KIRK ELDER SUED

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 August 1936, Page 11

KIRK ELDER SUED

BREACH ALLEGED BY WIDOW

Described as an elder of the Kirk the Scottish equivalent to a church sidesman —a 65-year-old widower • is being sued by a widow of 39 for alleged breach of promise. The action was mentioned before Lord Pitman in the Edinburgh Court of Session, the plaintiff being Mrs Elizabeth Rae Bathgate, or Keast, of Montrose, who claims £lOOO as damages from Mr John Milne, retired farmer, of Montrose. Mrs Keast alleges that through her membership of the Old Church, Montrose, she made the acquaintance of Mr Milne between 1929 and 1934. About June 11, 1935, she says Mr Milne asked her to marry him, and on June 14, she accepted. A few days later she was given a diamond engagement ring. They intended to be married last September, but the marriage was postponed. In December, it was agreed that the marriage should take place in the first week of February They parted at that time on affectionate terms. The following day thej r met at the public library, Mon<trose, and he told her that he did not intend to marry her. In liis answers Mr Milne asserts that the proposal and acceptance were conditional. He asked Mrs Keast to marry him provided that his daughter was willing to leave his house and could get another home. Mrs Keast, he declares, agreed to this condition, saying that on no account would she marry him if his daughter remained in the house.

She also told him that he must sell tho house and start afresh in a m?AV one. This he was unwilling to do. In view of her attitude, it became apparent that the condition could not be fulfilled.

Mr Milne further alleges that during the second half of 1935 Mrs Keast adopted an increasingly overbearing attitude tOAVards him. She insisted on being taken motor runs at times when he had business engagements, and monopolised so much of his time that his business suffered in consequence. OAVing to her domineering character and readiness to take offence and interference with his business, it was evident to both of them by the end of 1935, Mr Milne says, that it would be a mistake for them to marry. The case was sent to the Procedure Roll for debate.