AMOROUS HEIR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15800, 15 April 1922, Page 6

AMOROUS HEIR.

TALE OF SCHOOL GIRL'S WOOING

"FIVERS FOR CHOCOLATES.’’

LONDON, March 31.—The mutual fascination. of a baronet’s heir and a school girl, culminating in a secret marriage, has its upshot in the Divorco Court, whore the wife is seeking a judicial separation, and the husband is cross-peti-tioning for the x-estitution of conjugal rights. Tile wife is Kathleen, daughter of Major Stephen Howard, M.P., and the husband Alastair, son of Bir William Miller (fifth baronet), who served ns a cantain in tho war.

The' courtship begnp in 1915; iwllcfi Kathleen was 13 and' Alastir 23 years old,. Alastair taking her to, fashionable resorts in London like Prince’s Restaurant. ” •’ ' - • .

Kathleen’s father was unaware of the courtship, but a letter from Kathleen’s mother to .'Alastair . showed. that : the mother knew.. It, ran : “If. Stephen gets to hpar of' t-his’ the fat will be in tho fire. Burn this.’.’, . . ...

1 The father, consented to tho engage-; (bent oti; Kathleen’s, sixteenth birthday. Ivatjileen alleges that Alastir. afterwards seduced'her in- his-garagee After a quarrel Alastair 'wrote to Kathleen, saying: “It’ would, bo social failure for me to marry into- your'set: I hope that' you will not try to elevate youijself and your family ' at' my expense.” ■

Alastair's family' opposed ..the engagement, but marriage' became .urgent, and a secret. ceremony was performed at a registry office in. i 919. • Kathleen’s fathcr subsequcntly insisted upon a public ceremony. The wife, in giving her evidence, told a. pathetic story of her husband's alleged heai-tlessjicss before and after the birth of the future baronet, including attempts to take away the child and ostracism by the Miller family. • ' Cross-examination elicited that Kathleen' while at school accepted Alastqir’s weekly allowance, also fivers “for chocolates,” and’ spent’ weekends at fashionable’West End hotels with parties which Miller. , Miller’s presents lieforo tho marriage included pearls and two motor-cars.