The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-05 00:00:00

BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.

An action for breach of promise of marriage, in which
the defendant had allowed judgment to go by default, in
the Court of Queen's Bench, has been heard at the Metro-
p Sheriffs' Court for the assessment of damages. The
Solicitor-General and Mr. J. C. Mathew were counsel for
the plaintiff, Miss Sarah Ann Mitchell, who claimed
£lO,OOO as compensation ; and Mr. Serjeant Robinson
appeared for the defendant, Mr. Francis Hazeldine.
—The Solicitor-General said he was at a loss to
understand what had induced the defendant to act in the
manner he had done. Miss Mitchell was a young lady
of about 23. She was the daughter of the into
Mr. Mitchell, a timber merchant. The defendant, Francis
Ha.zeldine, was about 27 years of age, and was the son of
the late Mr. Hazeldine, manufacturer of railway rolling
stock, and was the junior partner in the firm of Hazel-
dine and Son," in Lant-street, Borough. He was a man of
considerable means, his income being about £3,000 a year.
Toe parties met in 1861, and he was struck with the young
lady's appearance. In the summer of 1862 he wrote her a
note, enclosing aring, declaring his attachment for her, but
the ring was returned. Subsequently he pressed his suit, and
Mrs. Mitchell, the mother of the young lady, was consulted,
and he was received as her suitor. The families were
brought together. It was in all respects a suitable match,
though Miss Mitchell might not have been so rich as the
defendant. A long correspondence had taken place between
the young couple. The letters were in the usual style of
lovers' epistles—from summer they got to blood heat. The
young lady was addressed as his Dearest Lillie." There
were no dates to the letters, for persons living in the
region of love were too mirth absorbed to care for such
formalities. In one letter she was his "Polar Star" and
his "Guardian Angel," with love and -lots of kisses.
Suddenly the defendant ceased his attentions, and on one
occasion passed Miss Mitchell, who became very ill,
and for three or four years from 1862 no more was heard
of him. Mrs. Mitchell, who had received no explanation
of his conduct, had removed to Stamford-hill. Some
;islets were sent to him, and these were returned three yea,rs
afterwards with jets which would represent a broken heart.
lie had remained unmarried, and in 1867 he sent a letter
addressed " Dear Miss Mitchell," and asked if he might
call, and subsequently he was again received, and the
letters which he sent were most affectionate. It was
arranged in 1869 that they should marry in August of that
year. A house was got ready for them, but he again dis-
continued his attentions, and wrote a letter on the 28th of
October, 1869, asking to be released from his engagement,
and concluding—" Waiting your reply." In November
last the young lady refused to release him from his pro-
mlse, and then he said that the farce of going through
matrimony would bring on her fearful misery. In a letter
he fixed the Bth of December for the wedding, and
told her that her share of the misery of such
a marriage would be the largest. An interview
then took place, when Miss Mitchell's brother
was present. She said, in answer to the defendant,
that it was her wish that the marriage should proceed, and
he then said, " I'll take care you shall have plenty of
cause to repent it." Two days before the time he had
appointed for the wedding to take place, he declined to
proceed with the marriage. The writ in action was
served on the 6th January, and the declaration on the
17th, and in a paper called the Latest News of the
22nd of January? there was an attack on /miles
who brought actions for breach of promise of
marriage. On the 24th the defendant, in an
envelope, the writing on which he could prove was his
had the incredible baseness to send the paper to The
Shrubbery, Stamford Hill, where the young lady lived.—
Mr. Serjeant Robinson said he did not intend to justify
the conduct of the defendant ; he felt lie could not, but ho
thought it had not been so bad as it was represented.
Beyond dispute there had been intense affection, and
nothing but incompatibility of temper had led to the
estrangement. He could not justify this conduct, and
the only question was what view the jury would take of
the case. He had consented to a verdict, and to a letter
of apology, which had been dictated by the Solicitor-
General. The Solicitor-General said they had agreed to
a verdict of 22,000, with a letter of apology, in the follow-
ing words :—" I regret extremely having, without any
ground for doing so, broken off my engagement with Miss
Mitchell, and for the way in which I broke it off. I
beg now to offer the most full apology, and to with-
draw and express regret for any letters that may
have caused her pain, and for the mode in which
these letters were addressed to her. I entirely deny
having sent, or had any hand in sending, the copy of the
Latest News spoken of by the Solicitor-General in his
opening speech."—The Under-Sheriff directed the jury to
give a verdict for the sum agreed upon on the part of the
defendant.—The damages were recorded for R 2,000, and
the court certified for a special jury.

" What is the size of this place ?" gravely asked a
young New Yorker of the conductor, just after the brake-
man had sung out 0-pe-li-ka at a Southern station, where
not a house was visible among the pines except a ram-
bling shed called an " eating- saloon." " It's about as big
as New York," was the ready allsvvtr, "but it isn't built
up yet."

THE POLICE AND THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES
Act.—We understand that, by the sanction of the Board
of Admiralty, the metropolitan police will in future be
employed to carry out the provisions of the Contagious
Diseases Act at Dartmouth, Ivybridoe, and Plymptorif
and that for this purpose three additional constables will
be appointed to the Devonport
The following fact is mentioned by a Dublin papa
as evidencing the desire of the Protestant farmers in the
north of Ireland to support their clergy at the present
crisis in the Church :—" On Dr. Burnside's return to his
parish from the Convention he found, to his surprise, that
during his absence all his tillage ground had been ploughed.
His parishioners and neighbours contributed thirty-fiye
well-appointed ploughs, and accomplished the work in
rood style in one day."
LOYALTY.—An old Scotch nurse once
who was the sole depositary of a mysterious se
ing the descent of property, and touching the
of the house in which she had lived. A priest
to confess, and reminded her of providing for
of her soul. " The safety of my soul !" she sai
would you put the honour of an old Scottish
competition with the soul of a poor creature lik
Mr. Fronde in Frazer.

PRINCE PIERRE BONAPARTE. The
Gazelle quotes from the .11Untorial Politique th
has been addressed to Prince Pierre Bonaparte
commander of the 51st infantry regiment,
Breslau, in the name of the officers of the PruL
who declares that he should rejoice at having
tunity of shooting M. Rochefort in a duel, out
for the dignity of humanity, The Cologne Go
that it wou!d be unbecoming to interfere in'
The 2Torat Cervaan Cori esuoudent believes the
to be a fabrication.

.ROMIANIA.—Party azitation appears
violent in Roumania, and very recently M.
member of the advanced party, was elected it
vigorous Ministerial opposition, M. Rosati
declared that he cannot take his seat in ti
where he has been elected in the face of such
This reply gave rise to an animated debate,
those members who were of M. Rosetti's feel:
in a body. The Ministers and Prince Charles .
anxious as to the results of this agitation.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.—General Schofield, co
ing the Department of the Missouri, has orde
companies of cavalry from Forts Harker ani
protect the frontier settlements in Kansas. 11,
at the request of Governor Harney, of Kansas, v
the presence of hostile Indians, and asks that
dent be urged to adopt the policy of dismou rain
arming the Indians, and holding glom on the!
tions by military power.

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