ESTATE OF DEAD WIFE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1931, Page 5

ESTATE OF DEAD WIFE

... CLAIM BY WIDOWER. A SJX DAYS’ ALARM AGE. AUCKLAND, June 12. ! A bedside wedding in, which the bride was married while sitting up in bed during a serious illness was rcferied to during the bearing of a case in the Alagistraio's C ourt. 'i he illness proved latal six days after the marriage. i lie plaintiff was Benjamin Herzog, of 1 onsonby. salesman, administrator i.i tlie estate of his wile, tlie late Emily Herzog, and the defendant was Airs .Sarah Hillings, cl' .I’onsonby. Plaintiff asked for possession of a box in wlijeh .Mrs Herzog had kept her private papers, a savings hank book and a quantity of cash and receipts. Alternatively, he sought judgment for £215.

Counsel .or defendant: I think you had difficulty in getting a parson to marry you. Plaintiff: No. Counsel: How many did you go to? Plaintiff: Only one. In reply to a further question, Hertzog denied that he had ever gone to Airs Billings’s house and “kicked up a row.’’ Immediately after the mania gO, plaintiff heard Ids wife say to Airs Bd* lings. “Please return the bos 1 entrusted to you, as it will not ho necessary for you to keep it any longer, now I am married. I’ve got my Bonny now and my Benny’s got me. Witness said that his wife talked about buying a motor car and building a garage when she recovered. He later made a request for the return of the box, but Airs Billings refused. Before the marriage his wife was a widow. Airs Carbines. He sometimes now went by tlie. name of Duke, as Airs Carbines had been known as Aladame Duke, fortune teller. In the defence filed, it was stated that ihe box and its contents were given to defendant by Air Herzog the day before her marriage in terms of a gift in contemplation of death, and that they were now the property of the defendant. The hearing was adjourned till Monday.