The National Register.
London, England, 1819-07-19 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, JULY 14.
OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.
ErExcen r. COLE.

Mr. Sergeant Vow.,lmo siasrd, that this action was
broorlit Iry Miss Maria Spencer to recover damages from
Mr. Win. Cole nor a tireitelt of promise of marrirge made
to her. lie would briefly slate an outline of the ease
leaving. it to the Joey to decide upon the evidenee laid
before them, to what amount of damages his client was
entitled. The plaintiff Miss Suerseer, ia now twenty-two
years of age ; the Defendant, Mi. Cole, an attorney by
profession. Is shout twenty-right. Hi* tither Is n respec-
table silk mercer. residing In Wood-street, Clirapside.
• The young lady is the sister-in law of Mr. Reynolds. who
keeps the Bell tavern, In Wood-street. Cheapside, at
which house the ',Whiff was on a visit in the month of
August lent year. The defendant, living in the neighbour.
hood, occasionally visited the Bell, and there became ac-
quainted with the plain,if, and appeared very assiduous
in his attentions to her. An epistolatory correspondence
having taken place between the narties, defendant suc-
ceeded lit catalog Miss Spencer's Mfectinns, Soblwrinellily
to this the defendant wrote to the plaintiff's mother, a
respectable lady, residing at Orithy, in Leicestershire,
1,41414 his admiration of her tiangliter ; nod after !WIMP
observations ell her sweetness and amiability of dis;iosi-
lion, requested to be informed what her fortnne was to
be. Tar young lady's mother having replied to this letter,
every preparation was made for their tit ii Haim. The li-
cense was priest' oil, the wedding ring was heitcht, ancl
Ire young lady's bridal clot!. es were made up. After this,
imnerer, the defendant, In March last, became Tess fle-
w:cut in his tend more cool in his attentions to the
plaintiff; anal he at length declared to Miss Spencer's
brother-in.law, that he could not marry her. The defen-
dant's father had from the eminent-mem been aware of
the courtship, and Miss Spencer visited in his family.—
Nothing appeared which conid account far the :literati.n
of the defendant's intentions. Mr. Reynolds having
noticed the coolness rf the defendant, waited upon him to
know if he still continued his intentions to Miss Spencer,
stating, at the 'ante time, that every preparation was
Suede for their nnptials. The defendant replied, " Cer-
tainly I do saran to marry leer, and will rrehe her any wife
as soon 1111 cm" Notwithstanding this declaration, di..
fendant did nothing towards the fulfilment of his promise.
Oa the 4.5 th March, the defendaor, slier having been for
some hears In the coffee-room el the Bell, went to the
liar, and told Mr. Rey noldi that his sister-in-law was a
girl of no character, t hat lie world not marry her, anal that
lie believed he (Mr. Reynolds) was as intimate with her as
Ile was within, wife. This latienage was not of coin',
allowed to pass unnoticed by 'lr. Its ynolds, nor would-it,
lie treated, escape the •ticatioi of that respectable Jury
whom he then addressed. Miss Spencer had a decided
clijectiou to any proceedings ;wing :iistituted, ;mil her ob-
jection to have the matter open ly raiivassed 'milked the
sense of delicacy and feeling by m she was actuated.
'ler niesuls, however. reit it doe blob to tier eberacit f
and their owe to bring this action. Their object was not
to recover heavy damages, bit in miler to rescue the
character* of the young lady and her brother in-law from
the most f-til and unmerited imputations. lie now boldly
retied upon the learned connsel fur the defence (Mr. Ser•
great Copley), to apologize for the grossly insulting lan-
gnage used by Iris client—language nerd without either
shadow of troth or of provocation.

Mr. Sergeant Copley cheerfally nerrpted the chatter ee
of his learned brother, and begged In state to the Court
and the Jo-y, that he !lad been instructed by his client to
make the apoloity called for, and retract the imputations
%%hulk had heen iinnronerly cast ripen the characters of
the plaintiff end her fr.catle. Ilk client had heceed of
him to state his sincere contrition for the expre.o.ione he
had need in reference to the, plaintiff and her brother-in-
law, Mr. Re ‘noll4.
. . . .

Mr. Sergeimt Vaughan observed, that the evil having
been done, a bare apology cont.:l*ot now be accepted.
Mr. Sergeant Copley said. the apology had been olfered
before the trial, with the additim, of 1001. by way el tom-
pen44tinn, but both had been retailed.
The ChiefJusiice.—l drink the cr•11 for an apology haws
ing been made, ant the apology having been offered, the
.Ate weight Which attaches to Ibis circumstance ought not
to baoverinokel. _ _ _

Mr. S7rgrant Vanehan, after a few additional o!).erva.
tionv, called witnesses who folly cstalslodied the cue.
Here the plaintiff's C 21.1. closed.
Mr. Sergeant Corley addressed the Jury for defendant.
He stated, the Gather of Mr. Cole was averse to him soler
forming sin h a comsexion, and uatnrelly so, as Miss Spen-
cer had no fortune. The defendant's hesitation to foltil
hie en4agemeot arose, first, from the remonstianrev of him
tether; and, secondly, from some severe losses o bit It he
had snstained from the deficiency of the product of boon.
mints in which he was concerned.

The Chief Justice slimmed up at considerable length.
Having gone over the evidence for the plaintiff, lie ob-
served, that the defence set np we., first, the 1%.1110N.1..
trances of dotienthat's falter, of which there was no
oof ; and, secondly, the losses sustained by hiwt t added
to which came the dreadful imputation as to the brother-
iu law, which there was not even an attempt at proof.
The plaintiff was a young.lady tevrctahly unitealed and
of uninipeachett character ; and it would be fur the Jury
to decide. miner alt these ciiensiistalit.. W ha: W 3% the
manned of damages to which the conduct of defendant
subjected him. .

lhe Jut yoefter afe moment*' consultation, returaeJ
a ti diet tur the plaintiff—Damages 5001.

SATUPDAY. /19. Y 17.
CONSPIRACY TO ernucr WORIEN/Y.
CUNTER J. ASTOR._

This was an action brought by the plaintiff, a re pc.-table
piano-forte manufuchuer, rgainst Elizabeth Astor and Sens, of
Comhill, who deal extensively in the same trade, for &conspiracy,
in taking from the plaintiff 14 of his workmen, during the exist-
ence of their revise engagement with him. There were Aevend
other counts in the declaration, v.hich ehtirged tl.e defendants
with a breach of contract, &c.
Screral of the workmtn were eX1:111111Cd in support of the
plaintirs caw. Front their testimony, it apt•eared, shut only in
Janaary last they were induced by the Messrs. Astor to assemble
together f.ir the purpose of receiving an offer to quit their
mater's employ, and to fso over t 3 the defendants ,• they wer,
entertained with plenty of bread, beer, ale, gin, and rum, and
regttled themselves heartily, so that they did not return to do any
other busineia on tl.at day. Many of them rejected the solicita-
tion to quit the phrintiffs, but others yielded and signed a paper,
Comenung to g 3 to work with tLe defendants the moment they