The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-12-13
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HEEBREw CUSTOMS INTERESTING
CASE.

We lind In the Philadelphia Ledger, n 10
port Of singular and interesting eAaS now
on trial in the Court OF Common Pleas in that
city, between T, s. Rowland, Plaintiff, and
Harris Coleman and Isabella his wife. The
PARTIES are-ail Jews. Plaintiff 10 the brother
of n kormor huSbnnd Of Mrs Coleman and was
the Executor Of his will. In tho settlement
OF the estate, he claimed a balance 20 be due
him by his brother at the tune Of his deccase.
amounting 10 some ten thousand dollars. in
part payment Of which no insisted on retain
ing some two or three thousand dollars re
manning in his hands,
''Ai)er the accounts Of tho deceased broth
er had been settled by the plaintiff the Wild
ow refused 10 allow him 10 appropriate the
balance to the payment Of his. claim, and sey-
erai law suits were the consequence. But
She, some time Afterwards, became dcsirous
of changing her widows weeds for a bridal
garland, and the consent of her deceased hus-
bands brother, the plaintiff, became necessa-
~ TO the consummation Of her wishes. Under
the old Jewish dispensAtion, widow, who
had no children by her first husband was
bound and had right TO demand the hand
of her late husbands brothers in marriage,
commencing with tbe oldest, and going thro'
the whole collateral line, not previously en-
gagged or disposed OF II tho brothers refuse
the widow in marriage, she has the privilege
of taking Off shoe from the refusing gentle
mans foot, and, what Is very indelientc in a
lady, to be sure, Of splitting in his face, and
-slss.lssiae- in the langange Of the law. here
is man who refuses 10 buiid up his brothers
house A difficulty now presented itself
The brother would neither marry the widow
himself nor consent 10 her marriage with any
one else, unless she would admit his claim to
the balance in"question. The widow, anx-
ious 10 bcstow her hand upon Mr. Coleman,
Aftcr several disputes and interviews, admit
ted the plaintiffs claim, in order to obtain
his assent thereto. Afler the marriage, how
ever she toohS icg1i advice on the suhjcrt ,1Jrr
the present suit was the consequence. She
denies the validity OF release, ex,oried from
her under the circumstances above narrated,
and with her husband claims the balance re-
naming in the hands ofihc plaintiff, as exec
utor of the will OF her late husband. The
case will probably occupy several days
The following extract from the Philadelphia
correspondence of the NY. Times gives some
further particulars of the progress of this
case (:
The case OF Rowlf nd VS.. Coleman and his
wife, was resumed tbs morning he tcsti-
niony for the deceased thus far, has been di-
rectcd mainly to establish the allegation, that
Polticr 8. Rowland, for the purpose of bring
ing about the marriage between his brother
John and Isabella Nathans, informed her faith
er that John was in good business, and was
then worth $4,000. and that he promised to
give release TO his sister-in-law, to marry Mr.
Coleman, without any stipulation, and this
before the Rabbi was sent for from Balti-
more. qf t'
IL appeared in evidence, that the refusal Of
Peltier s. Rowland to perform the ceremony
of taking or the SHOE" took place in the
Syuagpeue, when the marriage OF Isabella
with Mr. Coleman was about to take place
This was done in The presence of the Rabbi
from Baltimore, and another Rabbi from Je-
,rusalen,, together with the ten malo witness
'es required to be present by the Jewish law.
IL seems that Peltier, at that particular mo-
'ment, pulled paper out Of his breast, and
stated that he would not perform the ccremo-
ny unless Isabella signed IL. This was the
release Of all claims against him.
One of the singulArities in this case is that
nearly every male witness examined has
changed his nnmc since be came TO this conn
try For instance, Peltier S. Rowland was
known in Europe as Solomon Peltier; John
Rowland as Isaac Peltier, and Solomon Cole
man. the father Of Isabella's present husband,
M Solomon Klafitski Mr. Coleman said that
pwiIeu nc left Poland, he ieft his name with
them as legacy, but brought his character
with him to this country" isabella was II
or II years Of age at her first marriage Tho
case is still progressing.
A CTrnE ron P0IgpN--If n person shonld