The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-03-21 00:00:00


• BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

Last week at the Middlesex Sheriff's Court, Red
slim-square, before Mr. Under-Sheriff Burchell and
a jury, the case of Benjashin v. Siddall was heard. It
was an action for an alleged breach of promise to
marry, and was remitted from the Queen's Bench
Division of the high Court of Justice for the assess-
ment of the damages, if any, to which the plaintiff
was entitled, ths defendant having allowed judgment
to go by default. Mr. Beddall appeared for the
plaintiff. He said his client, Lilian Benjamin, was
the only daughter of a respectable tradesman at
ssiugstsss_ss-Thsmss. where for many years be had
been the proprietor of the Cambria Arms Hotel, and
the defendant, William Charles Siddall, was the
manager of an extensive business carried on by his
father as a florist and fruiterer in the Mont-
pellier-road, Cheltenham, and also at Leckhampton
and Ross, in Herefordshire. For change of scene and
for the good of her health, the plaintiff accepted
a situation as barmaid at the Clarence Ilote:,
Cheltenham, in September, 1883, when she was jua:'
19 years old, and in the following month (October)
she made the acquaintance of the defendant, who used
to visit the hotel, and was at that time in his 21st
year. His attentions to her became so marked that
their casual acquaintanceship ripened into a sincere
and reciprocal attachment, and at his invitation she
accompanied him on several excursions in the neigh-
bourhood. At Christmas she thought she would re-
linquish her situation at Cheltenham, but was strongly
persuaded by the defendant not to do so, and very shortly
after this she was introduced to his parents as the
"girl of his choice." With their consent he and his
affianced drove over to Tewkesbury Abbey on last
Good Friday, and in Tewkesbury she was introduced
to a number of his relatives as the future Mrs. Siddall.
The landlord of the Clarence having some domestic
troubles, asked the plaintiff to take the general
management and supervision of the hotel, in
addition to her other duties, but such an
arrangement was strongly objected to by the
defendant. The plaintiff left her situation,
and went to her home in Surrey, the defendant
accompanying her. He stayed a few days at her
father's house, and formally proposed for Miss
Benjamin's hand. Both parents gave their consent.
On that same evening, and in her father's house, the
defendant seduced the plaintiff. On the 18th June
last she accepted and entered upon another situation
at the Crown and Sceptre Hotel at Ross, in Hereford-
shire, and on her journey down she remained for a
very short time at the 'souse of the defendant's
parents, and there he was again unduly intimate with
her, the consequence of which were now ruinous to
the young girl's character. In August Miss Benjamin
left her situation at Ross with the intention of pro-
ceeding home, and on her way back, at the request of
the defendant, she stopped at his parents' house in
Cheltenham, where a renewal of the engagement
was made, and the day finally settled for the mar-
riage, it being quite understood amongst all
parties that the marriage should take place. at
Christmas. On her return home she informed her
lover that she was enciente, but instead of expres-
sing any sympathy with her in her sad plight he
wroto to tell her that he, too, was suffering from
pains, an old friend in the shape of tic-doulo-
reux having visited him—(a laugh)—and that she
must grin and bear her sufferings, as they would soon
be over. Ile then made all sorts of excuses for not
visiting her, and finally he wrote a note coolly in-
forming her that he could not marry her, as his
means, present and prospective, were insufficient to
maintain a household. The learned counsel then
read extracts from the various letters addressed by
the defendant to the plaintiff. In one she was "his
dearest, (luckiest, sweetest, loveliest Lill," whom he
tenderly besought not to believe what others said, for
there was not a girl in the world he loved half as
well; he loved her with his whole heart and soul."
In another of his epistles he expressed his regret that
she was not by his side, gazing at the moon and stars
—(loud laughter)—adding—
The stars never rise without see'ng the bright eyes,
And tbe moon never beams without bringing me dreams,
Of beautiful Ulan BeDjamin.
(Roars of laughter.) The plaintiff gave evidence
corroborative of the opening statement of her counsel,
adding with hysterical sobs that she expected soon to
become a mother, and the defendant knew it. Mr.
B. Francis-Williams, for the. defendant, addressed
the jury in mitigation of damages, and did not call
any witnesses. The Under-Sheriff, in summing-up,
told the jury it was a very sad and distressing case,
but in matters of this kind they must dismiss from
their minds all considerations of sentimentality, and
the only point for their determination was the ques-
tion of the amount of damages to which the plaintiff
was entitled. The jury, after a short deliberation,
assessed the damages at £2OO, and a verdict for that
amount was accordingly entered for the plaintiff.