New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-06-11
Nem41ork DAILY Gribp,rs
THE GRE4TBREACH OF PROMISE CASE
MURDER OF JOSEPH CHARLESS.
Corr..p,ndsrce * TIE ". Y. Tribune.

Corr,sp,ndsree * TIE N Y. Tribune
ST. LOUIS No. June ., lSe.
We have had interesting trial in progress for the
last week for breach Of promise Of marriage, and
which termins;ed on Thursday Of last week in ver-
dict for the plaintiff of kuHdred tboasaHd dollars.
The defendant, Henry Shaw, is a millionaire, and 8
bachelor of sixty. He commenced mercantile bust
ness il small way, some thirty years ago, and by
rgid economy and more by investing has earnings in
real estate has SECURED this ample fortune. He has
the reputation OF beng gay Lothsrio among women
and somewhat penurious. The plsiutif, Fife Cara
tang young lady Of about thirty, and said TO be
quite beautiful. She, with elder sister, kept
boarding house. There evidence tending strongly
10 prove promise of marriage both express and i'm
Piled and assduous attentions running through two
years. Among the proof was the gift of a piano,
which, after the courtshp was broken Of he borrowed
of her on pretense of wish To give concert, anu
then kept il. The defense alleged conspiracy by the
plaintiff and her sister, and attempted to prove her
chscier bad. The evidence 20 sustain this deteuse
bic, and unsatisfactory 10 the Jury, who gave,
in consequence yindclve damages. IL IL very proba
bic the verdict will be set aside as excessive but
think public opinion sustslns the verdict II the Jury
were warranted in finding a promise proved and
ken, and tina, the attempt TO blast her character,
utterly failed no amount of verdict was too much.
Mr. Shaw defended by the Hon. Edward Bates,
Of the oldest lawyers and purest men OF our city. He
is now somewhat advanced in life, but OF apparent
good health and unimpaired vgor of intellect. In
person, he is below the medium hight, and not robust
in form; bis hair, little grey, aud thin, anu his com
ple1ion pale. In manner Mr.. Bates is calm and self
possessed his voice soft and musical and his style of
Addressing jury colloquial and sprightly. The
babtual expr, of his face il kind, generous and
sable ana when talking 10 jury, genial and cheer
ful smile usually rests upon u-sometmes TO point
sarcasm bu, more frequently Ia gid an anecdote, or
adorn ii Oh. of poetic fancy. Think it IL unusual to
tnba m int frpp combined
such cultivated literary taste and so much of the re-
fined and delicate moral and social qualities of the
he art There is nothing in him of the roughness and
acerbity soIcommon in the legal advocate, but all Is
gel t.Iess courtesy and canoor; and yet few advo-
Gates carry much weight with jury.
On Friday morning last the whole city was shocked
and Mortified with the murder of Joseph Charles by
Joseph W Thornton. 80 far "a is known of the cir
cumstances it was of the most disbolcal murders
ever committed. The only provocation To L was the
involuntary testimony Of Mr. Charless on the trial of
Thornton fer embezzlement Thornton was Indicted
for the embezzement ot $4,000 from Savings Bank,
and some suspicious facts came Ia the knowledge OF
Mr. Charess while President of the State Bank, which
he was called upon 10 testify To. This was more than
year since and fer this Thornton sought him in the
public streets and shot him down. In the morning
while passing down Market street, Thornton met him
and, remarkng something about his being witness
against him. shot him in the abdomen, aud after he had
fallen pointed the pistol against his side and hred
az ain. Each shot mortal. Mr.. Charless fingered
in great agony until Saturday morning and died. His
funeral to-day was attended by immense concourse
of people The ruthlessness of the murder greatly
aggravated by the character of the victim. Mr..
Cbsress not only Of the best, most useful and
public spirited czeIs but of the most benevolent
and inofiensive. He was remarkable for his uniform
kindness and gentleness, and not known to have
an enemy
l called at the jail to see the murderer to-day |
wanted to see how man, capable OF committing such
an act would appear. lie was in gloomy cell, shut
out from the world lie looked pale and anxious bat
not Ike the rnfian to commit such deed. | asked
him about Mr. Charles, bat he was not disposed Ia
talk. lie saio he heard he dead. asked him If
there was anything 10 the circumstances or reasons
which led TO the murder thai he would like to have
known pahiatDg justlfying it. He said he did
ard unaffected and no trace Of mental arrangement
lie will be tried next month, and his fate scarcely
be doubtful OBSERVER