The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-02-19 00:00:00

ANOTHER BREACH OF PROMISE—
DAMAGES 20s.

In the Hail Court, In London, the calm of " lAckeirleh .
been heard. and was an action for breach a
praules Tb• defendant pleaded the usual plena.

The plaintiff was a ih.niestic servant, about nineteen
years of age, atel th. defendant was beadle to the
Saddlers' Company. In July, 188;4, she entered into
the ss.reic. 4 Mr. Holbrook, clerk to the Saddlers'
Company, m bon...maid. Shortly after, the defend-
ant, being smitten with the young ladY's charm; made
pr.pisiala to her, and in January, 18b9, dm consented
1,, walk out with him. Thin went on to the satisfac-
tion id both until inly, 1889, and as they had frequent
opportunities a seeing each other, there was no mere-
sity f haring recounse to writing, but on one occasion
he sent her, neatly written on half a sheet of foolscap,
• piece of poetry addressed to "Mary," commencing—
" By fate .levered heorath on. roof to bid.,
To greet each other'. vision day hy day,
Yet forced each thou4ht or look of love to hid.,
Tho' sad I seem the gayest of the gay."
In May, I SO, the defendant suggested that she should
leave her service in order to prepare for the marriage,
and she accordingly left on the Bth of July, The let
of August was named an the happy day, but on the
30th i.f July he wrote to the plaintiffs mother, stating
that his mother had talked his father over to her way
of thinking, and as they could not give their consent,
which was absolutely necessary, marriage at present
was out of the question, but that he hail no wish to
break off the milusintance. After the writ was issued,
defendant wrote to the plaintiff s father asking for
mercy; because, whatever might be the result of the
action, he should be a ruined man. His income MA
about £lO7 per annum.
In cross-examination Plaintiff said she had not
written to the defendant since the action had com-
menced to meet her at the Victoria Park Station.
She hail met him twice since the engagement was
broken off, the last time on Thursday week last. She
had not with a friend, been with him in a railway car-
riage since the action was brought. The letter pro-
duced, appointing a meeting about Victoria Park
Station, was not in her handwriting. Ile never com-
plained to her that her mother annoyed him by con-
tinually pressing him to marry her at once. She went
to NValtliarn Abbey fair, but she did not tell him she
had been dancing there ski-It nice young men (laugh-
ter).
The correspondence after the action was brought
was put in. In one of the defendant's letters he said
that, in order to stop litigation, he would agree to
marry her as soon as he could gain a home for her, or
such time as might be tired by mutual friends, but he
hoped they would not hurry him to do so until he could
make her comfortable, and that he would pay the costa
up to that time. She was willing to marry him then,
but her parents objected.
Mr. Talfourd Salter: You were willing enough to
marry him?
Plaintiff : Yes. (Laughter.)
The Mother, who was as deaf as a post, said she
heard the defendant promise to marry her daughter on
the bit of August.
The defence was, that the defendant had never re-
fused to marry the plaintiff, but he wished to delay it
until he could make her a comfortable home. Ile
never promised to marry her on the Ist of August, or
on any particular day. The object of the action was
only for the father, who was a cabman, to obtain
money.
_

The Jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff—
Damages, 20e.

ACTION BY THE DUKE OF BRUNSWICK
At.\ !SST " FIGARO."—The Paris Tribunal of Correc-
tional Police has just given judgment in a suit for de-
famation brought by the Duke of Brunswick against
the journal the Firiarci, in the persons of MM. Ville-
messant, responsible editor, D'Squatr, one of the
writers, and Dabuisson, the printer. The court
acquitted O'Sqnser, but condemned Villemessant to
pay a tine of 500 f., and Dubuisson one of 50. ; likewise
ordered the present judgment to be publiAbeil in the
Figaro within a week under a penalty of 5001., and
authorised the plaintiff to have it iwo-rted in two other
journals ii his choice, at the cost of the.defendants.

SHADOWS OF COMING EVENTS.

The list of revolutionary measures which are announced
for the present session is unprecedentedly long ;ssys Vanity
Pair., and if only half of them are passed they will utterly
change the bee of society. If they should all ha passed,
LW-, will be the result:—
- -

------- • -
A man will be able to marry hie decessed wife's
sister, but will not acquire her property, which will re-
main her oWn • his cluldren will, if he pleases, be edu-
cated by the sate.
-- - •

He May shoot pheasants and partridges at any time
of the year without regard to game laws, which will no
I. nger exist.
- •."

He will be able to go to a University without
swearing to the Thirty.nine Articles, and to Church
without hearing an account of the sun stopping still in
the valley of Ajalon, and very possibly without being
called upon to join in the cursing of the Athanasion
Creed.
If a lord spiritual, he will be " relieved from attendance
in Parliament ;" if an habitual drunkard he will be
taken care of and "managed ; " if a homeless pauper,
will be placed under the "protection, regulation, and
management of the police ;" ifs solicitor or attorney,
he will be remunerated under an amended system, if a
foreigner, he will be able to hold real property in fee;
if a c innl, he will find himself under the Board of
Trade instead of the Foreign Office; if • dealer in
fermented liquors, be will get a licence under improved
con &Bone ; or if the younger son of an intestate father,
a share of the paternal real estate.
If a revenue officer, he will possess equally full
political rights with other people. If a clergyman, he
will be eligible for election as a member of parliament;
and when he has been sent thither, which will be
through the machinery of the ballot, he will receive a
salary for his share in legislation. His rating area will
be largs r and his taxes lean; and when, overcome by
all these changes, he sinks into an early grave, he will
be interred under a new and improved Burial Act.