The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-08-18 00:00:00

D euonsh ire.

EXETER.—ACTION 701 BREACH Or FROMM'
AND BIDUCTION.--ll•MA0111 f6OO. —On Monday
morning, in the Under-Sheriff's Court, Exeter, • jury
sat under the Under-Sheriff, Mr. Winslow Jones, to
sasses the damages in the case of Jarman ti. Lucas,
for breach of promise and seduction. The case was
set down for trial in the Court of Common Plena,
but, defendant having allowed judgment to go by
default, • writ of inquiry was issued to assess
damages. Plaintiff, for whom Mr. IL Riooard,
solicitor, of Southampton, appeared. claimed £2.000-
The facts of the come are as follows :—The plaintiff
is Eliza Jarman, aged 19 years, and the daughter of
John Arthur Jarman, the overlooker of repairs on
Lord Poltimore's estates, and formerly • builder
residing at Northmoltoo, in Devonshire. The defen-
dant, J.bn J Lucas, is about 22 or 23 years of age
He was in April. and up to Christmas, 1962, one of
the =Latent of the Commercial College, York, and
the son of most respectable and well-to-do parents.
He is now one of the masters at Ili pponden College,
Halifax. Plaintiff's brother, John Jarman, ties also
• master at Commericial College, York, and the
young lady resided with her brother at York, acting
as his housekeeper. Whilst there she formed an
acquaiatance with the defendant, who was • friend
of her brother's. Defendant was accustomed to visit
her at her brother's house, and paid her great atten-
tion. He frequently was there two or three times
a-day. He eventually promised her marriage, and
before the Midsummer holidays it was generally
known that they were engaged to each other. The
intimacy beganabont May, and continued down to
December last. In an unfortunate moment, joss
previous to the Christmas holidays, defendant
seduced the plaintiff, and she was now encie ate, and
expecting to be confined within a month. Plaintiff
at the time of her seduction was pot IS nears or age.
the Under-Sheriff, in commenting upon the case,
maid it was a very cruel and heartless one, and one
which would have had to be met with heavy damages,
had Lucas, the defendant, been in • very good posi.
lion. However, in giving their verdict they must
bear in mind the station he occupied in life and his
prospects. The jury, of which Mr. George Biggs
was foreman, then retired, and after a few millekle'
consultation awarded the plaintiff £5OO damages and
the ousts. The foreman observed that had the
defendant's position been higher they would have
given much heavier damages, as the case was
certainly a most heartless one, and deserving of •
greater penalty.
PLYMOUTH.—Tne LATZ ACCIDINT AT THZ
Review 07 The Devote COUNTY VOLUNTEZRA
The first victim is a man named Palmer,
an assistant to Mr. Gifford, confecticner,
Exeter. Amongst the list of sufferers who have
beeen removed to Dawlish are: Major-General Sir
H. Floyd, Bart., severe contusion of the knee; Mr.
Own, surgeon, and Mrs. Cann, severe contusions;
Mr. and Mrs. Turner, much bruised and shaken;
Mrs. Parrot, injury to the foot; Mr. Milman, ditto;
Capt. Woods, Ist. Devon Militia, contusion of the
ancle ; Mr. White, fracture of the leg. Colonel
Thomas Dyke Acland, in a letter sent to • meeting
of the intffereralay : "Although I am not the head of
the Devon County Volunteer Association, Ido not
hesitate to reply,as far as I am able, to your inquiry
as to who was responsible for the erection of the grand
stand. Messrs. Stafford, of Exeter, builders of
high reputation, were employed to erect • stand
sufficient for the accommodation of more than two
hundred persons, and the public were admitted on
terms which would have barely covered the expenees of
the structure. The stand was not half full when the
accident ocaurrecl. lam informed that if builders
enter into engagements to provide buildings for a
oet tain purpose, and if accidents occur in consequence
of fealty onnetructaon, or of the use of improper
materials, they are responsible. A special meeting
of the members of the County Volunteer Aesociabon
has been already convened for the purpose of bring.
ng the whole matter under consideration."