WIDOW PLEADS WITH MAJOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18089, 13 May 1922, Page 2 (Supplement)

WIDOW PLEADS WITH MAJOR

PATHETIC STORY UNFOLDED.

FORTUNE LOST IN INDIA. A pathetic appeal to a major, by a •widow, who was formerly weli-to-do, was disclosed during her recital in the High Court, London, of a strange love storv. Mrs. Florence May Holmes, of East. * bourne, sued Major H. R. S. Whitchurch also of Eastbourne, for the return of valuable presents made in contemplation of marriage. She also asked for an account of money which the major (she said) received while acting as her agent in the .management of two hotels for her in India. Mrs. Holmes, in the witness-box said ho completely had tho major the control of the hotels that she was not sure what ' profits they made. He told her that they were making good profits. She never saw tho accounts. Just before h* left for England he .'told her he could not marry her as ;ie j was in financial difficulties, and "must marry money." He said he still cared for her. and hoped she would be sensible about it. She was very upset, and asked him ; ! not to do it. He told her he owed her | 70,000 rupees. Later he Raid it was ' i 30,000, and finally 5500 rupees " would ] cover everything. " j One of the hotels was closed, as the | creditors wanted their money. She had i never received any account of profits or j loss. i j When she returned to England she ap- . I pealed to the major to send' her help, a* [ her " poor little man" (her son) 'was ,- suffering from consumption due to the > rapid change of climate. Her Children Hungry. j 1 i She added thai, both her children were ' sick and in want of food and milk; would ■ he give them a little charity? "Surely," she concluded, " you cannot be happy when two little children are suffering r through you? " ' In another letter she wrote: — . "We are in a strange country, ami f ; my poor darlings are not getting 'enough to eat. When you were ill I kept von ' in comfort, in fact, in luxury, spending j£l a day for champagne for" you. Will i you not return a little and help me to i send my children back to India, wher.; ;'■ at least, they will get enough to cat?* j "Do anything to me; shoot me, if | you like; but for God's sake don't let j! my little children suffer. I pray to you, j i humble myself, for the sake of" my poor j little darlings Please- don't I think I want tc mix up with your mar- ' | riage and married iife. ... I love ] vou, and ask you not to forget your f God." 7 j The major dic ! not reply to her letters. Friends at Worthing took compassion on r her. In another letter'she wrote that her i children were left homeless and were beg- , i gars. s | She exhorted Whitchurch, she said, "to f be a man," and added that she was dot j in work at Eastbourne at 10s. a week. Witness added that the major seemed t, to fall in and out of love very quickly. Counsel: Yon went to Bombay with him when he left for England?—He wa» running away from me, and I went to Bombay to see him. Witness said that a woman friend in India paid her .expenses, and brought her to Eastbourne sio that she could see the maior. She called at his fiancee's house ajid inauired if he were there. He was behind the door, but the maid < said she did not, know such a man. , Witness added that she was happilv , married now to another man. and was . returning to India with her husband. The hearing: was adjourned.