“NEVER MARRY YOU"

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 858, 30 December 1929, Page 12

“NEVER MARRY YOU"

BREACH OF PROMISE AGAINST DOCTOR SECOND SUIT WON A woman who had been divorced in America was awarded £250 damages when she sued for breach of promise in the King’s Bench Division. Mrs. Dora Miller, of Clarendon Buildings, Balderton Street, W., brought an action against Dr. John Martin, of Boring .Road, Whetstone, Middlesex. Sergeant Sullivan, K.C., for Mrs. Miller, said that there had been correspondence of an endearing character between the parties. In March, 1927, a breach of promise action was brought by Mrs. Miller, but that was compromised. Dr. Martin agreeing as one of the terms of settlement that he would marry Mrs. Miller within nine months of the order of the court, which was dated December, 1927. In June, 1928, Dr. Martin wrote: “Really I am convinced our lives together would be a tragedy. You have done everything in the world to injure me; everything has gone and soon I shall have only my qualifications to face the world. . . . “I have done nothing for nearly seven months. 1 blame you for everything and I can never forgive you. “Marriage between us is impossible —I would sweep the streets first. I shall remain a bachelor always, for you have taught me a horrible lesson. . . . See you again I never want to. It would mean a horrible scene and only unpleasantness would result.” There was a postscript which read: “I mean all this. Be a woman; act like a woman; write to me like a woman. I shall forgive, perhaps, but marry you—never, never, never.” On the Riviera While staying on the Riviera, Sergeant Sullivan went on, the relations of the parties were such that Mrs. Miller was introduced to people as Dr. Martin’s wife. One of the pleas in the defence was that by her conduct Dr. Martin was justified in breaking off the marriage. Mrs. Miller said that in the previous action all the allegations against her were withdrawn. She explained that she was previously married to an American named Miller, who, after she had come away from him in the United States, secured a divorce in Missouri. Mr. J. W. Morris (for Dr. Martin): Was one of the grounds of the divorce that you had boasted of your conquests over other men?—They put that in so that Dr. Martin should not be cited as the co-respondent. Did you regard Dr. Martin as one of your conquests?—Oh, no; I loved Dr. Martin. Dr. Martin was questioned about his feelings at the time of the first case. “Did you at that time mean to marry Mrs. Miller?” asked Mr. Morris. “I loved the woman profoundly,” replied the doctor. “I was prepared to marry her. If she had behaved like a decent woman i would have done. But she drove me to distraction, and to marry her would have been madness.” The jury arrived at its decision without leaving the court.