The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-14 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 14, 1851

present wife. He wrote to the plaintiff from London,
from Yorkshire, and also from the Isle of Man on an
occasion when he visited that island. In his first
letter he styled the plaintiff "Madam," and concluded,
"Yours respectfully;" to which she replied without any
heading or title to her letter ; and in the second he
apologised for commencing so coldly, and addressed her
" Dear Anne ;" concluding, " Yours affectionately."
In this letter, and in others, he gives her news rela-
tive to the success of the drapery business. "We are
furnishing the funeral of Mrs. Middleton, to be in-
terred at St. Luke's Church, on Wednesday morning
next. Send me word how Mary likes the print dress
from our shop. I shall expect you to bring me an ac-
count of the fashions in Liverpool. We are going to
push the trade this season," &c. In the second letter
he grows warmer, styling her " My dear friend." He
here says, " I am not so hearty, feeling a little Liver-
poolish (the plaintiff was then in Liverpool), but it is
no go. I must be resigned to my fate. You have all
the nice times of it yourself. Miss Kerr says so. Yes,
you're going off, and not telling one. We are very
busy, the factory lassescan now afford to purchase finery,
to which you know they are very subject in Stock-
port." The fourth commences " My dear Anne," and
gives the plaintiff an account of his excursion to the
Isle of Man. In the interval between the fourth and
fifth letters, the plaintiff went to Matlock, in Derby-
shire, for the benefit of her health. She addressed
to the defendant the following letter from that
place:—
"My dear William,—l arrived quite safe at my jour-
ney's ond. It was very pleasant travelling, and a beau-
tiful day; indeed how could it be otherwise, when I
was coming to Derbyshire? I rested the first night, and
the next day I went to Matlock Bath. We went to
look at the bath, and then sat in a beautiful alcove with
a marble fountain, just opposite, that throws up water
more than a yard high, and glasses for the company to
drink. Then we walked down on the parade, and went
into Adams's Museum. I was very much pleased with
it, and should have enjoyed it much more had you been
with us to have shared in the pleasures. Ihave not been
on the river yet. There are some beautiful lovers' walks
on the opposite side, and I intend to go, if I am without
my love. We went to Cromford on Saturday, being
market•day, to see the' stirrings' there; and we saw
Willersley Castle, Mr. Peter Arkwright's seat; it is a
pretty place; and on the Sunday we went to Mr. Ark-
wright's church. May I expect a letter towards Satur-
day, as I shall be in Matlock at the week's end. Believe
me, with kindest love, to remain, yours sincerely,
" ANNE."

To this the defendant replied in a long and important
letter. (The Learned Counsel read the correspon-
dence in full, but it is impossible to give the letters
in extenso here.) The defendant expressed himself
very warmly, saying :
"I wish I could join you in those rambles and walks.
My heart attends you through all changes. . . Take
care of your health. I should propose that you bathe
at Matlock. I think I should. You know that, my dear
Anne. I often reflect (and with pleasure, too) upon my
first interview with you, more particularly my first im-
pression, as marking that critical period of my life on
which so much depends. We are, I trust, convinced
that our happiness depends in a great measure upon our
mutual conduct, and I earnestly pray God to give us his
blessing, &c. " Yours faithfully and affectionately,
" '
In his sixth letter the defendant says, " I am just
sealing up your letter, and in my walk (not the
lovers' walk you speak of) will post it. I say take
care of your health, and let me know how you are
going on. Good bye, all things must have an end.
Yours, &c." In his seventh letter he complains that
another week of separation " seems to him a very
long time." He adds, Yes, my dear Anne, lam
looking forward the same and cherish the hope that
we shall, some time, live happily together. I fear
you will think I am going too far, knowing you
are (I often tell you) a doubtful creature. I own
these serious matters must be guided by reflection.
You have the dictates of my heart; and I trust in
the blessing of Almighty God for the fulfillingof them.
May I expect a letter from you towards the usual
time, Wednesday ? I shall be glad if you will be so
good. All things must hive an end, or I could write
all the way to Matlock. Let me hear from you. In
the meantime I remain, &c." In his eighth letter
the defendant says, "My heart has followed you
through all your rambles if; or though, you have been
without a gent. Are they scarce in that country ?"
Numerous letters passed between the parties down to
the year 1848 (the Learned Counsel read several of
them), the tenor of which, the jury must see, was
such as would lead to the conclusion that the defen-
dant intended to marry the plaintiff. But in that year
he went to London, and upon his return his conduct
changed. At first he wrote from London with his
usual cordiality ; he gave wonderfully minute de-
scriptions of every street he passed through, every
public or other building he visited. In his second
letter from London he says—
" I have been through the Greenwich Hospital, Surrey
Gardens, Cremorne Gardens, Post-office, Bank of Eng-
land, Royal Exchange, the Tower, St. Paul's, House of
Lords and Commons. Here I saw Prince Albert.
The royal carriage was in waiting outside, and
being very near to him I took off my hat and had
the honour of a personal move from him.
Yesterday we were at Hampton Court, and dined at
Chelsea, at a Mr. Wollett's, tea merchants, dined at six
P.M. in first-rate style. To-day we have been through
the largest lace-house in the world (in the City). I
have really seen some beautiful and grand sights, which
I cannot here describe. I have kept an account of all,
and which I shall examine when I return. This morn-
ing I received a letter from the shop (Mr. Gaskell). I
am well, and believe me to remain," &c.
But this unfortunate visit to London had a fatal effect
plaintiff's happiness and their further corres-
pondence. theee.
He
cane
back,"and thenceforward avoided
upon
the society of the plaintiff. It was shortly whispered
he was soon to be married to another. He has mar-
ried another, and set up business on his own account
in Stockport. In the course of their courtship he had
given the plaintiff a Bible, in which he had written
her name with his own hand ; and he had furthermore
presented her with his portrait. [The Learned Coun-
sel here produced a bold-looking profile of the de-
fendant (who was in court), in black paper, mounted
ou a small piece of white card board, and a gilt-edged
Bible carefully covered with crimson cloth.] It was
was well known in the neighbourhood that the
plaintiff and defendant were engaged, and, in conse-
quence, she lost, no doubt, many favourable opportuni-
ties of an honourable settlement in that most desirable
of all sublunary conditions—the married state.
Evidence would be given that she had declined the
attentions of a gentleman because of her engage-
ment with the defendant; and she was now compelled
to come before a court of justice and ask reparation at
the hands of a British Jury. But though some allevi-
ation, damages could never make adequate compensa-
tion for the cruel injury she had sustained. The plain-
tiff was a young lady of unsullied character and deli-
cate honour ; he was at a loss, therefore, to conceive
what could be the defence to the action ; but he was
sure it could not be an attack upon her reputation.
Everything showed that the defendant was a cool cal-
culating man ; he found a woman with more money
than the plaintiff, and therefore he heartlessly cast
her off. But an English jury, acting as husbands and
fathers, would mark their sense of his conduct—would
estimate justly the injury she had received, and give
her damages accordingly.
George Drinkwater—l am a mercer and draper
in Stockport. The defendant served his apprentice-
ship with me. The letters placed in my hands are in
the defendant's handwriting. [Mr. Sergeant .Jones
admitted that all the letters read were written by the
defendant.] I observed that in 1844 the defendant
was frequently absent from the house. I believe I
spoke to him on the subject. He said I knew where
he went. The defendant left my house in the spring
of 1850. His habits were careful and saving. He
told me he had saved something like 2001. He had
a legacy left him. He is now in a respectable way of
business.

Cross-examined—The defendant came to me in

1838. Whilst he was with me he was a quiet well-
conducted young man. He was about fourteen when
apprenticed to me. He was afterwards my assistant,
and kept my books part of the time. My good opinion
of him was unabated to the last. Ido not call his
shop a large one. 401. a year would be a high rent
for such a house and shop as he lives in. The de-
fendant's father was a small tenant farmer at Buck-
leigh. He might rent a farm of thirty or forty acres.
Mary Reddish—l am mother of the plaintiff. My
husband is a corndealer at Stockport. I first knew
the defendant eight years ago, when he came to visit
my daughter. He came three or four times a week ;
sometimes in the day, but mostly in the afternoon.
They used often to be alone. Sometimes he brought
her home. When she was in Matlock he called as
usual, and took tea with us. In 1845 my daughter
and the defendant went to pay a visit to her sister in
Liverpool. He continued to pay attention to my
daughter till December, 1849, when he ceased his
visits altogether. He went to London in 1848, and
after his return he came to see my daughter less fre•
quently. My daughter's spirits were much depressed,
and I asked him what was the matter between
them. He said there was nothing the matter. I
said, "It was expected you would have been married
before this." My daughter, who had been at church,
came in just at the time, and said, " Oh, William, we
were to have been married before this, but you now
say you will not be in circumstances to marry for
four or five years." He said, " I know I have done
wrong." The rest of the family then came in, and
the conversation was interrupted. Afterwards I met
him in the street, and asked him to call at the house
as usual, for the neighbours would think it strange
his passing the door. I once told him he had sisters,
and he should treat my daughter as he would like to
have his sisters treated by others.
Cross-examined—The conversation I had with the
defendant on the Sunday alluded to, and the meeting
in the street, both took place in 1848. The defendant
came regularly to our house on the Sunday after-
noon, and was regarded as one of the family. When
I met defendant in the street I may have said to him,
" The muter will be Laugh grieved if you do not call