The Express.
London, England, 1855-07-23 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, JULY 23, 1855.

► see yen as a friend at any time. Yours sincerely, T. Set
t." gean—A more creel and heartless pies. of impiety never
emanated from the pen of any man. Thu nefortutate
young lady had devoted two years, probably to her the Lest
of her existence, entirely to him, and, when anticipating
the aecompliahment of her hopes by marrying his person,
was thrown into • state that could not be well imegieed.
She suffered the moat poignant grief and &exist', and in her
de=—for despair it was—she sent a cousin to this de-
(s t (Mr. Sergeant) to expostulate with him, and to ask '
him what could have been the cause of his abandoning her.
The a.. went, bat the only reason she could get frame
his was that it was the will of Ood. He wept in the
ms hypocritical manner, declared he would elver
Miry anybody else, and if he ever married at all
it shineld be Miss Alsop. He enemas& Mae 61 SS, Mill
Aunt, rug upon that occasion also he, to use ewe et hie own
expeeselems, "wept bitterly," and be again iselared that
his only reason for breaking off the matter was that it was
against the will of God, and be left Miss Alloy in a state
almost bordering on despair. Well, Mr. Aleop, her father,
wrote a letter to the defendant, which breathed the spirit
they wield expect from the father of en ago-
abed deserted daughter. It run thus :—" In con-
sequesee of not seeing yon in person for lime
time, I have taken the liberty of writing to you on
• subject, as I feel much dissatisfied that you bay* been
keeping company and a correspondence with my daughter
for about two years, and you do not say whet offence any
of es have given you, as you stop an l slight her. She has
fixed her affections on you, and from what you told her she
expected yes to be quite a different person, and not Wee.
I myself always endeavoured to make you welcome et my
house, not expecting you would treat her in this way. She
has net had a day or night's comfort since; crying tad
lamenting continually night and day. She is very ill Irons
your fake behaviour, end you have done that you
ought not to have done. I hays plenty of living wit-
nesses of your courtship and correspondence, and
promises of marriage, and so forth, and if you don't
assign some just reason for your false treatment of con•
spiracy and delusion against my dear daughter, whom I
much adore, my full determination is to enter an action at
law of conspiracy and delusion against you, Mr. Thomas
assent. It you have any defence to make you had better
say what you mean to do in this ease, as you have played
the same sort of game with others, and leave them to Lear
the rubs without defence. But it will not be so in this case,
for Rhoda Alsop has a very close friend that will see her
righted. Please to send or bring your bill, and have your
money, as it is waiting for you ever since I saw you, as I
wish to be oat of your debt, and will oblige yours respect-
fully, Bdwd. Aleop." The plaintiff's mother having died,
as before stated, a few months previously, the defendant,
being a builder and carpenter, made her coffin, and it was
in allusl to that circumstance ,that the oxprraaion about
the bill was used. An answer came back, which he (the
learaedeounsel) did not hesitate to denounce as most hypo-
critically unfeeling. It might have been imagined that
common delicacy would have prevented him from al-
luding to the death of the poor girl's mother,
and re-opening that sore the pain of which had
already been poignant enough ; but it did not. The letter
was as follows:—" Oct. 8,1651. My dear friend,—l am sorry
I could not answer your letter before. I assure you it caused
me great grief, and that grief was already very great. What-
ever may be said to the contrary, I truly say it is the second
unfortunate affair of the kind with which I have ever been
concerned. I have grieved very much for you that y:sur
mind should have been disturbed. Now all ought to be
calm and peaceable. But as you wish to be forgiven, I
hope you will forgive me. lam sure no one could have been
more kind to me, and I assure you no one can feel more
grateful for it than I do. I will reward you to the utmost
of my power. I did the best I could to Mrs. Atsop's coffin ;
it was of the best Realists oak. Please let me know if that
will be a sufficient reeompense for your kindness. Regards
to all. Yours truly, T. Sergeant." The learned counsel
then alluded to the pleas the defendant had placed on the
record, which he characterised as a tissue of faleehoodo, and
then passed on to observe that the gueati as for the jury
would be the amount of damages Miss Alsop was entitled
to for this cruel desertion• of her by the defendant.
They would find „that Mr. Sergeant was a person of con-
siderable means, and they would not fail to remember that
' he had taken up the time of Miss Alsop at a period of life
moat important to her. It was to her a more important matter
then to • girl of 17 or 18. Such • girl might have time
to recover her position, and the natural elasticity of her
youthful feelings would enable her to bear the anguish of
desertion. But in this ease the affection was of a deep, set.
tied character, and had b, en cemented by a two year.' court-
ship, and it was therefore to her meet injurious and dims-
treas. Re did not ask for vindictive damages, but for cons-
palmation to Mesa Alsop inch as they would expect for their
daughters if they had been deserted as Miss Aleop had.
The learned counsel having resumed his seat, his lordship
asked if the defendant had married another
Mr. Huddlestone replied that ha had, but he had forgotten
to mention it.

The plaintiff's father, het cousin, and one or two witnesses
haling been caLed,
Mr. Phipson, for the defence, said the jury would see
that this was one of those unfortunate but still ordinary
cues which in real life frequently occurred. Al long as the
human mind was subject to change end mutability, cr even
if they pleued to caprice—as lone as there were dtaturhing
causes effecting the intention, of young persons who at cue
time resolved upon matrimony—so long as eaperieoce had
taught us to anticipate, would engagements entered into
with bud fide intentions be broken. The learned gentle-
man then addressed himself specially to the subject of des.
maps, arguing that a very small sum would be an ade-
quate compensation for all the injury alleged to be done to
the proapects of the plaintiff and the wound to her feelings.
His lordship having summed up,
The jury, after a few minutes' einsultation, returned a
verdict for the plaintiff—damages, 501.

Did Not I tell you the Night before I was married that I would pay
you well if you would be eta About it I Matt t• MAIM on the tl of
December 38 to other my WIN end W Rey le end I Mee no one t,
leve my Mrshirry le but wet se Misty I Amid of remlered yt u but
now you shell set hews di drool hides I sew Ymi s dues to 101 All
my hub! an is A gasses hoe the twos I wow a feel (lest) for wrlten
you that net (OW) a year hawse 111 had set yes meld have had no
edam an apsousidblisemie to Many you mod to meek you my
lo wtull wife MIA le taws sod the 19 of Jewry would ol been
the day but lowa TOWN tar Mrs. byero t 2nd ibis woman yu t to
meet me on • toseday Night sod her tong sod her Mammy Drew
my Atestias wMet tint I wee in your house, I wanted to tall you,
Out! Gadd nisr. tar I new that yoa would Mel lt very much, beams I
▪ mrred SO Mater too fare A greet. dad. I own that I here don
you dameW Is you rellla your stack of at a root= prima, and you
Fella aill ftliab nedoese. It wee very foolish us me to doss, tut I
did love MOW IDo wish that I had Marrkd you after all. (Laugh.
ten. New Zak Roma', you ad • deel better WWI it, for I 'use !It sr
40 thessia.sulpenan• a prosy. Diem ears shin for the Qtiertea
laws. yes pest Yea May at year watt you shall not have •
dam fords. 11l mad throw you whit Ire mem I will with foul.
I haw determined not too be bet. I sew how.' thet MI ad
asp my letters. I burnt your 41. things Ti. Ad a
deal better Reuel—it will be a hid Wei he pea in
the mad, end you need Dot WWI this Ws Is That Yet Demi—
(laaghter)-- [Mr. Miller said the polio alllrlseiras he Mr. Merri-
field. the attorney of Sirs. Russell in the preemie astissl—Ne me we,
for I have thoossos—meand you have sodomise Is the mid with
Me, and wen you have red this you may is. it. I dust ewe for
Jae war leery. (L unlike.) Janet Warrioraan.
Mr. Miller then proceeded with the neat letter of the de-
fei.dant, which was ma follows:
Waialleet. Feby. 18, '33.
Mts. Roush,— I Would rf forfed 1 thalami% that is half. at I
UM Worth, for It rot to be broabt It to Light I dial Shout you ea
bum as you Are A WOl/1/11 you will be shot
JESSUP Wurrutean.

This was the cue. The learned counsel then called Mr.
Barney, manager Lf the Boston and Stamford Bank, and
other witnesses, well acquainted with defendant's hand.
wrirmg, who a:preyed their belief that the signatures to
the letters were genuine.
Mr Mellor, for the do'ence, produced letters written by
defendant for cemparisui with the others, and called vari-
ous witnesses, who considered the latter were forgeries.
The jury retired for nearly an hour, and then gave a
verdict for the defendant.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—YoRx, JULY 21.
Ira rini.-11110•0116 14101 PLAIT ANL 4 SPICIAL JULY.

THE ACCIDENT AT THE LEEDS RAILWAY STATION.-HALL

O. THE ORIAT NORTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY.
The plaintiff is the liozorder of Doncaster, and be brought
the action to recover compensation is damages for very
serious injuries which be sustained while riding as a pas-
senger in one of the defendants' trains.
Mr. Knowles, Q C., Mr. Serjeant Wilkins, and Mr. H.
Hill, Q.C., appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Watson,
Q C., Mr. Hardy, and Mr. West, for the defendant.
Mr. Knowles, in opening the case, said that the
plaintiff wee a member of the bar, and exceed-
ingly well known. Mr. Hall bad been for a great many
years connected with the Northern Circuit, and by his great
enfoimation as a lawyer, and his general ability and skill,
had earned for himself a high position in his profession.
Mr. Hall had the honour of being Recorder of Doncaster,
and held general retainers from almost all the public under-
takings in that county. He came before the bully to com-
plain that he had suffered en injury, the extent of which
no one would dispute, and the influence of which upon Mr.
Hall's prospects in life could not be gaissayed. Thou in-
juries were attributed to Ike negligence of the defendant,,
the Great Northern Railway Company, who, along with
the Lancashire and Yukshire Company, are the occupiers
of the central station, at Leeds. It appeared that on the
evening of the 3rd of last January the plaintiff was pro-
ceeding from Leeds to Doncaster, for the purpose
of presiding as recorder at the sessions of the latter'
borough. He had taken his seat in a first class compart-
ment of a composite carriage, his clerk with four or five
other passengers being in the adjoining second class com-
partment. The train (the engine being in the rear) was pro-
pelled out of the central station, as it was alleged, at an
unusually quick speed. It had net proceeded more than
300 yards or so, when the break van, which was at the
head cf the thin, the plant ff 's carriage being next, lett the
rails at some points and struck a waggon. In coasequence
of the great strain upon the coupling, caused by the engine
at the rear continuing to force on tt e train, the chain broke.
The carriages then weal on, and Alertly went off the metal
and crossed the line, and the carriage to which the plaintiff
was, teeing then the first one in advance, broke down a wall,
and for a time was suspended over the viaduct. The
coupling which held it to the other portion of the train
left on the line at last gave way, and the carriage dropped
some twenty-seven feet. In falling, however, the car-
riage in some way turned over, and the end compartment,
which was not occupied, came in contact with a weggoes,
which broke the fall, and so prevented a serious sacrifice of
life which would otherwise have taken plane. As it was,
however, the carriage was much shattered, end it was with
same difil:ulty that the plaintiff could be extricated. He
was found to be most shockingly hurt. Ills head and facie
were much cut and bruised, the fright thigh was fractured,
as also the left leg and both his right and left arms. His i
clothing bad to be literally cut off him, and his sufferings'
were most severe. He laid on his bed for eight weeks,
without scarcely being able to move, and he was unable
t, leave his room for some weeks afterwards. The net of
his medical attendance amounted to between 4001. and
5001. In addition to being Recorder of Doncaster, it was
I stated that he bad had considerable practice on the
Northern Circuit, and that he sustained serious lou in not
being able to pursue his profession and in his buskins going
into other hands. It was admitted that self acting, forcing
points (where the train had gone on) required the constant
attendance of a person to watch them, and that it was negli-
gence on the part of the company in not having them se
clued for. .

The plaintiff having been examined, and other evidence
having beta adduced as to the unsafe character of the
points,
Mr. Knowles addressed the jury for the defendants, and
contended the points were not of a dangerous character, but
otherwise that the company had been guilty of no negli-
gence, and that it could be shown that the points were id •
safe and proper working condition. He woula prove that
the points were in perfect order a very short time before the
train in question cams up; that there was not the slightest
defect either in the point rail, the lever, or the weight
attached to it; and that the first and second carriages
paned the points before the accident happened. He would
also prove thst there was no mark upon the point rail such
as might hays been expected, had any of the carriage
wheels so come in contact with it as to throw the carriages
off the line; and that excess of speed could not have
been the cause of the accident, as the engine wen
travelling no faster than usual at that point. The fort
was, the train got off the line nobody knew how; he could
not tell them how, but he protested misfit any attempt to
involve the railway company in thousands and thousands of
pounds, merely because of the suggestion., ideas, and theo-
ries of a number of scientific and ingenious men. A great
deal had been said about the danger of propelling trains and
using the facing points, but he would call eminent engi-
neers. who would show that the precice prevailed through-
out England. The company had exercised all the care they
could, and, however much they might regret the shocking
accident which had befallen the plaintiff, still the defendants
were not to be held liable if they had not contributed to it
by any neglect on their part.
Mr. Seymour Clarke, the general manager of the Great
N•rthern Railway Company, Mr. Fowler, and other parties
were examined as to the character of the points, and stated
that there was no danger in leaving the points unattended.
It war a constant thing to back trains out.
The evidence and arguments oa each aids being closed,
his lordship summed up, and the jury returned a verdict
for the plaintiff—Damages 4,5001.