STORY OF A DOWRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20028, 18 August 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

STORY OF A DOWRY.

UNFORTUNATE MARRIAGE.

HUSBAND TO BE PAID £BSO.

THE PARTIES GO TO COURT.

SEPARATION ORDER GRANTED. At the hearing of a matrimonial case at Southport, England, the wife said that iu tho course of her short married life her husband made her a "present" of a fur coat which cost £4O, but he bought it with her money. He then wrote and asked for another cheque, and she told him ho "had a good cheek" when she had given him so much money already.

The case was one in which Rebecca Sai'fman, of Southport, a ScrJ.tish Jewess, summoned her husband, Moses F. Saffman, a master tailoi', and asked for a separation order against him on the ground of neglect. The evidence for the wife was that they wero married in October last, and within the first three months, she alleged, her husband borrowed from her sums amounting to £265. When she called a halt, said her counsel, Mr, Brighousc, he was never satisfied. He treated her abominably, and was at her all day trying to get money out of her. .He said ho was not going to keep any man's daughter for nothing. Correspondence was 'read in which reference was made to a marriage dowry, Mr. Brighouso observing th»t the contention of the defence was that the wife had agreed to pay her husband £BSO, and that she had not fulfilled her bargain. "They are contending," said Mr. Brighousc, "that this gentleman is of such value in the marriage market that according to the Jewish rites he is entitled 10 say his wife agreed to give him £850." It was further staled that ho had told his wife that the profits from his business amounted to from £l2 to £l4 a week. Mr. Brighouso hinted that proceedings would be taken to decide whether the money had been lent by the wife or not. Ten Years Taken off Her Age. In cross-examination Mrs. Sal'fman admitted that she gave her age as twentyfive on the marriage certificate, whereas it was thirty-five. She did this because her. husband told her to say she was twenty-five "to let the world know he had married a young girl." She admitted that she still had over £4OO in the bank. l«'or the husband it was submitted that it was becauso his wife fixed her age at ten years younger than she really was that he married her. It was arranged that the wife should give him a sum of money considerably in excess of the amount that had been already paid, in order that he might use it in.the business. The money ho had received had been spent partly on the wife, partly on the business, and partly on furnishing the house. He was barely getting a living from his business and had been living for some time on capital. In cross-examination Saffman said it was the custom in the Jewish community for a bride to bring her husband a dowry, but he did riot insist on receiving the money agreed on at the time of the marriage, becauso he trusted his wife. It was understood from the beginning that tho object of the marriage was to increase the business. Man Asks for Marriage Lines. Mr. Brighouse: She was not investing her money in a good business.. —No. It was not the business she was investing her money in, it was you?— Yes. You were the return for the £BSO ? That was tho arrangement. She struck a bad bargain ?—I don't know.

A separation order was granted, Saffnian to pay Iris wife 50s. a week. Saffman asked that his wife should give the marriage lines to him as he had paid for them. Mrs. Saffman : With my money. The defendant denied this, and the Clerk pointed out that lie could get a copy, for a few shillings. He remarked that the matter was one to be dealt with elsewhere. "In the meantime, possession is nine points of tho law," he added.