The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-08 00:00:00

-00
night's decision is likewise a plain notification thi
the House is determined to show its respect f
public faith, by insisting that Ministers shall gee
to their solemn engagements, whether as regari
the finances of the country, or in other matte
which more nearly concern the national characti
and honour.

LAW INTELLIGFSCE—June 7.

COURT OF CHANCERY•
(Before Vice-Chancellor Jiinde.rsieY.)

MEEHAN V. HANDLEY.
This suit was instituted by a young woman Omed EllE
Keenan, to compel the defendant, Captain H. B. 1..-T"die:
to perform an agreement into which he had entered wit
her to give her an annuity of £l5O for the support of ber
self and her child, of which she said he was the father
The plaintiff deposed that whilst living in Michael's-Os°
Brompton—namely, in December, 1859 —she became tie
quainted with the defendant, who visited her at her rest
donee, and that she shortly afterwards, at his earnest olici
tation, was induced to enter into cohabitation with him s
his wife, for which purpose he took apartments for her, i
the first instance, in Stanley-street, Pimlico. During thn
period and now she was unmarried, and the defendau
during the same period, and until some time after makia
to her the alleged promises of marriage and the relinquish
ment thereof, was an unmarried -man. She also depose
that during such cohabitation, and until after the birth (
her child, she at his request used the name of " Coverdale,
being the same as that used by himself in all his sportin
transactions, he being then and now largely engaged i
racing, by which name he was well known, and she ive
also well known by the name of Mrs. Coverdale, and Nve
by him introduced under such name to some of his rola
tions and friends. The defendant, who has large estates h
Lincolnshire, and an estate in Berkshire, denied that
had entered into any such obligations to wards her as sill
set forth.
Mr. Glasse, Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, and Mr. Homing
were counsel for the plaintiff; and Mr. Baily, Overt
and Mr, Toulmin for defendant.

The case was argued a month ago and judgment was re'
served till now.
-

The Vice-Chancellor, in giving judgment, said the al'
eumstances under which the bill was filed were these
The plaintiff, Ellen Keenan, lived with the defendant
Captain Handley, as his mistress from 1859 till 1861. ija),
fore she knew the defendant she had lost her virtue, sna
had been the mistress of some other persons, and had bors4
a child to one of them. The defendant was a gentlemallal
fortune and much addicted to pursuits of the turf, and he
kept race horses. In December, 1859, an acquintance cow''
menced between the plaintiff and the defendant from all
accidental meeting one evening in Piccadilly. The de'd
fendant visited the plaintiff that night at her lodging) anA
continued his nightly visits there about two months; as
in 1860 he took lodgings for her in Stanley-street, Pindie°
where he continued to visit her. In IVlarch,, 1860, he rotted
t. cottage at Surbiton, where she lived with him as his raiw
stress, and there they resided and cohabited 12 months.
During their residence at Surbiton they were known
Mr and Mrs Coverdale, and under the name of Coverdale
the defendant carried on his sporting transactions.
Te
defendant said it was usual for persons engaged in sportil)B
transactions to carry them on and to enter their horses it"
races under assumed names. But the court was not aware
that it was the custom of these persons to assume such fiet:h'
tious names as the names by which they desired to "
known in the neighbourhood where they resided. While
the plaintiff and the defendant were living at Surbitont
infant plaintiff, Lucy Coverdale, of which child the de:
fendant had always till after the institution of this su_Ai"
acknowledged himself to be the father, was born. 44.7
shortly after the birth the defendant registered that fee"
describing the child as the daughter of Henry and VT;
Coverdale. Lln October, 1860, the defendant caused the
child to be baptised, and on that cccasion also he de•
scribed her as the child of Mr and Mrs. Coverdale.
resided at Surbiton upwards of twelve months the
plaintiff and the defendant went to reside at Marlene, is
Hertfordshire, and there the defendant resumed 11141/1
real name 'of Handley, and by his direction the plaiab—
always afterwards whilst living there passed under the
name of Mrs Handley. He addressed letters to her ender
that name. On the 25th Deptcmber, 1861, when about to
leave home for a short time, he left a letter for her on the
table, in which he expressed his regret that her effee_;
tion for him appeared to have cooled, and he proposed
that if she determined to leave him he would give her ell
annuity of £l5O for the support of herself and their child.
Shortly after September, la6l, the plaintiff, with the Oa:
currence of the defendant, quitted Mariana, and went to S'
Leonards, and from that time the cohabitation ceased. la
accordance with the advice of the defendant she came to
London to have an interview with his solicitor,
in order
that a deed securing to her an annuity of £l6O might ba
prepared. Beth the plaintiff and defendant had interview°
with the solicitor on that subject, but the result was that
the defendant, without any reason, refused to carry out the
arrangement, and this bill was filed to compel him to card
out the arrangement. It has been contended for the de'
fendant that there was no consideration for the annuity
claimed from him. But the court was of opinion upon the
evidence that there was a sufficient consideration. There
appeared to have been several discussions between them on
the subject of marriage, and the defendant seemed to have
given her a promise of marriage. But the plaintiff had re:
leased the defendant from such Fromise on consideration 01
his panting her an annuity. The conclusion at which the
court felt obliged to arrive on the whole case was that there
must be a decree for an annuity to the plaintiff to corn'
mence from March 25, 1862, the deed to secure such annuityto be settled in chambers. The defendant must pay the
plaintiff's costs.