me.” The other expressed his readiness to advance the amount asked for. on condition that the English wife left her husband and came as housekeeper to the financier. The offer was accepted, and the husband took no thought of his wife until a few weeks ago. when he offered to repay the moyiey and take back his wife.

He found that neither of the other parties wished to have the "pledge” redeemed, but, on the contrary, said they were so happy together that they only awaited a divorce decree to enable them to marrv.

The husband tried to insist on his rights, but the lender fell back on the argument that their deal was subject to the same laws as any other pawning transaction, and that the right of redemption had lapsed. The courts have already ruled that as the husband voluntarily abandoned the wife to the other man for a consideration. he has forfeited any claims he might have as a husband, and must accept the consequences. The only alternative open to him is to seek divorce from the woman, but it is by no means certain that the court will grant liim a divorce, on account of the peculiar ' circumstances attending tUe affair. Meanwhile, the "pledge” and the “pawnbroker” in the case declare themselves quite satisfied witli the course of events, and a counter-suit for divorce. on the ground of cruelty and abandonment, has boon filed airainst the husband by the wife. The amount for which the wife was “pawned” is stated in the pleadings to have been approximately £4OOO, and the husband offered this sum with the agreed interest at the same rate as the municipal pawnshops in Paris.