The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-12-22 00:00:00

i

The two families, Mr. Vaoghan's and br.
were upon the most intimate terns. Mrs. Vs,
had two children at school at Iticiimond, and
she went down to see them sho fsequenlly stop,
day or two at Dr. Smith's. In like manner, when
Miss Smiths came to towh, they remained
bowie of Mr. Vaughan, and together with
branch of their family were received with the gt
hospitality and kindness. In ibis situation
remained, until at last the Defendant lacceeded
seclude* the wife of his friend ; and filially end.
her to elope from him. It was herri necessary ,
state, that when Mrs. Vaughan wok (Mitered of hes
last child to her 'subbed, about two years ago, Ilse
suffered so much in consequence of an internal coin.
plaint, that her medical advisers deemed it necessary
to recommend that in future her boomed Slid she
should sleep in separate beds. Mr. Vaughan loied,
his wife with the utmost affection and regard but
finding it expedient, for her sake, that this course
should be adopted,' he disregarded his (twit feelings,
end yielded to the suggestims. From tt at time until
the elopement, they Slept in separate bids, in room*
adjoining each other. At what time the Defendant
succeeded in effecting his dishonourable porpoise it
had not been clearly ascertained ; but that a criminal
iwlercoorse bed taken place upwards of a year back
was manifest, from the birth of a child, of which the
Defendant was the father. This fact wee proved by
severe! letters from the Defendant to Mrs. Vaughan;
from the tone and, manner 4f which, the intimacy

which had Subsisted between them Was too e►ident:
These tellers were not addressed to Mrs. Vaughan,
hut from their import, and the way in which they
were found, they were clearly cossileykd '9 her.
flere sir. Serjeant Copley read several passages from
the levers to which he alluded, which were 'doled by
the Defendant, and in which he 0(1144430d Mrs.
Vaughan as his " Deareft, dearest Bess, his serf
life! his own ,shied cue►ished osoet beloved
wife." In those letters he makes allosion to the si.
*cation in which Mss. Vailhan was. from the inter:
course which had p•sced bettiseett them; speaks of
the pledge of their mutual regard which lay be.
neatts her bosom, and entreats her 'to quit her hus.

hand'a house before he discovers her preznancy.
Mrs. Vaughan finally desert. d her horhlntl 1.14 her
childien, and after a short residence in a cot, age near
Turnham.green, she proceeded to Lyme, in Dorset=
shire, where .he was delivered ore boy. the fruit of her
unhappy intrigue with the Defendant. It remained that
heshould say a few words as loth° damages. The must
honourable persons came isito Courts of Justice td
recover dsinages in cases like the present. D tmages
were not a compensation, and not even an allevi•
Won of the injury; but they felt anxious to hate the
opinion of a Jury upon their own conduct, and upon
the circumstances and conduct which had destroyed
their happiness. In this case the Plaintiff's domestic
life was a blank ; his future prospect of happiness
was a blank, without a single ray to gladden or en-
liven it. lie had six infant children, many of Wens
females, looking for instruction, urfrice, and ex-
ample, to their mother. The children, from the
ronsiitution of society, must part Ate at Past of the
degradation of their parent. If this deadly blow to
his domestic comfoat and to his children's %rapidness
had been etrnck by a stranger, it would be less se-
vere. But it was his friend, his intimate friend, al-
ways received almost without restraint, and with the
utmost hospitality, a ho seduced his w ife, and planted
e dagger in his bosom. The Plaintiff was nor in the
,bighest rank, but he belonged to a class in which an
injury of this sort was more severely felt than in the
highest class. The Plaintiff was a professional man.
His leisure, his retaliation, his enjoyment, were nee
cessarily ail at home; and if he lost domestic happi-
ness, he lust all means of enjoyment. There was
also a further consideration in estimating the da-
stages. Indignant as the Plaintiff was at the De-
fendant, it was impossible for him not to feel for a
woman who had been his wife for many years, and
with whom he had felt so happy—the mother too of
his children. Now she had been prevailed upon to
elope hot a few days, When slut bitterly lamented
her situation ; upon seeing two children come into
the room, she fell into an agony of atigoish and de-
spair. It might be urged that the Defendant wan
not a man of considerable fortune; but if they were
to adopt any such consideration in fixing damages,
I they would introduce into society a set of privileged
profligates, who, because their fortune wag not coo.
sirterable, could break down and destroy domestic
happiness with impunity. In a case in which his
money was fraudulently kept from bins, would they
give damages according to the fortune of the Defend.
ant? Would they tint give his lawful demand to the
uttermiist farthing ? How much more would they
in ilia.* case as this estimate the extent of the in•
jury, and give damages to the full amount which
that called for I
Mr. Wm. Laurance Hansa produced an extract of
the marriage in Bermondsey church, in 1805, of the
Plaintiff with Elizabeth Tennant.
The Rev. Dr. Harrison, the curate who married
them, produced the register.
James Harrison, librarian for Ancient Concerts,
proved the signature of the Defendant in the register.
Ile then proved four letters produced to be the De-
fendant's hand-writing. He knew the Plaintiff and
his wife for 14 years : they had six children living,
two of them were girls. They were as happy as it
was possible for man and wife to be. List winter
he thought he observed • coldness el' her part, bat
none on his. The Defendant was acquainted with
Mr. Vaughan's family. He always saw him there.
Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan sung at Dr. Smith's conceits.
Cross-examined by Mr. Seijeant VAUGIIAX.—The
Defendant «as from 26 to 28 years of age; Mrs.
Vaughan was 31. He wag very frequently in the
family. He remembered that, Mrs. Vaughan had
been confined in 1816, and obliged to refuse an en-
gagement for a musical snorting at Derby for 60
guineas. Ile did net know Whether the Plaintiff had
left her before her con6ifiesnent, and stayed away
tight weeks. On the 12th of June last she sung at a
concert, her own benefit, and went off next day.—
lie saw no encouragement given by the Plaintiff to
, any improper familiarities.
Re-examined by Mr. DEallAW.— The Plaintiff
was principle) tenor singer of the Ancient Ccacerts.
Mrs. Vaughan gave lessons in private. lier in-
come from her profession could net be less than
5001. a year. The Plaintiff was also plocipal tenor
I singer at the vocal concerts: he give lamas in pri•

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