The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-08-13 00:00:00

CROP PROSPECTS IN AMERICA.

The New York C,rrespondent of the Standard
writes :—" I hear that there is some anxiety as to the
cotton crop, because of extreme drought. My inform-
ant's estimate, bwed upon widely-extended telegraphic
4spatches, is that the crop will fall below last year's,
tlt a reduced yield is certain, unless the weather
up to September let and through the picking season
is exceptionally favourable.
"The official report shows that in Minnesota the
wheat acreage is the same as in 1880, and the crop
prospects average fair. The Kansas official report
estimates the winter wheat yield at twenty-three
million bushels, the corn acreage at four millions, an
increase of six hundred thousand acres,"


ACTION FOR BREACH OF PROMISE
AGAINST A CLERGYMAN.
At the Warwickshire Assizes an action for breach
of promise to marry, brought by Miss Kate Lamb, a
young lady possessing a small independence, residing
at Devonshire Lodge, York-gate. Regent's Park,
London against the Rev. Arthur George Fryer, 8.A.,
curate of All Saints' Church, Leamington, and which
was begun on Saturday, was concluded on Monday.
Mr. Lawrence, Q.C., and Mr. Harris (instructed by
Messrs. Hollam. Son, and Coward, solicitors, Min-
cing-lane, London) were for the plaintiff ; Mr. Mellor,
Q.C. and Mr. Graham (instructed by Messrs. Bell,
Broderick, and Gray, solicitors' London) were for the
defendant. The damages were laid at f.:3,000. During
the hearing of the case the court was crowded,
especially the gallery at the back of the judge, which
was set apart specially for ladies.—We take the fol-
lowing report of the case from the Daily Telegraph
of Tuesday :
Mr. Harris opened the pleadings, which stated that
in or about the month of May, 1879, the defendant
verbally agreed to marry the plaintiff, which agree-
ment was subsequently repeated and confirmed in
writing; that a reasonable time for the celebration of
the marriage had elapsed without his fulfilment of the
promise. The plaintiff further pleaded that she had
always been ready and willing to marry the defen-
dant, who had refused to do so.
The defence was that the promise to marry was
made subject to the express condition that the mar-
riage sholo not take place while defendant continued
to be a curate, and, in fact, not until he had obtained
some preferment in the Church of a permanent
character. These conditions the defendant pleaded
had been specifically confirmed in writing, and, finally,
that the plaintiff had exonerated and discharged him
from any and all obligation in connection with the
promise.
The plaintiff, Miss Kate Lamb, described as a good-
looking lady, apparently between thirty and forty, was
examined. In reply to Mr. Harris, she said that when
the defendant became curate at Andover she was
living with her mother at The Elms. She was
aware at the time that the defendant was engaged
to a young lady, and at Christmas, 1877, her
mother invited that young lady to spend a few
weeks at The Elms, so that she might be near
the defendant. The defendant thanked her mother
very much for her kindness in this respect. The
young lady, however, did not accept the invitation.
Witness's mother died on Oct. 2, 1878. Defendant
was kind to her in her illness, and conducted the
funeral service. About the end of September she said
to defendant, "What will your young lady think
about your staying here?' He said, "Oh, that
engagement is broken off." The defendant, after
the Rev. Mr. Bousefield was appointed Bishop of
Pretoria, stayed at The Elms as a visitor with her-
self and her mother, and after the death of her
mother her brother and Mrs. Lamb came to reside
wi-,h her, the defendant remaining as a visitor for
about four months. In January, 1879, he left The
Elms and went to lodge in the village, but he visited
at the Elms constantly. At that time she had an
impression that he was very fond of her. At Easter
in that year he asked her to join bins at the early cele-
bration of Holy Communion, and afterwards pre-
sented her with a locket containing his portrait. When
I met him on May 12 at the Andover Railway Sta-
tion, according to the telegram he sent me, he said,
"I want to tell you about my first engagement."
When he told me it was broken off, I said I was sure
it was no fault of his. He replied, "I am glad you
say so, because it shows you have confidence in me."
He then went on to say that he considered an en'
gagement was sacred in the sight of Gad, and nothing
but a reason of a constitutional nature would have
led him to break off the engagement he had
made. "Engaged parties," he said, "were as good
as man and wife to each other, and going to church
was simply asking God's blessing on the work or
undertaking." (Laughter.) He further said, "Are you
ready and willing to give up many things for me, such
as dancing, going to races, and hunting?" I told him
I was ready and willing to give up everything and do
anything for him. He said, "Are you willing to wait
any length of time for me? Because Ido not wish to
be married as a curate." I said I was. He then
placed his signet-ring upon my finger. I asked him
if he knew the difference of age between us? He
replied, "Yes, of course I do." I said, "Have
you looked in the parish register?" He answered,
"Yes, I know the ages of all the young ladies in
Andover." (Laughter.) I asked his age. He said,
"I cannot say exactly. lam not sure whether it is
twenty-seven, twenty.eight, or twenty-nine, but I
will call myself twenty-nine, and then we shall be
nearer of an age." (Laughter.)
Mr. Harris here explained that the correspondence
was of a most voluminous character. There were be-
tween 800 and 900 letters, edEls one of which was about
a yard and a half long. (Laughter.)
Mr. Laavrence ; There are several miles of them, my
lord. (Laughter.)
Mr. 'Harris: If arranged in single sheets they would
cover about two miles and three-quarters. (General
laughter.)
About forty or fifty letters were here read, the bulk
of them being those to which Mr. Lawrence had re-
ferred, and from which' he had made quotations.
Plaintiff, continuing her evidence, said that when
defendant took her to London in May to his friends,
he introduced her to his mother by saying, "This
is Kate." Mts. Fryer received her very kindly.
He took her into a jeweller's shop to buy ties
euga,ge.l ring. When witness left London he
accompanied her as far as Woking Station, and
placed the ring -upon her finger in the train.
Afterwards he visited her at the Elms, ana
showed her the photograph of a very pretty girl. That
was not the one he gave up, but he said : "That's
the girl I ought to have married." (Laughter.) On
May 28 he wrote: "I think it is a mistake to come
down and see you so often, as it makes such furious
onslaughts upon my tarn opinions about curate
marriages." In this letter he also referred to her as
his " inpudent-looking, happy, and loving Kate."
(Laughter.)
Mr. Mellor said if his friend continued to read these
letters in a dramatic style he should have to object to
it. (Laughter.)
Mr. Harris: Very well, I will read them in a
rough way—(laughter)—or I will read them like they
do in a church, I will intone them. (Laughter.)
The letter'of June 2, 1879, in which the defendant
said somebody would say "beautiful and melodious"
if he were to bray like an ass, was put in and read;
also one in the following week, in which he wrote:
"My darling, my own Katie—l sometimes have a
suspicion that you think me a little selfish in not agree-
ing to be married until I have a living. But, dearest,
this is not so. I want you to be in no secondary
position, either to your married sister or in my own
parish."
Mr. Harris: Do you remember that in one of his
letters there is a little picture of two turtle-doves
sitting on a branch of an oak tree? (Laughter )
Plaintiff : Yes. _

---
Mr. Harris: There is the original, my lord. (To
witness) : It was sent on the Feast of St. Barnabas.
One of the doves stands a little higher than the other,
and in his letter he calls your attention to this, and
says, "Please note the superior position of the one
denoting rule, authority, and power." (Roars of
laughter.)
The next letter read was dated July 14. In that
defendant wrote: "My own darling one, I certainly
cannot accept any place when I know you have an
objection to it. It is your happiness as well as my
own I am seeking. I must not compromise your
happiness. I think if my next living or curacy is
small I will take pupils, and you can give them the
brimstone and treacle." (General laughter.)
Plaintiff : On the 20th of that month I wrote to him,
stating that I was willing to go where he went, and
that his people should be my people. On the same
day he replied, "You remind me of the faithfulness of
liuth when you say Where thou goest I will go, and
thy people shall be my people.' Still it shall not be a
necessity. You shall not be my little fag. There's no
necessity for that."
A letter from defendant to plaintiff was here pro-
duced, dated Clergy House, Leamington, Sept. 3. He
said he had just been hard at work marrying people,
and gave the particulars of two weddings at which
"the vicar tied the knot' and I finished the service.
(Laughter.) I was offered a sovereign in the vestry,
hut I hate tips. If it had been sent to me I pro-
bably should have kept it—(loud laughter)—but giving
it in this way is putting one on the footing of the
clerk. I will bet you half-a-dozen pairs of gloves I
have something fixed upon which we both shall like
before I leave here."
Mr. Harris continued reading from defendant's letter
of Sept. 24, 1879 :—" At present you have an invite
for two months at Shinbridge, and before the termi-
nation of that I shall be able to tell you I have got
something; then it will only be for you to say, 'I will
not marry you as a curate,' and I shall go off to my
work alone, and you to your cottage; or if you should
say something about putting up with a curacy, then
you shall come and be assistant curate—junior, mind.
Now, dearest, please beep bright. It is the time for
fattening lambs, and you rnuet be fashionable ; besides,
you will be ready for my table all the sooner." (Loud
laughter.)
The plaintiff said she received this letter on the
25th, and on the same day she wrote back :—" Dar-
ling Pet,—You are good to me. You do a little bit
sroil your child Now, pet, after your letter to-day,
I don't think I shall worry or fret you again. As
you seem to think you can manage everything so
easily, I shall leave it all with you." I,..eferring to
the expres,-ion about being his "assistant curate,"
she said, "Oh, darling, it seems almost too good to
be true, that I am not to be separated from my pet."
(Laughter.)
A considerable number of other letters were put
in and read.
Resuming her narrative, the plaintiff said defendant
expressed a wish that she should be maeried in a cream
satin dress. On Jan she told her when leaving her
that would be the last parting. He went down to a
furnished cottage belonging to her at Andover, and
selected such articles of furniture as he would like to
have in their new home. The rest of the goods were
sold, and the cottage jet on a lease of five years.
About April his letters begi..,,n to bow a change of
feeling. She wrote to him on the subject., and reminded
him that according to his letters, She was ae ()Fager
his "Darling" nor " Kitten," and pointed opt that in
a recent letter he had commenced " Dearest Kitten,"
and had afterwards scratched out part of the "Kitten,"
and turned it into "Kate." (Laughter.) On May
13 he went to London,*and plaintiff met him at the
Paddington Station.
Mr. Harris z Was he affectionate when he met
you?
Plaintiff: I do not think he yeyy mu,7h cared to see
me. Ile appeared to have come only as a matter if
duty. We shopped together, had luncheon, t0i.7.(1
walk in the afternoon, dined at St. James's, and
went to the theatre in the eirenine% Coming from the
theatre, I asked him when he thought he should be
I able to marry me. He said, "It is a great pity that
we were ever engaged. We ought never to have