BREACH OF PROMISE.

NZ Truth, Issue 119, 28 September 1907, Page 4

BREACH OF PROMISE.

ANNIE MURDOCH'S MISTAKE. A Close Call for John fianna. He Told Her to Wait and She's Waiting Yet.

At Hokitika one day last week, before Mr Justice Chapman, a breach of promise to marry suit came on for hearing, the parties being Annie Murdoch, of Dillman's, and John Hanna, of Sefton. Canterbury. Mary's little claim was for five hundred of the best, but after the Judge heard only one side he came to the conclusion that Annie was not entitled to a .bean. and. therefore, his verdict went against her.

Annie's story as told by her m the witness-box, was that while engaged as a blushing bar belle at the Royal Hotel Greymouth, she met John. This was a matter of three or four years' ago. First they were friends, and their friendship ripened into something more. Next she went to Dunedin, and later on to Sefton, where John, an

OBLIGING- SORT OF ANIMAL, got her a billet. At Sefton however, the friendship ripened more than ever, and as a result Qf their amours, a child blessed, or < ursed, them, which, wasn't said. Anyhow, the child came to light on April 1905. John, still being obliging, paid the costs, and one Mrs Forsyth, a grand-motherly sort of person who' ran a nursery home m Chris fcchurch, suggested that the loving pair should harness up, and get hitched, or buried, or married, or something, and the idea seemed +0 tickle- John because, still according to Annie, they went to the Registrar's office, and all the particulars were dotted down and nearly everything was fixed. John, however, had not lived the requisite number of months m Christchurch, and a halt was cried, and another visit was determined on. only John arrived a week late, and ihen he seemed to cool down a bit. He sold his nropertv and told her to wnit -twelve ritfTnil^ nnd then she discovered, like Mother Goose that she was "toft m the lurch. Twelve months rlansert. and she started legal proceedings. It was agreed that he should nay 7s Gd a week for the kid's keep, but John could not be prevailed unon 1 TO TOE THE MATRIMONIAL SCRATCH.. though Annie, like Barkus, was willin'. Cross-examined by Mr Beare, who appeared for Hanna, Annie said she had not asked defendant to secure her a position m Canterbury. She admitted having kept company with defendant m Greymouth. She had corresponded with him after he had left that town, and also while she was m Dunedin. Mrs Forsyth was uresent when defendant promised to marry witness. She had not offered Mrs Forsyth £50 to give evidence as to defendant's promise to marry her. Did not call at a solicitor's office to arrange for the adoption of the child. She had '»one for the purpose of getting defendant to sign a document

PROMISING TO MARRY HER within twelve months. The solicitor did not agree to have this doneWitness refused^ to allow defendant to adopt the child.

His Honor, m delivering judfrment. said he was not satisfied that the evidence of the plaintiff sustained her case, and he accordingly gave judgment for the defendant.