Heart Balm Lawsuits in Texas History

Written By Michelle M Haas

If you got dumped right now, would you sue for damages if you could? That was actually a thing until the 1930s,. You could sue for a broken engagement or, if your beloved ran around on you, you could sue the person he/she cheated with. True story.

Enjoy these four tales of Texas heart balm lawsuits: of one gal who was dumped for her love of snuff, of a Dallas woman sued by a fake Canadian lumber prince, of a lady from Electra who sued an elderly cattle millionaire and, finally, of the Fort Worth divorcee who sued world champion boxer Gene Tunney for half a million bucks.

Michelle M Haas

Chairman, Texas History Trust.
Lead designer, managing editor and researcher at Copano Bay Press.
Native of the Texas Coastal Plains.

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