The Money or the Wife ??? –

MATRIMONIAL MISFITS  :    A lady, who after 17 years of connubial bliss, took it into her head to elope with a jockey, was charged with larceny of £70 from her lawful husband. The latter, it appears, was reconciled perfectly to the loss of his better half, but, like Shylock, the departure of his ducats into the bargain was too much for his equilibrium, and he accordingly brought an action for the recovery of the cash.
The plaintiff had handed over the money in question for the purchase of a piano, but when he returned home no musical instrument greeted him. Instead the lady had packed her goods and chattels and decamped, plus the money and the man.

The deluded hubby accompanied by a policeman, eventually ran her to earth in the Sydney express, by which she and her diminutive lover had booked their tickets. She was arrested, but the money was not found in her possession. The faithful jockey, however, bailed her out, but showed signs of a “bolt,” and was safely tethered by the police on another count. The charge in question was one of making a false declaration to the registrar regarding the birth of an infant. In the declaration the gallant jockey stated that he was married to the mother of the child, whereas the lady concerned was possessed of a legal lord and master, who wants his money, but is quite contented with the loss of his wife.