£2,300 CLAIM

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1930, Page 2

£2,300 CLAIM

, VIENNA, November 24. . Intensive interest lias been aroused by the action brought against Er.au (Baronin) A 1 arie Popper-Jeritza (wife of Baron' Leopold Popper),' the. famous diva whom thousands have heard singing at Covent burden and other famous opera houses, by her former secretary, Eraulcin Crete Leiss-Lainburg. '.I lie frauloin claims arrears of salary and compensation for dismissal, and her advocate asked that the evidence might be-heard in camera, as it dealt with tiie" domestic' life of the great singer;'; 'I he judge. I)r. Hu bock, agreed to this, .and alter one and a half .hours tho public.were readmitted to the court and it was announced that the case was adpmrncd till January 9, when the diva would probably have returned from America., SCHOOLGIR L ADMIRER. The i'raidein dnui lu'en an ardent admirer of the singer for years and used a,s a schoolgirl to wait at the stagedoor of, the opera house night after j : ght to see her. She is the daughteer of a -'high official in the Alinistry of C onunerce, and had a position' in the hiinistry until 1919. when Alme. Jeritza offered her the. post of private seeretary aiu! companion, with a salary I

wliich was to be at least equal to that she would have received at the Ministry. Last July she was summarily dismissed by Baron Popper, according to her advocate, Dr. Spielvogel, and claims 80,OCX) schilling (more than £2,300) as unpaid salary during the ten years of service. SUITORS REFUSED. She asserted through counsel, that she was so devoted to the singer that I she accompanied her once to America when her own father was dangerously ill, and rejected offers of marriage under the influence of Alnie. Jcritza. The judge in announcing the adjournment said: •Witnesses will be admitted to support the contention of the defendant that the plaintiff obtained on her account hats and food and charged up her hairdresser’s account to Afme. Jeritza, an that she borrowed from a dressmaking ■ firm 0.000 schilling in the name of Afme. Jeritza. The many women in court sighed with disappointment, but are looking forward to January 9 with all the patience they can command.