WOMAN CLAIMS ESTATE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 845, 13 December 1929, Page 18

WOMAN CLAIMS ESTATE

WAGES BANKED BY MAN WHO DIED JUDGMENT AGAINST HER Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Today. The claim of a woman, who had lived for 37 years with a, man as his wife, although not legally married to him, upon that man’s estate when he died intestate, was tested in the Supreme Court yesterday before Mr. Justice Adams. Claimant was Sarah Leydon Nelson, and the defendant was the Public Trustee, as administrator of the estate of the late Charles Nelson. Claimant alleged, and her statements were supported by other witnesses, that while they lived together Nelson paid various sums into the Post Office Savings Bank, these being his and her savings. Nelson was killed in an accident on November 24, 1926, on which date the deposits totalled £615 17s lOd. The trustee had paid half this sum to relatives of Nelson in Sweden, and claimant sought to recover the other half on the plea that the moneys deposited by Nelson were half on her account. During her life with Nelson she had worked hard in various situations. On the other hand there was evidence that she had saved £483 of her ,own, independent of the joint account. His Honour, in giving judgment, said he had grave doubts whether a trust had been established, and he gave judgment for defendant.