“HIRE PURCHASE” MARRIAGE

Evening Star, Issue 19781, 3 February 1928, Page 14

“HIRE PURCHASE” MARRIAGE

AMAZING STORY “ £3OO TO WED UNKNOWN BRIDE.” An amazing story of a man accepting a fee of £3OO for marrying a girl whom he had never seen before she entered the registrar’s office, was told to the Manchester city The case was described by Mr T. If. Hinehcliffe, in opening, as one of the most extraordinary that had ever como before a court of law. He represented Henry Guilder, living with his parents in Pemberton street, Hightown. Guilder accused his wife, Bessie Guilder, living with her father, in Knowsle.v street, Cliectlmjn, and her father, David Halpern. of assault. The ufifo counter charged Gander with thrashing her. NEVER HAD A KhSS: j

Mr Jiinchelilfo said that when the marriage took place in the registrar’s office last August Guilder had never seen tlie the girl before. He received £6O at the ceremony and £260 later. The money was paid into the bank, but it was withdrawn by the girl by a subterfuge, and “The hire purchase system,” as Mr Hinchclifl'o said lie would call it, came to an end. “These young people,” he said, “Have never lived together, or hid a kiss yet. The money that sealed tht marriage bargain was in the hank in the joint names of tbc parties. The husband gave his wife a blank cheque to_ buy a. nice frock for a Jewish holiday. That is Jiow she got the money.” “MURDER!” “POLICE!”

The husband provided a room because bo wanted his wife to bo with him. He would sooner have the goods back, as it wore, than pay for their maintenance. His wife came to see Idm after it bad been docLcd that they should come together She was in a nasty temper, and after striking him as ho lay in bed sbe ran to the door shouting “Murder! Police!” She came back and struck him again. The father-in-law entered the room, armed with a poker, and struck at Gander. _ Guilder, in protecting Ids head, received a blow on the arm, and was so frightened that ho jumped through the window, half-naked, and escaped. “I do not think,” said Mr Hinchclilfo, “it is possible for those people to live together. It was not really a marriage, but a sale nr purchase on hire of a chattel.” ALLEGED FA BRICATJOX.

Mr Finklcstonc, who appeared for the wife and father-in-law, said an order for maintenance had been made against the husband, under which he was required to pay ten shillings a week, but he paid nothing. Guilder’s whole story was a fabrication designed to evade his obligations. Guilder had refused to live with his wife unless be got the balance of the marriage money back. There was no oilcloth on the floor of the room that he had got, and the furniture consisted of only one small bed. Guilder denied the suggestion that his story of the assault was a “pack of lies.” Ho denied that he assaulted his wife, or that he threatened to kill her unless he got the money.

SCREAMS IN BEDROOM. Mrs Guilder Said that she never struck her husband, but that he had beaten her in the bedroom after they had retired. It was not true that as husband and wife they were absolute strangers. The landlord of the house stated that he found Mrs Gundcr lying on the bedroom floor in her night clothes, screaming, while her husband was shouting threats at her from the bed. All the summonses were dismissed.