M.D. Twiford Sr. of East Lake, Dare County, came up to Elizabeth City this week to fight a $7,000 breach of promise action brought against him by a Pasquotank woman, but the Court didn’t reach the case and the defendant, who is 78 years old, will have to make another trip to Elizabeth City to fight for his greenbacks.
A year ago or such a matter, Mr. Twiford was anxious to get married again. The venerable merchant, postmaster and justice of the peace of East Lake township had raised up a husky family of children and all had gone out in the world and left him alone with his store, his postoffice, his book of N.C. Statutes Annotated and an accumulation of considerable money which he had been salting down for more than half a century.
He had no highfalutin’ notions about a second marriage; he sought no affinity or soul mate; just wanted a plain everyday women who would live with him, keep his house, cook his meals, darn his socks and look after the store when he felt like taking an afternoon nap. He advertised for a wife in The Independent and got many applications for the job he was offering.
He looked the many applications over and rejected this one and that, but finally settled on a vigorous widow in Salem township of this county. He became engaged to marry Mrs. Sarah Corbett, age 57. But he never married her. Mrs. Corbett says he jilted her ruthlessly. Mr. Twiford says it ain’t so; that the truth is he came to Elizabeth City and applied for license but was refused to wed the lady of his choice because he couldn’t qualify on the medical examination required under the law enacted last year. Deeply mortified over his rejection for physical disability, Mr. Twiford returned to his lonely bed in East Lake sans a new wife.
Mrs. Corbett waited for the bridegroom in vain and finally sought the legal advice of the Hon. E.F. Aydlett. She brought suit against Mr. Twiford, naming $7,000 as the sum she thought sufficient to reimburse her for the constumely and mental anguish which she is alleged to have suffered by reason of the broken engagement.
Since Mrs. Corbett brought the action against Mr. Twiford she has married another man. She is now the wife of Capt. A.G.B. Salter, a shipbuilder of this city. Still she thinks she is entitled to balm and will press her suit.
From the front page of The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Feb. 24, 1922
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