The National Register.
London, England, 1823-02-23 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

LAW IN FEL LI GE NCE.
WEDNESDAY, ILL O.
BREACH OF PRO:1118}.: OF SIARRIAGE.
LEWIS V. 'ISEADoWCROFT.
This was as action brought by the plaintiff; who is the pre-
dalin anti of a Miss Hannah Hale, a minor, to receive cum
pecsation in damages from the defendant, as attorney in
Gray's Inn•square, for the non-performance of a proraiie of
marriage, which, as was alleged, he made in August, 1820,
to Mica Hale. . . . .

Mr. Scarlett and Mr. Charles PhiUipnewidneted.the ease for
the plaiutiff ; and Mr. Cooper and Mr, Broderick for the de-
fendant.
Mr. Scarlett having stated the erne for the plaintiff, which
he was instructed he could prove, called
Sarah Harrison, examined by Mr. l'hillipe..—l know the
piaintitf and defendant; I first knew the plaintiff in August,
1820, and I went to live with her as 'wryest in September,
1820 ; in August the plaintiff lived in Cook's row; StaPanoras,
but in September she lined ;n Camden-street, Somers Town ;
slit then removed to the vale of health at Hampstead, where
the defendant took a cottage for her, and in the year 1820 fre-
quently came to see her ; she was very young, not seventeen
years of age until. January, 1821 ; the defendant sometimes
cense to are her at Somers Town three times a day, and if he
were absent a day or two, he was sure to write ; his eider
Mary Amme was Wen at school at Hampstead ;..oftertterierst
week or twit that she was-at Hampstead, the defendant did pot
come so I.equently as before. .One day as I was taking some
coals into the parlour, I beard her pressing him to perform his
promise to marry her, and he said,-" You shall .he toy..wife ;
you are my dear little wife ;" sad he looked at me, and said,
"At least, it shall be so smolt." I looked at him, and thought
be would not marry-her :. I thouibt him • rogue, because I
thought he had seduced her, and brought her to that place.
On one occasion the defendant told the plaintiff that his sister
was walking oe Hampstead-heath ; and the plaintiff said. ,
'•Gh, dear William, why don't you introduce Mary Anne to
me, and let her itop.liere r Mot lie said, " I must first take i
my dear little Hannah to Hampstead Church." The plaintiff
:hem removed to Clarendon-square. In March,. 1821, I saw
the plaratiff .sitting upon the defendant's knee, and she was 1
urging him to perform his promise, mud he• said, " By God, I
you shall he my wife ; but, my dear little Hannah, you must I
leave patience, I can do nothing yet awhile;" and be said
something about his oriole. When the plaintiff and I rammed
to Hampateed from London one day, we found the defendant
there, and we saw the letter•box open opera the -table, and we
also saw the ti..der-ben, and a candle on the tat/le.-and a 1
qeantity of burnt paper in the grate ; and the plaintiff said,
"Mb, dear William, what have you done with my letters?"
He gave her Doe from her. sister, sod some tradeamens' bills,
and said, " I have burnt these foolish letters, but I shall write
you mare;". I have read a gcod many of the letters which
were burnt, but I remember particularly the contents of two
of them, whioh were dated the 10th August, 1820, and the
Sad September. 18A. ,In the first, be said he world perform
his promise .of marriage between the . 10th and 13th of that
month, as be was satisfied that he -was her seducer ; and in
the other letter, that be was obliged to go into the country
for • few days, bat that be would marry her in the course of a
furtnigl.t. The plaiutilf appeared exceedingly attached to the
defendant, who told me to accompany her .whenever she went
out, and I did so. lie. always visited her inClaremlon-square,
until she went to her sister, who keeps • school at Blackheath.
She remained at her sister's for some time, sad thenche came
to tows, and took lodgings sear him, at .7, •Statil• inn' I
buildings, Holborn, where he visited Iter.fear or live times.
I remember the plaintiff going afterwards to an attorney.
Mr. Pearson, and leaving her letters with him.
.Cross-examined by Mr, Cooper.—When the defendant said.
.." Myxlear little Hannah, you shall be my wife." 1 .ain't say
Oat lie was intoxicated ; I won't swear that be was sober.
This took place after dinner, I have berm sent out for wise by
the defendant. I used to read the plaintiff's letters.
George Edmund Shad well proved the letters produced were
in the hand-writing of the defendant. After the death of the I
defendant's uncle, he told witness that his -uncle died worth
63,0001. and that his part of it, when his mode's affairs should
Ibe settled, would amount to Bor 10,0001... . _ I

Robert Reeves proved other. letters, which werepeedwind.,
were in the band-writing of the defendant,
Ten or twelve letter.* were then put in and read.
In those letters the defendant professed the greatest friends
ship for the plaintiff,..told her 't to keep up her spirits until tla•
wind blew over; that be..worild, if she went to school to Ism
sister, expend 1001. a year en her improvement," lint is
none of the letters was there a distinct promise of marriage.
Two or three.other letters were read. In one, the defe•-r
dant complained of the plaintiff a loitering about the streets ;
and is another he said, if the plaintiff did sot give a fair ex-
planation about the letter signed " B." and wished to separate
from the defendant, he would not throw any obstacle M the
way.
Mr. Cooper addressed the Jury for the defendant, and ctn.
tended at considerable length, that it could not be inferred
from any of the letters that the defendant ever promised mar-
riage to the plaiutiff. The Learned Counsel also contended,
that Harrison Wells undeserving of credit, and that if the de-
fendant had in his letters of August and September, 1820, pro-
mised the plaintiff marriage, it was not at all likely. after
having destroyed this letter, that he should (especially when
be professed so mink regard for the plaintiff) not any -a word.
of marriage in the fourteen letters produced.
His Lordship maimed op, and the Jury having retired for
about a quarier of an bear, found a verdict Mr the plaintiff—
Damages, 5001.