A LUCKY MINER'S UNLUCKY LOVE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10625, 21 March 1896, Page 3

A LUCKY MINER'S UNLUCKY LOVE.

A STORY OF THE WEST,

A sidelight' was cast on tha sorrows of a "lucky miner" at the District Court yesterday (lays the Melbourne Age of the 4th insfc.), where one Theodore Claudius, hailing from Cue, Murchison, West Australia, recited his tale of woethrough Mr Gaunson to Mr Nicolson, P.M. Claudius appeared to sue slis3 Amelia Howard Merrison, formerly his fiancee, for certain articles of jewellery illegally detained, and for the return of £50 money lent.

The plaintiff's story was that about bi'x months ago he was in Melbourne, and one night happening to stray into a wine cafe in Bourke street east he met th« defendant. Entering into conversation with her he was told that she had only that morning taken a situation there iu answer to an advertisement, and being asked for an opinion regarding the character of the house, he gave a deprecatory criticism. Defendant then announced her intention of leaving the place, and he took her to a house in East Melbourne, where they remained together. They then continued to live together for .some weeks, when Claudius, being required to return to West Australia, proposed that she should accompany him, promising to rnsrry her immediately upon the settlement of a breach of promise action which wai already pending against him. They started on the trip, and he provided defendant with a quantity of apparel and jewellery on the understanding that these articles were to tecome her property upon their marriage. At Day Dawn, Murchison, aud on her advice, Claudius purchased the Commercial Hotel in the township for £1850. Four days after the purchase was effected, however, the girl left him, and took the position of barmaid in the Golnonda. He then returned to Melbourne, and, receiving a telegram from defendant asking for money, forwarded £20 through defendant's sister, Ida Merrisou, on 28th August, and £30 through her mother on 13th September. Soon after sending these sums Claudius went back to West Australia, and had the girl arrested for stealing the jewellery, the charge being dismissed. For the defence, Mr Daly took the preliminary objection that his client was a minor, but the bench decided to hear the evidence. Miss Merriaon entered the box, and etated that she received the two snms of money referred to, not from tha complainant at all, but from her mother and sister. She had no idea where they obtained the money. She had not telegraphed to him as alleged. She had been perfectly willing to marry Claudius until when she reached Day Dawn she discovered the man's true character. He had bought a blsck woman for £40.—(Laughter.) He had chewed a man's ear off, and he had kicked his mother.— (Renewed laughter.) All the jewellery and clothing had been given to her outright and UDder no such conditions as defendant alleged. The jewellery she had been compelled to sell to raise sufficient money to return to Melbourne. When Claudius returned to Day Dawn his lawyer called upon her and endeavoured to persuade her into marrying him, but she declined. In reply to Mr Gautioou, however, defendant admitted that shemight even then have accepted complainant as » husband had he consented to settle the hotel and £500 on her. " That would have been a chuck in," she commented, with a smile.

After Mrß Elizabeth Strahan and Miss Ida Herrison had testified to having forwarded the £20 and £30 to defendant after recceiviug it from complainant, the bench decided to dismiss the case.