BREACH OF PROMISE SUIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15664, 18 July 1914, Page 2 (Supplement)

BREACH OF PROMISE SUIT.

BIGGEST CLAIM EVER MADE.

JURY UNABLE TO AGREE Mb. Arthur Hoe, son of the late Robert J Hoe, the millionaire builder of printing. ] presses, defendant in a suit (already men " jtio/ied in the columns of the Her«j)\" j brought by Miss Mae Sullivan to recover i £30,000 for breach of promise of marriage ; and " £15.000 for extras," admitted [£,£ ! he had furnished a flat 1 r her ar,J M , Brannigan, so that they "might have a fair start in life." He contradicted plain. tiff's version of the meeting over a cup 0 tea in a New York hotel. i Witness said: "My wife and baby w crß i in the Adriondaeks, at my mother's cabin in September, 1911, hen I met Miss Sullivan. I met her and Miss Branni'ean somewhere on Broadway, New York &It - was cloudy and raining. '■ had an iim brella, and. seeing the twe young ladies without one. asked them if I c( , u l,] n,. i take them under mine. I "They said they were not guing very ' far. I made an appointment to meet them next day (Sunday His talk with tiio young women lasted only five or ten minut's, witness said. Ho told of meeting them next day and taking them to a cafe lor dinner. He also related how he made several trips with Nius Sulli. van and Miss Braiiuigan to a store, buying furniture for the apartment. Tne [ urn {! turn was sent in M'iss Branr.igan's name witness said, and his reason for fitting up i the apartment was that the young women i might have a fair start, Miss Sullivan j having told him she was an orphan and . had no one to help her. ; Hoe declared he had given his ri^ht name and address and telephone number to | Miss Sullivan the first tune he had dinner I with her, and told her also that he v?as married and had a baby. The cheque of the cafe was produced, showing Hoe's i business address and telephone number in j his own handwriting. | Hoe swore he had never kissed MiS3 Sill- ! livan or laid hands on the girl or choked i her," as counsel suggested, never proposed I to her, or given her a ring. j The jury were discharged without reachj ing a, verdict. Eight believed the gi-l's ! story that at the ago of 17 the defendant ! took advantage of her under a promise of l marriage, but four did not. Miss Sulli'- | van was not in court when the jury were discharged, but her counsel intimated that there would be another trial, whereupon. Mr. Hoe's representative replied ; "And wo will bent you again." j Miss Sullivan, when informed that the I jury had disagreed, burst into tears. Sho | had been annoyed during the eight days' j hearing by process-servers thrusting writs j upon her, and seemed very nervous. It is stated that the claim for £30,000 damages and £15,000 for "extras" ia'ono of the biggest ever made, even against a Millionaire defendant.