MARRIED THE SCOTCH WAY.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 12 September 1916, Page 5

MARRIED THE SCOTCH WAY.

Lord Anderson recently heard proof at Edinburgh in an action of declaration of marriage -brought by Lilah Hudson or Bell, Glenthorne House, Golder's Green, Lbftaon, against Stanley ,Bell, flight sub-lieutenant in the Aerial Coy. Both plaintiff and defendant had been members of a touring theatrical company playing "A Message from Mars" in 1903. They ultimately became engaged, and the defendant was introduced to her relations as her future, husband. In the autumn of 1903 another tour commenced at Leicester, and during the first week of the tour she and the defendant resolved to get married. After visiting certain North of England towns the company reached Scotland in Aug ust, and on October 15 was at Kilmarnock.

On the evening of that date she and the defendant attended a supper given in celebration of the marriage of two other members of the company. They had previously contemplated getting married in the Scottish form, about which they had read. At the marriage the defendant said: "I take you, Lilah Hudson, as my wife." S-he very nervously answered "My husband.In reply to the judge, the witness said that the parties were serious, and understood that they were entering into a marriage according to the law of Scotland in presence of the company. Those present congratulated them, and thereafter the parties lived together as married persons, anc tnere were three children, who had been registered as legitimate. No attempt had been made to get the marriage registered . Asked why they had allowed thirteen years to elapse before taking steps to put their marriage on a proper footing, the witness informed the judge that she had not realised the seriousness until she thought of the possibility of something happening to her husband. Percy Tyler who had been stage man ager in the touring company, said that he was present at the supper in question, and understood that the parties were seriously taking each other for spouses. The judge 'granted the declaration that the parties were married persons.