HUSBAND WHO WAS NOT

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1927, Page 4

HUSBAND WHO WAS NOT

' | BERLIN, an. Jan. 7. More than eight years ago the wife I of Karl .Scluitz received tho sir.d news Mlilit her husband, a grenadier of the ■ 93rd Reserve Infantry Regiment, had [ been killed on the Western front. Comrades had seen him fall and had buried him that evening in the moonlight. 11 is papers and valuables had been sent, lu the widow with an official attestation of her husband’s death. Six years later Frau Sclrutz married a Berlin workman in a good position and her life with him was very happy A few days ago she was summoned to tlie workmen’s insurance office and asked to look at an insurance card which had been sent in and appeared to be that of Jyarl Scluitz who had died on the battlefield in 1918. She went to the address given on the card and found herself face to face with the husband for whom she had worn widow’s weeds. His home was bright and cheerful and at his side was another wife. BEWILDERED. “You are my husband,” said the visitor. “I never was your husband,” replied the man. “I was married to this woman years before I deserted her to marry you. If you do not believe me I will prove it.” and lie called to two children in tlie next room to come. A lad of 16 and a girl of 15 entered. “Those are my children,” said the man, “and as you can see they were born years before we met. This woman is their mother and my true wife.” The bewildered won (in who believed that she was first’the wife and then the widow of Karl Sehutz fell in a faint. The shock of the discovery was so great that she did not realise that her happiness with her present husband could continue in spite of the revival of Schutz.

It is supposed that the mpn had placed his papers in the pocket of a fellow comrade who in tlie moonlight was mistaken for him, and that he afterwards deserted.