A LEGAL PUZZLE.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 645, 14 April 1870, Page 2

A LEGAL PUZZLE.

A widow, entitled during life and widowhood, to an annuity, marries secondly a widower, who was already her brother-in-law through his first wife. Such a marriage of a deceased wife's sister is contrary to our law, and in this country void; but the couple were married and live in a foreign country where connections of this sort are valid marriages. Has the widow forfeited her annuity or not ? In order to claim the yearly payment the widow has to make a declaration before a magistrate every twelve months that she is alive and still a widow. They have, therefore, to come to England once a year, and she has made this declaration in the presence of a county magistrate, i.e., of the identical man who passes in the society of the place where they usually reside as her husband. Has the magistrate acted in such a manner a3 to deserve removal from the Commission ? The lady argues she is entitled to some benefit from the law which does her so much harm ; the gentleman that he is only helping his wife in a fair way ; but the whole case is a somewhat amusing legal puzzle.