The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-04-12 00:00:00

1-777

perfidious. The inquiry satisfied hirn that'he was dishonoured.
The inquiries he instituted gave this sketch of his Wife.' He
'foitiid that soon after his marriage the object of Mr. Ashburn-
er's visits had, been the seduction of his wife;Hie found within
three short mouths of his marriage that those seductions had
been Successful,—that the parties had been in the habit of meet-
ing at a dower garden near this place—that they had there,,cen-
ducted them ,ielves in secrecrin a mode that left no doubt what-
ever that his wife had surrendered her viitue to the defendant.
He found that they 'ha& been in the habit of ineetni,g in the
market, and retirint:t.e.difi'erent houses in the neighbourhood,
and had been there'for two or three hours at a time;--he found
that, when he was not at home, the defendant had been left in
rooms withlhis wife by servants—that they had been shut up
together:* at one time halt' an hour, at another an hour; and if
by chance Mr. Yeoman had inquired where his wife was, there
was a ready lie to answer it. He had the misfortune to make

incr4iries at more than one brothel where they were seen to en-
ter—what took place there it is unnecessary to state.—He found
this continuing nearly to the time when his wife left for her
uncle's. For one short period only—with the exception of a
short time when an aged relation was staying in the house
had this been discontinued. In a short time he found that he
had been a duped and betrayed husband;—that the woman
whom he cherished had yielded to the embraces of another
man, and at the same moment when she was addressing
him in terms of affection' that moment she was con-
scious of the wrongs s he had done him.. Gentlemen, in all
offences of this description there is ofteii, and there must be in
the nature of things, considerable difficulty in bringing home to
the offending parties the actual perpetration of their guilt. Per-
haps it is-well it is so,
.for -it shows some lingering remnant of
shame and consciousness of the crime they are committing, that
ttniy seek to shroud it from all human observation ; but, at the
same time it imposes a difficulty on the party complaining in
laving the case in that full anesatisfactory and'decided Manner
before a jury of his country that is 'necessary. But I think-
when you have proved before you those di&rent Meetings—the
parties traced into a brothel, and the-tither seenes'whichl have
alluded to slightly, because they. are, disgusting,' to our '.better
feelings, I think yon will have :little doubt-that-Mr. Yeoman
has but too much reason tO..cortiplain'orhis friend.- I
invite your scrutiny to this eaSe wish it, and.
for this reason,—it has alwayS been 16 titg. its-Ltiitild:lefiect• a '
fixed and settled sentiment-of mine, that Of all the injuries that .
in domestic life can be perpetrated by one man "against another,
the seduction of a man's wife or sister is the greatest; and;
therefore, where an offence like this is imputed to another per-
son, he deserves, in my judgment, to have the strictest scrutiny
applied to the case. But if, in a reasonable mind, there can be
no doubt of the offence having been committed; then the re-
-maining question with you will be, the amount-or damages with
which you will mark your roprobation of the defendant's con-
duct, Gentlemen, one cannot say much on behalf of a woman
who could forget her conjugal vows in the short space of three
or four mouths. There could not have been any very settled
principles in that breast which was open to the arts of the se-
ducer at such a time, and,' therefore, far be it from me to present
Mrs. Yeoman to you as a person entitled to the commiseration
she might have been entitled to if, she laboured under the op-
pression of an unkind husband domestically estranged, and had
sought fir relief in the arms of one who had sought her affec-
tions; this was not the case. Mr. Yeoman trusted to her •. in
giving her his hand and heart he gave her the beat proof of
confidence he reposed in her. tie supposed his wife virtuous,
and the letter I have read to von shows that he had a right to
suppose her virtuous, because that letter shows that she treated
him as a tender husband. I don't know, therefore, how far that
lady's early departure from what was right could affect his claim
for damages. Fortunately, there are no children in this case to
suffer from the disgrace of their mother. There is, therefore, that
feature in this case which I am glad to find, because it saves the
feelings of those who would have been deeply injured, and who
could have no controul over those who injured them. But there
is thejnjured and indignant husband who comes, by me, before
you, and asks you to pronounce in his case what is the recom-
pence he ought to receive for the damage he has sustained. If
von think him a husband who was likely to drive a wife from her
'home, diminish your estimate of his damages according:y; if
you think him a husband not likely to enjoy his home with his
wife, reduce your estimate of his damages accordingly; but if
you think he has been the party greatly sinned against, by the
wife who was duping him from beginning to end—by a friend
whom he trusted, and who has shown how little he deserved that
trust, then, take this case into your consideration, and mark by
your verdict the loss that such a man has sustained. Every one
can picture to himself what his loss would be under similar cir-
cumstances. I address gentlemen who have happy homes, and
who, when they retire to their firesides, find a wife ready to re-
ceive them and to make that fireside happy. I find they are men
who are consious they deserve it. If you think Mr: Yeoman
resembles the picture I have drawn, judge what his loss would
be from what you (which God forbid) would, under similar cir-
cumstances, think
yours, and mete out damages accordingly.
If, on the other hand, he comes befere'you a stained character,
treat him as he deserves. It is a pity, gentlemen, that in an
action like the present, though the injury be palliated by you as
far as money can do so, it never can be fully atoned for; it is a
pity that you cannot direct your vengeance against the 'seducer—
I wish there was another tribunal here before which the defend-
ant criminal might near the test of the crime of which he is
charged. Judge! These are the circumstances of the case; they
will receive from you, I am a certain, a due consideration, and
in your verdict I shall cordially concur, because it will be the
verdict of twelve fellow-men estimating what has been suffered
by another fellow-man in the deepest possible way.
-On the learned counsel sitting down, Mr. RusirToN again
begged the case might not proceed till his leader appeared, as
the examination of the first witness was most important for the
defendant. His lordship assented to wait a few minutes, and in
about ten minutes Mr. Cresswell entered the court.

Mrs. Ann Archer was then examined.—l am 77 years old. I
am the mother of Mr. Yeoman, the plaintiff ; he lived with me
before his marriage. His marriage took place two years ago
last November. I continued to live with him. \%e lived in
Bedford-street, where we bought some houses and lived in one.
I haVe lived x.ith him ever since. He was a kind good husband
to his wife; affectionate to a degree. His wife behaved to him
apparently with kindness and affection Mrs. Yeoman was not
particularly fond of music, but she could play. know the de-
fendant; he used to come very often. His acquaintance with
Mr. Yeoman commenced some time before the marriage, when
we lived in Botanic-view. Mr. Yeoman was a customer in his
way. His acquaintance continued, and his visits were more
frequent soon after the marriage. Mrs Yeoman went to Ongar,
in Essex, the latter part of last July. She never returned to the
house after'that. I found some paperxin.her writing-desk after
she had gone to Ongar. These are the verses which I found.
I found them in her writing-desk. Mrs. Yeoman's name before
she married was Cross; she was the daughter of Major Cross,
of Kim:Jon, in Herefordshire. She was staying at Major
Axford's' near Pembroke-place, in Liverpool, and there it was
that Mr. Yeoman became acquainted with her.
Cross-examined by Mr. CRESSWELL.—My son was under
50; I do not think I could tell to a year. He might lie'44
or 45: he was not 46. I really do not know the lady's age;
about 26. or 27 now ; I cannot tell. She was married tyso
years last. November; I understood she Was 25 then. I did
not know that she came to a musical festival here : she was g6,-
inv. Ireland. Her son hail been acquainted with her, she
thought, rather too short a time before the marriage. He had
known her perhaps six weeks. Could not tell, as she did not
pry Into these things. It must have been more than a week.
Could not tell !bather it was more than a week. Major Cross
came down and rather hurried it; be wanted it to come to a
marriage. My son said lie should not like to marry without my
consent. He consulted me, it might be a week or fortnight be-
fore. I may be wrong, but I think not. After the marriage
they continued to reside with me. I can't tell how tong they
continued affectionate to each other; she did not let me into her
secrets. They appeared, if possible, more kind the Wit year
before. That state of things continued till she went from home.
She had no fortune, although she was Major Cross's daughter,
and my son so good to her.
Mr. ALEXANDER here said he should take it-as a favour, if
Mrs. Archer would only answer the questions put to her, to
which she assented.

Examination continued.—My son did not make any marriage
settlement. There was a deed that Mrs. Yeoman would have
something along with the rest of her family. There was some-
thing coining to her front Major Cross's forefathers, but her son
was not to touch it. He did not order the deed, and what right
had the attorneys to send the bill to him? My son complained
of the charge of the marriage settlement, as he was not to get
anv thing by it. It was likely he should; it was against all
fairness. Wouldn't you have done so? (Laughter.)
Mr. ALEXANDER.—Did I not agree with you that you should
only answer questions ?
Witness.—Certainly, I agree with you iu all things. (Con-
tinued and loud laughter.)
Cross-examination resumed.—My son might not be pleased
at it. I did not see him in a passion about it; he was not
pleased at it. I don't know that he was displeased at it to his
wife. The apology for the settlement occurred just before they
were married. 'I he bill for the settlement might have come in
three or four months after the wedding. My son had an aunt
who came and lived with him the year after the marriage: she
Caine in June, and staid till autumn. It was Mrs. Yeoman, of
Whitly. She is living, but is not here. She is old.
Several other ladies visited them; some were dead. Her son
was kind with the Axford's. There was a little shyness between
Major Axford and Mrs. Yeoman it commenced five or six
weeks after the marriage. The visiting was dropped a month
after the marriage. There was a lady who lived in Pembroke-
road visited us ; I have forgot her name. There was a Mrs. Phil-
lips, a very nice lady ; she is dead. I cannot give the name of any
lady alive. We had a good many callers. They used to ride
out, taking an airing ; that was all the information I can
give as to the ladies who visited them. There was Captain and
Mrs. Shookbreath; they were now in Ireland. There was a
Miss Shookbreath ; but she was now in Bath. There were
none of those ladies here. It .was never my son's fault ttr.t. he
and his wife did not continue to live on amicable terms. They
never quarrelled before me. They never slept in separate beds
that I knew of but when Mrs. Yeoman had a fever. There was
a servant, called Ilenrietta Ramadge, lived with me at that
time, and Ann Gedling. Henrietta Ramadge lived with us
about two years. One Mary Evans succeeded to her place, and
a Margaret. Anti Gedling, left us more than two years ago.
Margaret succeeded Ann Gedling. One continued to live with
us three quarters of a year, and the other not so long. Both
left before her son's wife went to Ongar. I then had a ser-
vant from Whitby, named Mary Jackson; she died. Mary
Griffiths lives with us now, and has been with us a year and a
quarter. The coachman's name was Alexander Craney. My
son received letters after my daughter went away, not fioin
Mrs. Yeoman. Letters that made him enquire. I remem-
ber Mr. Ashburner coming. (Witness then went on with a
long statement.)
Mr. A LEX A N n.—You dont use me well at all.
Witness.—No, I don't, sir.
Re-examined.—My son was very fond of the Bowling-green,
and Mr. Ashburner came up to him one day after the letter bad:
been received and said, " You've a good opinion of me, Mrs.
Archer." I said I used to have. I did not ask hint to sit
down or any thing. My son had the letter in his hand and
sheaved it any
My son might have had the letter two or
shies days. Mr. Ashhurner read it. He did not say " You
have the same servants in the house now that you had then, call
them in and let them he questioned." They were not called in
that I know of. I really do not know anything about it. I
supposed that Mr. Ashburner came there to get himself clear
any wrong. Nobody would hear him. 'We had not made up
our minds not to hear him about it. I don't know anything
about it. Sir. (said the witness to Mr. Cresswell,) you shan't
take advantage of me. (Laughter.) My son and Mr. Ash-
burner can in together, and my sou was in a hurry because he
was going to the bewling-g,reen. The letter was looked into.
I don't know what was done. Mr. Ashhurner went away as
soon as he could. I suppose my son went to the bowling green.
I did not know what was Mr. A:shburner's motive in asking if I
had a good opinion of him. My son and Mr. Ashburner had
tint a glass of whiskey and water together over it. It was after
dinner.
Mr. C nEssyvv.t.t..—l must ask a disagreeable question. Were
net the names of other gentlemen mentioned as too closely
connected with Mrs. Yeoman.
Witness.—l don't know anything about it. I don't know
whether I have heard that my sun said his wife was too kind
with other men besides Mr. Ashburner. I never heard it be-
fore all this has come not abort Mr. Ashburner. I do not know
anything at all about it. My son has not told me he suspected
other persons besides Mr...Asidmrner. I don't know that he
ever did. I thought yen, weight have examined giber iwople
these' ilisagreeuble things besi,tes me ; I thouelit you
• •