The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-02-28
LATEST MAIL NEWS
Correponderce Of the plspatch.

Correspondence OF the Dispatch.
qye Sedmesioa Case - Heacy Damages
C1aimsa-- 7hsSllsag iacsdenf IN CoarI--
poxerfaf Speeches, dc.
SrauSros, Saturday Night, Feb "a.
The Circuit Court has been engaged since
h. esdav last, In the investigation of the al
ia case of Seduction, alluded to in pre-
;cus letter, and viii probably not get
s-oueh with il before Monday evening. The
Jo;nfif claims damages to the amouat of
~ o0,. Messrs. Stuart and Baldwin are his
f',nnsel; Niche. Shelley, and H, r. Kinney,
- the defendant | have seldom seen such
n,arest manifested in civil action, by the
ritizens of this community, in which / am
,snny to say, cases of this character are ex.
rsmely rare. The courthouse has been
Il terally damned during the progress of the
s. ;,l. aud speculaiions as to the result are
card on all sides. Without expressing any
H,rinion myself, | viii briefly state the posi-.
8 inns of the parties litigant, and before mail
Ebis, give YOU the verdict of the jury, IL they
can agree, which is thought to be doubtful.
The statement of the plaintiff, by bis coun-
sal. is to this effect: That about twelve years
Ssyc he received into his family, as an adopted
4 2nghter. a little girl six years of age, who
q ad been leff, by the death of both her hum.
lie PARENTS, in a desolste and destitute condi.
:. ;on. upon the cold charities of the world
Sac was treated in all respects as his own
,hild, and every attention was paid to her
I mental and moral training. That he was af.
2fr,tionstely attached to her, was evident from
I The deep feeling which he manifested during
sihe progress of the trial. She lived in his
Emily uutil she had reached the age of six.
steen. when the astounding discovery was
! msde that she was about to become mother
phal,, 4.
1 narents, who had never hsrbored a suspicion
adverse to their adopted daughters purity
4 and virtue. She told her story, and charged
zthst the defendant had sought and won her
zvoung affections. seduced her from the path
snf reottude. and under promise of marriage,
/ Accomplished her ruin.
The defendant, on the contrary, denies the
] whole story and charges that the alleged vic
ztin of his seductive arts and false promises
H. 3 female of loose principles, if not entirely
abandoned character.
During the second days proceedings
quite a thrilling incident occurred in the
4 Courthouse. The defendant had introduced
= witness, who swore positively to the fact
I of criminal intercourse between himself and
! the female in question, previous to the date
: of her alleged intimacy with the defendant.
when the question was propounded to him
land he answered affirmatively, the poor
unfortunate girl gave shrek that l shall
never forget, and pointing her delicate little
hand at the witness in the box, pronounced
Nfhe testimony basely false. She subsequent
zly became so deeply affected that she was
removed from the Courthouse, but was again
$re-callad. when she declared upon oath that
&she had never before laid eyes upon the wit
mess A number of gentlemen testified, at a
subsequent stage of the proceedings, that,
8trom knowledge of his general character,
they would not believe him upon oath, while
4others stated unhesitatingly that they would.
3 The defendant is young man of attractive
8personal appearance, alawyer by profession,
Sof whom l know nothing, either good, bad
I Tor indifferent, save what l have gathered
from the testimony in this cause. His alleged
victim is a eomely, sprightly looking female,
! now nineteen years of age.
The argument was opened yesterday morning by
Il Col Baldwin, with his usual ability. He was fol.
3 lowed by Mr. Shefey for the defendant in speech
Z OF rare power; s-day Mr.. Niche made one of the
most mastery arguments, on the same side, that
have ever listened TO. Mr.. Stuart will conclude
4 the argument Monday, and the will be SUBJ
& mitted to the jury. | will add P. s. giving you
& the result.
MONDAY EVENING.
Mr. Stuart addressed the jury for about four
hours this morning, but the courthouse was sc
crowded ! did not have the opportunity to hear
aim. The jury retired and having remained In
their for several hours, returned to the judge
Q moment ago with the Information that they could
not agree. The Judge adjourned them over until
tomorrow. II they should agree | will let you
know, but trust II may be set down as chung
jury"
Yours In haste,