MARRIAGE OFF

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 80, 5 April 1932, Page 9

MARRIAGE OFF

CLAIM FOE-A KM& . A BROKEN ENGAGEIVIENT (From '/The Posfs". Representative.) ■ LONDON, ISth -February. Uew Zealand : was mentioned' in a breach of .promise case in the King's Bench Division this •week., ■ Mr. Sidney Levy, (38), draper of Wimbledon, was claiming" the -return, of a diamond anfl platinum engagement ring, or its value ,(£165), from Miss Fanny' Moss, High Street, Poplar; ,She counter-claimed for'breach of projnise, the reply to which iwas an allegation that Miss Moss broke off,the engagement, i, -The suggestion.that the ease should be ended by -the parties marrying ivas made by the Lord Chief Justice (Lord Hewart). The woman-—who alleged there, had been breach of promise— fleclined the offer. Lord Hewart remarked: ' •■'.".■•■■■' Those who -will not when they may, When they will they shall have. : ■•"Nay.'.'. • .: -;.' '. .After/an absence of an hour and a half, the jury disagreed and Tvere discharged. .' ....-...'..- : -;.. I ' 1 Mr.-/H. dv. Pareq (for Mr. Levy) said the parties belonged to the Jewish community, and * 'this was a marriage contract entered into between them as a matter of business rather than of •romance and sentiment:'.' As ,the result "there "was nothing in the nature of love passages in the .letters; and after three "months the engagement "was broken, off. Mr. Ley^'s, married sister/ with,-whom he '-was living, seemed .to fchinlc that it was time ,her .'brother settled down. 'Early'in a&2£f she introduced him to "Miss Moss. They went about a little together,! but DOthing came Of it. . ..AN ENGAGEMENT ."PARTY. They met again rtowiirds'the .end of 1929 ;at' a dinner party given by Mr. Levy's, sister.. It -was then, jnade known to Mr, Levy that Miss Moss's parents proposed giving her,a dowry of -£'800 or four houses. The .engage-; ment -was entered into on loth' March, and -was celebrated by » party at •Miss'Moss'.'s home. ' The counterclaim ;by ..'Miss VMoss (counsel continued) included £24 .for the expenses of-that .party and £2'for a iband that was engaged. ' "''■ After the engagement .Mr. Levy 4earirt: that "Hiss .Moss already hidi property-of her .icrwn. Trom his point of view4:he; match, -was:a very, suitable one, and not rone "that he .was anxious :to -break off.' "In 2aetj Mr. Levy is •still -ivilling -to 'marryvMiss 'Moss. -He 'would-be only '.too pleased to Ao .so. 'The first rift in the lute occurred when a "discussion arose as to / where the couple should live. " Mr: Levy wanted'torlive at Wimbledon and Miss Moss at .Poplar." . ' Mr. Layy w.as ' not -very well-to-do, Init ie .realised that ihe anusti.do isomething beyond his means.in .the of an engagement ring. .He .gave-Mibs Moss a ring, worth! £165. It was a stone belonging to _hjs v .sister, and he had it mounted in platinum. He j>romised ;to pay .his; brother-inrlaw for the ring after he was married, and a member of his family advanced him money, in order that : he might - obtain suitable clothes*for. the-Tvedding. '■ ■ After a discussion about some flats in. "Wimbledon, Mr: Levy invited, Miss Moss to spend a <week-end <with him at his sister^srhquse, but her reply was: ''I can't, I shan't, I won't." A friend of Mr. Levy 'tried to reason with the young woman,.but she appeared -to have taken an adverse view of Mr. Levy. She saia; she ;did -not likd the -way he -.spoke, walked, sat, or dressed.. .;...,■, . . When Mr. Levy ran,g her up .one Sunday to say that he was coming •round with." the car to -take her tjut, •she -replied (said counsel): ""Sou •stay where you are anS t will .stay where I am.'' .Finally, she said ;^he did not wish to see Lhim any more, ;adding -that if :she 'wanted to get -married ;she 'had only "to -send a cable to 'Wellington, New Zealand. .--■'. RING- NOT :HIS OWN. Mr. Tlowers (cross . examining): "'Did you imagine "that any woman would be. willing to -marry you after you had brought an action of this nature' against her?" Mr. Levy: " I made.every endeavour to get a reconciliation." ■' "Was Mr. dv Pareq right when he said that there was no affection between you and 'Miss''Moss, and that .you were goujgto marry her,in order to get some, money out of her or ..her parents?" ''Not at all. I was not out for rgain." Miss ;Moss gave evidence that she was fond of Mr. Levy .at the time of the engagement. The (marriage was arranged to take place in July, and a few weeks before,the date .Mr. Levy called at her home, to ask .her .parents if they would lend him .£.150. ".My mother was willing," .said "Miss''Moss, "but.my father was Jiot, so Mr. Levy thumped, the table.and, walking out, said: <I'jn. finished:'" Mr. Flowers:, '^Prdm .start to finish have ,you .evejr refused aiy.thing '..-so' far as Mr. ,Levy is concerned except living .in his isistcr?s house;?" ; "That is the only thing I .refused." Miss Moss added ithat sh' tried ,to get into touch with Mr. Levy several times, and once when ; he answered the telephone he replied: "Miss, .1 .am too busy to talk to you,''-and he rang off. She denied that she told anyone that she could cable to New Zealand and get a husband.