DECIDEDLY MARRIED.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2453, 28 January 1881, Page 4

DECIDEDLY MARRIED.

A curious domestic drama recently came under the notice of Sir James Hannan, sitting as president of the Court of Divorce. A young lady, who ultimately turned out to be a Mrs Barnett, prayed for a decree annnulling her marriage with the respondent in the case on the ground that she had been induced to go through a marriage service by,, as she alleged, the fraud of her husband, and that she was not aware when the ceremony was performed that it .would be binding on her. According to the story of the petitioner she was a Jewess of eighteen years of age, and called Catherine Rosenblatz. Becoming acquainted with the respondent, Barnett, he pressed his attentions upon her ; ultimately she consented to be betrothed to him according to the Jewish custom, and on October 28, 1879, she and her lover went to a registry office, as she thought for the purpose of being betrothed. A certain ceremony, which she did not understand, was gone through, and at its end to her surprise a marriage certificate was put into her hands. The respondent claimed her as his wife ; but she indignantly repudiated the marriage stamped on the certificate, and, if the truth must be told, slapped Her whilom lover in the face. The story, if true, would have been a terrible exposure, either of the Jewish betrothals or of the proceedings of the registry offices. Unfortunately, however, for the petitioner, but fortunately perhaps for the customs of the country, the President of the Court did not believe Miss Rosenblatz, or rather Mrs Barnett’s story, but considered her assumed innocence merely a ruse adopted by a dissatisfied bride with the object of shuffling out of the matrimonial fetters. Both Mr ’and Mrs Barnett were recently Indicted at the Old Bailey, on the prosecution- of one another, for making false declarations before the registrar as to their age; but an indulgent jury acquitted them both, and the only punishment they are to suffer for the deception they undoubtedly practised seems to be that hereafter they are to live together as husband and wife. JAn old saying says “ Happy is the wooing that’s: not long adoing,” and perhaps the day may come when. Mrs Barnett will rejoice that the proceedings before the registrar did not record the first step in her betrothal, but in reality registered its termination. —‘Age’s’London correspondent.