A SECRET MARRIAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19529, 11 July 1925, Page 11

A SECRET MARRIAGE

STRANGE STORY UNFOLDED. ■TTAT.TAAJ COUNT MISLED. Pi en Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, July 9. (Received July 9, at 8 pjn.) An extraordinary case was heard in the Divorce Court,' in which an Italian, Count Jerome Valiex, sought a degree of nullity of bis marriage at a registry office in 1916 Lo Maiaia Davis, who counter- petitioned on the ground of Vaher’e misoond.net with the Marchioness Balbi, whom Valter married in Italy in 1922. Sir Edward Marahall-Hall stated that Valier belonged to a notable fifteenth century family. He was left without parents in bin infancy. He found on coming of age that his patrimony had been dissipated, so he came to England to earn a living. Later he met .Maisie at a West End club. She suggested marriage, telling him it was merely a form. She obtained a license and they were married, Maisie baying the ring, and paying all expenses. Later she said: “You cah get a divorce whenever you like.” They bad mot only three times since the marriage, which had never, been consummatedValter regarded the ceremony as akin to the Italian custom of betrothal _ He subsequently found that the marriage was invalid rn Italy because it was not registered there, so he wrote to Maisie saying that he was determined to regain his freedom. In the meantime she had gone to America. Later, she intimated that she had obtained a decree nisi. Valier married the Marchioness Balbi, upon which an old family feud was stirred up, and he was charged with bigamy, but the action was suspended pending the present case. Count Valier gave evidence that he was unaware that he was signing a marriage certificate. He never intended _ marrying Davis, who asked him to keep it secret. Mr Justice Merrivale said he was convinced that the Count did not appreciate the nature of the ceremony, and he was therefore entitled to a decree of nullity. The counter-petition was dismissed, but he granted Davis her costs. —A. and N.Z. Cable.