QUEER DIVORCE CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 11 July 1925, Page 9

QUEER DIVORCE CASE.

THE COUNT AND THE GIRL. MARRIED TO A MARCHIONESS. LONDON. July 10. Aii extraordinary case was heard in the Divorce Court. An Italian count, Jerome Valier, sought a decree of nullity of his marriage in 1916 in a registry office to Maisic Davis. The respondent counter-petitioned for a divorce on th© grounds of Valier's misconduct with the Marchioness di Balbi, whom Valier married in Italy in 1922. Sir Edward Marshall-Hall. K.C., stated that Valier belonged to a notable 15th century family. He was left without parents in his infancy. He found, on coming of age, that his patrimony had been dissipated', so he came to England to earn a living. Later Valier met Maisic Davis at a West End club. She suggested marriage arid told him it would merely be a form. Site obtained a license and they were married, the girl buying the ring and paying all the expenses. Subsequently Maisie Davis said: "You can get a divorce whenever you like." j Tho parties had only met on three occasions since their marriage, which was never consummated. Valier regarded ,the ceremony as akin to tbe Italian custom of betrothal. The count subscmcntlv found that the marriage.was invalid in Italy because it' had not been rc'stcrcd, there, so he . wrote to Maisie Davis savin? he was | determined to regain bis- freedom. She I ■bed cone to-America, and later she intimated that she bad .obtained a decree nisi. Valier married the .Marchioness di Balbi, upon which an old family feud was stirred un. He was charged with bigamy. but the action bad been sus-1 pended pending the hearing of the prooeftt case. Valier stated in evidence he was not nwaro he was sitfiliitt; a marriage certificate. He never intended to marry Maisle Davis, who asked him to keep the ceremony n secret. Mr, Justice Mefrivale said he was convinced the count did not annreoiatc the nature of the ceremony. Therefore he wi»s entitled to a nullity decree. The coUnter-petltion was dismissed, but the iudsre .ranted resnondent her costs.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.) ! -__-_ ..._, -. —. •, I