HER "STOLEN" LOVE LETTERS

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 160, 8 July 1922, Page 19

HER "STOLEN" LOVE LETTERS

HOW PRETTY WIDOW GOT THEM BACK. A pretty young widow who alleged that certain love letters had been stolen from her, figured in a little human drama in the Belfast Connty Court. She was Mrs. OlcCann and She claimed £4000 of her late husband's estate. He left her £8 a week, which would be reduced to £2 when she re-married. In opposing the claim, a. barrister banded a bundle of letters to the young widow, asking her to identlfj them. Mre. MeCann showed much emotion when ehe aaw them, and inquired whence they came. She tow the Judge that they had been stolen by her maid and handed to the other side. Asked for the return of the letters, Mrs. MeCann declined, and clasped them to her bosom. The barrister appealed to the judge to eneure the return of the letters, but the judge said that as the letters were now In the possession of the lawful owner he could not compel her to return them. Mrs. MeCann admitted that one letter was from a young man whose Christian name was Hugh. He wrote that be was "looking forward to spending the day with her again, and perhaps the night." A barrister: Does he talk about his loving arms being round' you and kissing you? and 'is it your great love for mc that makes you write such loving and long letters." Mrs. MeCann denied that she wrote long letters, and said that she wae not engaged to the man. Her counsel eald that the ■production of the letters was beneath contempt. The Judge disallowed Mm. McCann's claim, but said that it was not a crime for any young widow to write to a young man or to receive letters from Mm.