WHIRLWIND COURTSHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20792, 7 February 1931, Page 2 (Supplement)

WHIRLWIND COURTSHIP.

RICH AMERICAN SUITOR. FINE PROMISES UNREDEEMED. HEAVY DAMAGES FOR WIDOW. Renewing a friendship of his childhood days, a nativo of Worcestershire, since grown rich in the United States, conducted a whirlwind wooing of a widow. With the characteristic hustle of the land of his adoption, he plighted his troth and dazzled the lady with his stories of the wealth and luxury lie would bestow on her when they were united in matrimony. There was a streak of romance, (00, in this prosperous lover, for he told the widow that she was "the dark-haired girl"' about whom a fortune-teller had told him. However, these fine promises camo to nought, for tho lover suddenly returned to America, and now the Widow has been awarded £SOOO breach damages. This story of tho whirlwind wooer was told in the Middlesex Sheriff's Court. The couple concerned shattered romance were Mrs. Annie Elizabeth Bird, widow, of Gronville Road, Ilampstead, and Mr. Thomas Brooks, of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Mr. H. Pierron, for Mrs.' Bird, related that slio was a native of Lye, Worcester-

shire. Her father was a merchant. Mr. Brooks, too, was a native of Lye. Ho resided there with his father, who was in ar'ge way of business, and on the death of his father Mr. Brooks and his brother succeeded to a substantial business. Both parties being in bye many years ago, they became friends. Mr. Brooks married and left Lyo for America. Mrs. Bird married an auctioneer and estate agent, and she also left Lye. Death of First Wife. In 1923 Mrs. Bird's husband died. In September, 1925, her mother drew her attention to a report of the marriage of Mr. Brooks' daughter in America, and Mrs. Bird wrote to defendant and his wife congratulating him. Correspondence followed between tho parties, Mr, Brooks then addressing plaintiff as "Dear Mrs. Bird." and signing himself "Thomas Brooks." In 1926 ho was writing of his very big business with a light straighteight motor-car, declaring: "My business here is very large, and calls me away from homo a lot. . . . My contract-calls here for the coming year are over two million dollais. I am rated here as tho fourth largest dealer operating in the States."

In November, 1927, Brooks sent Mrs. Bird a newspaper cutting showing that his wife had just died. The correspondence between the two was continued, and in March. 1928, ho was addressing her as "Dear Nancy" and signing himself "Tom." Remarking on Mrs. Bird's de-lightfully-worded letters, ho wrote: "I have looked at and read your letters over several times to-day, and every time I read thein it makes me wish to bo in England. It is very funny how often you have come into my mind in the last 20 years. Just before leaving England my wife and myself had our fortunes told when we were in Rhyl, and wo havo spoken hundreds of times about it. You are the dark girl whom I was to hear from u, year or two before 1 my wife died, and it cume out exactly as had been told." Gilt ol a Ring. In another letter Brooks wrote: "I am always thinking of you. Yes, dear, my letters were formal for .a long time, bub lam glad the ice is broken. Do you think you would like to como over liero and make your home ?• Should like to hear what you say about this. Closing with happiest thoughts and earliest memories." Some delay occurred before ho could sail for England, but ho arrived there in June. Mrs. Bird, who was fashionably attired, declared in the witness-box that on the day of his arrival ho brought hor flowers and fruit and a platinum ring set with 25 diamonds. It was found that tho ring was too small, and he took it to a jeweller's to havo it enlarged and another diamond added. That was tho last she saw of it.

• Arrangements wore made for tho marriage to take place boforo Mr. Brooks returned to America. Sho sold her own house and furniture worth £IOOO for £2OO. On July" 6 lie loft for Stourbridge, where he expected to find his share of the business there to amount to about £16,000. When ho came back, instead of boing worth £16,000 his share was £50,000. Ho promised her he would purchase a house for her in England, and they would have a pleasant homo in Detroit. Ho explained tho need for tho two homes as being duo to hir> greal interests abroad.

Mr. Pierron handed in a photograph of Brooks' homo in America, Across tho photograph lie had written. "The hnndf.ome homo of Thomas Bivoks " Mrs. Bud slated that the furnishing of tho Detroit home was very beautiful. It , contained beautiful paintings and a tremendous quantity of Persian rugs, and Mr. Brooks said that ho wished their home in England to bo equally as elaborately furnished Ho promised her .1 wedding gift of £3500 in cash for her personal use. arid said that she would have a fine car and a chauffeur for herself. Then one day lie said he had to go up north for a few days, and he never enme back Inquiries showed that he had returned to America. Mrs. Bird told tho court that when Mr. Brooks, left for the north they were quite happy. Th&y had had no quarrel at all. Evidence in support of the statement that Mr. Brooks hud promised to marry Mrs. Bird was given by a 1.7-vear-old daughter of plaintiff and a daughter-in-law. The case was undefended, and the -jury awarded Mrs. Bird £SOOO damages.