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THE NORMAN ROMANCE.

EXTRAORDINARY CONFLICT OP EVIDENCE OP IDENTITY. It has been well said that truth is stranger than fiction, and our usually quiet city will be surprised to find that it supplies from its midst a striking illustration. Seeing the extraordinary character of the conflict that at present rages around the estate of the late Mr Edward Norman, of the United Service Hotel, Queen street, we shall not make any attempt to penetrate the mystery, but simply slate the case, and leave the affidavits to speak, and the public to think for themselves. On the death of Mr Edward Norman, Mrs Jane Martha Norman, whose position as late wife to the deceased is now called in question, applied for letters of administration. Letters were ordered to issue, but while the usual securities were being prepared, a telegram was received in the city from Mr Jones, of Dunedin, who is married to the eldest daughter of the deceased. The following was the telegram To Martin Sholl,— There is no heir or any one in Auckland authorised to sell the property. Mrs Norman lives in London, and has six children. Take possession of everything. Engage solicitor. Ask Detective Thompson to assist if you cannot obtain the cash taken since his death. I shall arrive in ‘ Wellington.’— Jones.”

lu accordance with this, a caveat was lodged, and proceedings stayed, pending the arrival of Mr Jones in Auckland. The matter came before Chief-Justice Sir George Arney yesterday in chambers ; Mr MacCormick, instructed by Mr Brock, appearing for Mrs Jane Martha Norman ; and Mr Hesketh, instructed by Mr Kogan, appearing to oppose letters of administration being granted to the applicant. We shall concisely state the case, not for the purpose of solving the difficulty, but to enable our readers to appreciate its bewilderment. Mr J. F. Jones swears that Mr Norman was married to Ann Hunt, and living with her in Melbourne ; went with her to London in 1850 ; that they lived together in London till 1862, when Air Norman came to New Zealand, and since that time had sent her L3OO a-year. That he received a letter from her by last mail, and she resides at 368, Caledonian road, Islington. That Jane Martha

Norman’s real name is Mrs Robertson ; that in 1863 he was acquainted with her in Dunedin; she became barmaid to Mr Norman and subsequently a milliner ; that she met Mr Norman subsequently in Australia and travelled with him in Europe ; and that her husband Robertson is now in Dunedin. Mr Albert Griffiths swears he had known Mr Norman for 23 years, also his wife nee Ann Hunt; that Mrs Jane Martha Norman is Mrs Robertson, as sworn by Mr Jones, and that he had seen her under that name in Dunedin.

On the other hand, Mr# Jane Martha Normon swears she was the lawful wife of Edward Norman; that she never was in Dunedin in 1863, or at any other time ; and that the oaths of Messrs Jones and Griffiths are false: that in 1852 she went with Mr Norman to England; that from that time till 1866 she resided in Europe; that Mr Norman came out to New Zealand in 1862, and she came out with her three children in 1866 by the ship 4 Electric.’ She corroborates her statements by her London bankingbook, passport, her fellow-passengers, her daughter’s evidence, list of passengers, &c. We notice briefly the contents of the affidavits filed by the principal parties in the case. Mr Jones swears that he is the husband of Annie Norman, the only legitimate daughter of the late Edward Normau ; that the real Mrs Norman resides in London, her address being No 368 Caledonian road, Islington; that deponent received a letter

from her last mail, she being at the time of writing in good health ; that the person calling herself Martha Jane Norman he recognised as one Mrs Robertson, wife of one Robertson, now Jiving in Dunedin, who in 1863 went into the service of the late Mr Norman, as barman, but had since cohabited with him ; that he was informed by his wife and believed that Mr and Mrs Norman married about 31 or 32 years ago; that they lived together in Sydney, Melbourne, and elsewhere in the colonies until 1850, when he went to England ; that in 1832 Norman left England for New Zealand taking with him his children except the two youngest, who were left in London with their mother to be educated ; that Norman regularly remitted moneys to his wife up to the time of his death ; that Jane Martha Norman came out to the Colony with Robert: on in 1864 ; lived with him for some months after their arrival; when she left him and ceased to live with him because of his dissolute habits; that . when she ceased to live with him she was engaged as barmaid by the late Mr Norman, who then kept the Criterion Hotel, Dunedin; and afterwards she kept a miliner’s shop; that on leaving Dunedin she met Mr Norman in Australia, and went with him to Europe. Mrs Norman’s affidavit is in effect as follows: —That in the summer of 1860 she travelled on the Continent of Europe, accompanied by one of her children, Norma Norman ; that Edward Norman, her husband, left England for New Zealand, in 1862, and left herself and his three children by her in England, for the purpose of being educated; that from 1862 to 1866 he regularly remitted her monies for the support of herself and. children, and goes on to say : “ L never at any time was barmaid to the said Edward Norman. The said Edward Norman never at any time kept an hotel until he went (I have been informed by the said Edward Norman) to Dunedin in or about the year 1862, as he was in the greatest affluence prior to the year 1862, when, after sustaining severe losses in business, he wont abroad, and left me in Lon> don as aforesaid ; and it was not until I arrived in Auckland in the year 1867 that I ever assisted in the management of any hotel, and then only in assisting to keep the books of account and superintending the household duties connected with an hotel kept by the said Edward Norman aforesaid.” And subsequently adds that she bad a numher of papers and documents which would have materially assisted her in proving the truth of herstat meuts ; but in March, 1871, while she was at church, Norman burnt them, thinking them, as she supposed, valueless. There were other affidavits filed. Mr Albert Griffiths made oath in corroboration of Mr Jones’s statement, and identified Mrs Norman as a Mrs Robertson. Miss Norman cor* roborate 1 her mother’s affidavit. Affidavits in support of the latter’s case were also filed from Messrs Leers, Hoffman, Browne, Garrett.

The Judge withheld administration, and steps have been taken on both sides to establish their claims by authenticated information and evidence from Europe. —Auckland Star.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18720514.2.10

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Evening Star, Issue 2881, 14 May 1872, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,167

THE NORMAN ROMANCE. Evening Star, Issue 2881, 14 May 1872, Page 2

THE NORMAN ROMANCE. Evening Star, Issue 2881, 14 May 1872, Page 2

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