AN ACTRESS'S BREACH OF PROMISE ACTION

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7024, 31 March 1894, Page 6 (Supplement)

AN ACTRESS'S BREACH OF PROMISE ACTION

Actions for breach of promise of marriage are rarely heard of in France, but what is nearly equivalent to one was begun before the Third Chamber of the Civil Tribunal in Pairs. The plaintiff is an actress, and the defendant is the son of a wealthy notary. He fell desperately in love with her towards the end of 1891, having met her at some private theatricals. Later on he confessed his desire to make her his own, the actress having insisted that be could only do so by marriage. As he was not of proper age he suggested that they should be joined in wedlock by a priest in Switzerland while awaiting the due legalisation of their union according to the strict provison of the French law. The marriage accordingly took place in the Canton of Valais/ where a village cure tied the knot, and the actress took the name of her husband in Paris and elsewhere, although she was known on the stage by her own alias. Matters went on smoothly until October, 1892, when the actress received a surprising notice from the defendant, who said that he desired to break off all relationship between himself and the plaintiff. The latter accordingly commenced an action againgt the notary's son and claim £10,000 damages, or an annual allowance of £720