Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-06-16

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The 100000 suit-Breach Of
Promise of Marriage-Carztang
Against Shaw.
The suit for breach of promise of marri-
age brought by Efie Catherine Carztang
against Henry Shaw, the result of which
was announced by telegraph, created more
excitement in St. Louis than any which
has been tried since the celebrated Mon.
tesvui case in 1852. The Court room was
crowded to suffocat:on, many of the first
citizens and members of the bar being in
attendance. The trial took place before
Judge Reber, in the Common Pleas Court.
Mrs. VIM. Homes. and Mescrs. Wright and
Shreve were the plaintiff counsel, and
Mr.. John R. Shepey ant the Hon. Edward
Bates appeared for the defendant
The complaint was filed year ago, but
the case has been coEt inued from time to
time ir consequence of the absence of wit
nesses. Damages were at first laid at $780,
600, bu: the lady subsequently, had the
amount fixed at The sum which she reccov-
cred at the hands of the Jury. The trial
last ed six days.
We learn from The 81. Louis Democrat
that Miss Carztang is about thirty years of
age. Her figure is rather tall, but graceful;
she has dark hair; bri liant eyes; blonde
complexion. and a mouth expressive of great
frmness and decision OF character. Mr
Shaw is about sixty years of age; his hair
is somewhat gray; his features are rather
sharp, but with an expression of counten-
ance anything but disagreeable; he is
man of great wealth, assessed for $500, 900,
and worth upwurti, Of 4 E5rIron accurdrng
country-seat, is one of the finest residence
in the neighborhood of St. Louis. Mr..
Shaw is one of the Oldest citizens OF St.
Louis; and during long residence there
has sustained a character heretofore un-
im2eachable.
Miss Carztang's biography was given in
the course of the evidence. She was born &
brought up in this city, her father having
been Methodist local preacher here and
in Brooklyn. Her mother die6 in Is4s
while on visit at Philadelphia, and her
father lived only year afterwards. A short
time previously to his death, he went to
Charleston in the hope Of recovering his
health, with Miss Efie, but returned to
New York to die. He eeeRs to have been
pretty well off, and to have left his children
two daughters-some property, "enough
10 make them comfortable, Soon after
his death, Miss Effie went to Charleston
where sae had relatives, and, then being but
twenty years of age, opened a millinery
establishment. She next resided with an
aunt in Cincinnati, meeting her sister there.
The two went to St. Louis in 1854, where
they lived together, the elder, Mrs. Seq.
man, who had not lived with her husband
since 1850, taking a house and renting
rooms to dodgers, having, like Mrs. Bardell,
in The famous case of Bardell vs. Pickwick ;,
preference for single gentlemen.
The plaintiff was introduced to the de-
fendant in the street in the Spring of 1856.
He called upon the strength of this intro
duction, and continued his visits till the
Winter of 1878, few weeks before the
institution of the suit. Mr.. Shaw used to
visit Miss Effie two or three times week
and at all hours Of the day. The testi-
mony of her sister, Mrs. Seaman, upon
which the case principally rested, other wit
hesses being mainly corroborative, is on this
point as follows:
Defendant was usually alone with the
plaintiff; defendant spoke 10 me of his OBJ
ject in calling; first time defendant spoke
of some books on botany which he brought
her; said he wanted her to understand flow
ers previous TO her going to Tower Grove,
(residence of defendant three miles from
81. Louis) as he was going to take her
there; he said be was fond of flowers or
botany; this was a short time. about two
months, after defendant commenced his
visits; demonstrated with my sister about
receiving defendants visits, because Mr.
shaw ras too rich to be visiting people Of our
standing. One day defendant said to me
when he called, and she was not ready, and
| received him, al suppose your sister has
mentioned to you about my visits!" said
to him, ,s"Yes, she mentioned to me you
intended to make her your wife," My sister
had mentioned it to me.
Defendants cousel objected to the ad-
mission Of declarations Of plaintiff to prove
promise Of marriage. Objection overruleG.
When sister came in, left; think they
went out riding together on that occasion
in a buggy or kind of carriage. had an