A BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13170, 7 May 1906, Page 5

A BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

At the Two Wells Police Court, South Australia, Sarah Applebee, a. single woman, claimed £400 for breach of promise of marriage from Robert N. West, of Two Wells. During the hearing of the case some interesting letters which had passed between the parties were read. Defendant in one of his letters wrote: " Please, dear, allow me the honour to be your sweetheart, and you will be the only treasure of my life." In another letter he said: "So now, my dear, you know that we can consider this affair an engagement. It seems a funny thing to me, but I live in hopes to see it through—that is, with a little help from you, love, which I know you will willingly give. - ' Plaintiff said she was 21 years of age, and defendant was 33., She had known him all her life. On Christmas Day, 1903, defendant, at her father's house, asked, " Are yon willing to many me?" and she replied that she was. They arranged to be married the following May. . Robert West denied (hat he had ever made any promise to marry plaintiff. He denied that he had any land in West Australia, or that he owned any real property, and he only had £1 in the Savings Bank. The only land he possessed was a block 9ft by 12ft in the Salisbury cemetery. The Court referred to this statement as contemptible, as it presumably referred to the grave in which defendant's parents were buried. Defendant acknowledged having written the letters put in as evidence, but swore that be had never thought of marrying Miss Applebee. The magistrate gave a verdict for plaintiff, awarding her £100.