A FOOL AND HIS MONEY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 745, 13 February 1915, Page 7

A FOOL AND HIS MONEY.

A WIDOW'S WILES RETURN OF MONEY ORDEREDJ [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Auckland, Wednesday. At the Magistrate's Court Ernest Maltravers sued Sarah Jane Day, a widow woman, for £IOO which he alleged he lent tier to pay off a mortgage on one of two houses owned by her. The money, he alleged, was to be a free gift if they marriad; if not, the money waß to be repaid without interest. Maltravers Btated, in evidence, he met the defendant on the waterfront, after which they kept company. She told him she was a single woman and employed as a housekepeer at Parnell. When he visited the house at Parnell he beard her call the man she was keeping house for "Charlie" to which he objected. She began to cool off, and finally broke off the engagement and went to Wellington. He denied having ever threatened the defendant with a revolver. Defendant denied that the money was a loan. It was a free gift, and when she received it thers was no question of marriage. There had been no date fixed for the marriage. Defendant came to the house unexand asked her to marry him at once, as it would be cheaper. _ She refused, and he threatened her with a revolver. Mr Kettle, S.M., said plaintiff's testimony was the more reasonable of the two. She was evidently a clever woman, and he was a fool- The money waß a payment to her, to become a gift if the marriage took place. The marriage had not event tuated, therefore the gift was nocomplete and the money must be returned. Judgment was given for plaintiff for £IOO and costs £9 ss.