Found a Penny, Lost a Pound

NZ Truth, Issue 1031, 29 August 1925, Page 5

Found a Penny, Lost a Pound

Woman Marries a Cripple, "Not a Star Boarder"

On the Ist of April last, Clara Jordan lost a husband and found . a superannuation allowance. On June 24 she lost the allowance on finding a second husband. But the transaction seems to be working very badly.

The other day Clara applied to Mr. j F. K. Hunt, m the Maintenance Court at Auckland, for a separation from the s*even-weeks husband on the grounds of persistent cruelty. DID HER MONEY ATTRACT HIM? The case was a remarkable one. The S.M. was obviously puzzled. "What is wrong with the man?" he asked, and was told that Albert T. Jordan was paralysed m the body. "Was ho like that when you married him?" asked his Worship. Complainant nodded assent. Was he a star boarder? — No. Then whatever did you " marry him j for? — No answer. Can he, work? — No. Mr. Kelman (for the woman) : I am coming to his reason for his marry-

ing: her, sir. We are not asking, any maintenance.

Counsel continued his examination, and Clara said she was 44, while her

[ new spouse was 34. When they were married she had £150 coming to her from the Public Trustee, and m addition something like £200 from her late husband's superannuation. You found out after the marriage that you could .not then collect the superannuation ?— Yes. The S.M.: But you can get the amount paid m? Mr. Kelraan; No, sir, -when she-mar- [ ried she lost the lot. The S.M.: Well, she did not wait long, anyhow. ... Complainant went on to state that ten days after the marriage, when she told 'Jordan .that there would not be the money coming to her that she had expected, he; cut up nasty, . and there was a scene. She also described how defendant had struck her on the face when at an evening m the. presence of f l'iends. On another occasion he had barfged her head against the wall and sent one of her teeth through her lip. The . S.'Mj : ; That may be all very well; but what I can't understand is that you married a man who was paralysed and had not .a penny. A friend, who was atythe evening referred to gave ■. corroborg,tive evidence of defendant: haying struck his wife m a fit of temper. .'■■■, HIT WITH V A FLATrIRON. Defendant,;- m the box, told a very different story. He said that his wife had knocked him about a few nights after the wedding, following a party at a friend's place. On another occasion there was a party at their place — • The S.M.: Who paid for that?— Oh, there were only a few friends there. She had come, home m the .morning about fiyeV. o'clock t with hardly any cloth,es on her and under the influence of liquor;' .'/■.: ..• „!■", .. \ . ..';.' What hav.e you .been doing for a living? — Nothing, sir. You' were dependent on her, then? — Yes.' But I hope to get right- again. She has knocked me about with a flat-iron, and there is a mark on my ribs' now,, just fading away. Mr. Kelmari: What is your name? — Alfred Thomas. Jordan.' „ Is your former name not' Robert Livingstone Martin? — iYes, but I was married m my,, mother's name. I thought it was J quite legal to adopt my mother's name. . ,\ „ .. ... You "knew that Mrs. Jordan" had money coming to her when' you married her, did you hot?— l knew nothing about that at all.

The S.M.: I will make no ■ order at all. Ther.e is hot sufficient to go - on ; they have voiily been ' married seven weeks. There has been no persistent cruelty shown. ' The woman has been fool enough to marry a cripple like this. Let them- see how they can get on for^a time. -