The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-15 00:00:00

thaw, but refused to do so. Her husband voted for
Charlesworth.

Mrs. Blackburn sold a ham and her husband's
vote for Charlesworth for £25. The purcha4er was
a " stranger." Had never told her husband of this
little transaction. He was a Liberal, and voted
for Leatham, as she believed, without a bribe.
A number of other witnesses were examined, whose
evidence was mostly either corroborative of previous
statements, or contributed very slightly to the ad-
vancement of the inquiry.
The Court was still sitting when our parcel was
despatched.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—Nov. 14.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

NEWMAN v. lIEMMINGS-BREACII OF PROMISE,

This was an action brought by the plaintiff,
Charlotte Newman, a young lady 23 years of age,
against the defendant, a gentleman farmer of about
the same age, for a breach of promise of marriage.
The declaration stated that the defendant:promised
to marry the plaintiff when he had attained the
age of 23, and that he had not fulfilled his promise.
The defendant pleaded, first, that he did not promise
as alleged ; and secondly, that the plaintiff had
wholly exonerated him from such marriage.
Mr. Tindal Atkinson and Mr. Phillips were
counsel for the plaintiff; :gr. Edwin James, Q.C.,
and Mr. Phipson were counsel for the defendant.
Mr. T. Atkinson, in stating the case to the jury,
said it would appear that plaintiff and defendant
were both young, the young lady being about 23
years of age, and the defendant a year older. They
both resided at Moreton-in-the-Marsh, a small town
in Gloucestershire, where her father up to the time
of his death, had kept the Black Bear for 24 years.
When he died, about three years ago, he left a widow,
four daughters, and one son. After his death the son
took up the business, and the female portion of the
family went to reside at a private house adjoining.
The defendant used the public-house and svas friendly
with the family; and after they left he visited the
plaintiff at the mother's private residence, where he
expressed his intention of making her his wife, and
was in the habit of making those little presents which
usually showed the tender feelings a young gentle-
man has towards the young lady upon Whom his
whole desires are built. The period fixedfor thetmar-
rine was when he attained the age of 23, when he
would be his own master and possessed of consider-
able property. The learned counsel then detailed
the facts of the case, which will be found in the sub-
joined evidence.
Miss Emma Newman deposed—l am the eldest
sister of the plaintiff, and I reside with her and my
mother at Moreton-in-the-Marsh, where my father
kept the Black Bear before his death. After his
death we left the public house and resided in a pri-
vate house close by. My mother has some property.
The defendant visited my sister so late as 1858. His
visits were very frequent, and he made my sister
Charlotte presents of gloves and handkerchiefs, and
he used to call her " Lotty." He took my sister to
the annual gipsy parties, and he took her on one
occasion to Warwick races. In 1858 my sister asked
the defendant what were his intentions, because at
times she did not like his manner, and he said when
he was 23 years of age he would marry her. My
mother also spoke to him, and when on one occasion
he absented himself, he said he did not like to be
under petticoat government—(laughter)—that he
loved my sister and intended to marry her, and that
he could not love another as he loved the plaintiff.
There was seme unpleasantness about Miss Har-
graves. He said he had 'written to her, but in very
friendly terms. She was willing to show her letters
to my sister if she wished to see them. The defen-
dant is in very good circumstances. He keeps dogs
and three saddle horses—two of them are hunters.
His farm is well stocked. My sister and defendant
had visited at defendant's aunt's, Miss Jane Hem-
miogs, who rents a house of nay mother. My sister
on one occasion said to defendant that she had had
an offer of marriage. He replied, " What did you
say, my dear 9" She said that she was already en-
gaged, and he rejoined, " That is quite right." He
toldh her that she was not to buy any dresses with-
out showing him a pattern, and that after the
marriage he should buy her dresses, &c. My sister
purchased some wearing apparel for the marriage
iu February, 1856. My sister received a valentine,
which she told the defendant afterwards she be-
lieved came from him. It was addressed in his
handwriting, contained writing inside in his name,
it was sealed with his usual seal (Shakspere's head),
and contained a lock of hair. The defendant lived
about a mile and a quarter from our house. The
letters handed in are in the defendant's handwrit-
ing. He wished my sister to have the lock of hair
in the valentine put into a brooch.
Cross-examined by Mr. James—When the letter
came it was valentine time. Ido not know if my
sister sent him a valentine. I did not.

The valentine was then put in and read. It was
a very pretty thing, highly embossed, with a heart
in the centre, tied with a true lover's knot, and an
arrow through it. There were some lithographic
lines on the fly-leaf, and underneath there was
written in the defendant's handwriting, " Charlotte
Newman, from her affectionate and attached loser,"
below which were some hieroglyphics or rather
short hand, which Mr. T. Atkinson said they were
unable to decipher.
The letters were also put in and read. The first
letter was as follows :

" 18th Nov.

" My dear Charlotte,—Many happy roturns may
you have of this your natal day is my sincere wish.
In great haste, from yours sincerely,_

"WILLIAM HEMMINGS."
The second letter was as follows :

• "Friday.
"My dear Miss Newman,--I should have written
a line yesterday, but really I did not feel able to sit
over pen and paper ; but I am happy to tell yon
that I am on tho mend to-day, and sincerely livo in
hopes of getting out to-morrow. Mr. King pro-
gresses much the same as myself. Hoping that
your little cough has vanished, and that you are
well, believe me to remain, &c., yours truly,
" Wm. HEMMINGS.
" Thanks for your enquiries."
The third letter was then read.

" Thursday.
" My dear Charlotte,—This I know is the anniver-
sary of your birthday, and I wish you many happy
returns of it. I intended coming to drink your
health this evening, but from your assurance this
morning it appears that my absence will be more
acceptable than my presence at your door, and there-
fore I will not annoy you, Charlotte. Hoping that
you may live to see many months of November, I
am faithfully yours,

"WILLIAM ITEmmINGs."
The last letter read was as follows :

"Friday.
" My dear Miss Newman, —I beg to acknowledge
the receipt of yours this morning, but I am at a
total loss to know the meaning; but as I am full of
apprehension, I will call very shortly, when per-
haps you will kindly make me understand verbally
what you have certainly failed to io by writing. I
would have come this evening, but I am compelled
to go further on.—l remain, dear Miss Newman,
yours, &c.,

" WILLIAM HEMMIN GS."
Cross-examination continued—l don't know what
was done with the lock of hair, it remained some
time in the valentine, but it was not put into a
brcoch. My sister showed me the letter she re-
ceived. I never heard what she did with .the lock
of hair.'n never, heard she ;told him not to call
again ; she never told me anything of the kind.
My sister is 23 years of age. The defendant was
24 in October last. They went to school together
whin children and grew up together on intimate
terms; they did not see each other for a year after
leavinc, school. My mother frequently pressed
him about the marriage, and sometimes in
my sister's presence. Defendant rents a
farm of the rector of the parish. . In 1858 I
first heard that he had written to Miss
Hargraves. I think it was in June or July of that
year. I don't remember when defendant's father
died. My sister was in London in the autumn of
1858 on a visit to some of our friends—Mr. Harris
and Mr. Morley; the latter was a betting man and
liquor merchant, residing in Brewer-street. Morley
has not advised this action. She is now stopping
with him. He did not recommend the attorney.
Re-examined by Mr. Tindal Atkinson—The de-
fendant said he wished my sister to wear the hair
in a brooch. His father was in the occupation of
the farm before him. It contains about 400 acres.
The farm is well stocked and he keeps three saddle-
horses. Two of them are hunters. I think Mr.
Morley bets sometimes on horses at races. He has
I:naeye i
Morleyn for
several
iis
knownyears
t o the mily-.
defendant.l can't
He
has met him with U.S. Mr. Morley is a married
man with four children.
Mrs. Mary Newman, the mother, was next
examined by Mr. Tindal Atkinson. She' deposed--
lam the mother of the plaintiff. My late husband
kept the Black Bear Inn, Moreton-in-the-Marsh,
28 years from the time when we were married. Just
before my husband's death I had four daughters.
Ile died four years ago last March. He left some pro-
perty. My son took the business, and I and my
daughters to k the house adjoining; Mr. Hem-
m'ngs there very often. I asked him what
his object was in calling, about twelve months after
I left the public-house. I asked him his motive
for coming, and he said he was not then in a posi-
tion to marry. He used to make her presents of
gloves, game, and fruit. He took her to Mrs. Hol-
lier's gipsy party—a friendly party for the people
of the town—where there was dancing, &c. The
object of the party was to raise funds for a benevo-