Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-06-10


INTERESTING BREACH OF PROMISE SrIr IN
BALTINoRR-On Wednesday, a large number
OF spectators were in attendance in the Supe-
rlor Court of Baltimore city, to witness the
trial of the case of Annie b. Herring as James
Bsugher, for breach of promise of marriage.
The plaintiff in this case, who is young and
beautiful, OF respectable family, and of Fred
erick county, Maryland, was in court, and
named to the close of the trial. The his
tory is rs follows: .---..
Inc defendant Is a resident of Virginia
whittier he removed and married in tho wear
1922. Process was served on him while on a
visit to this city in March last. He is engaged
IN mercantile pursuit in that place and heir
e&Pectant to an estate now owned by his pa
rents, residing near the city limits in Baiti-
more county. In the fall of the year 1851,
then aged 23 years, he visited Mechanicstown,
Frederick county, with view to familiarize
himself with the details of tanning and the
ultimate design of embarkiDg in that business
"hite dwelling there he formed the acquaint
ance of Miss Herring, the plaintiff, became her
sultor succeeded and cOnsummated an engage
hent 10 marry. The correspondence produced
IN evidence, consisting of eight letters under
signature OF defendant of dates respectively :
september lst, 9Th, 18TH and 2gth, October
Isth, November 4th, 1854, and June and July
I'd, 1888, breathed the spirit of cordial and
sincere love, and painted in glowing language
VI MOoer the promised bliss OF an early prOs-
pectlve union IN matrimony. This devoted AT
tachment which seemed to have been warmly
recIprocated by the plaintiff continued up to
tne Time OF the defendants removal to Vir-
gina, and in his last letter to plaintiff of the
Zzd oi July, 1888, he assigns the reason while
renewing to her the assurances of his un-
quehched affection and paying an unreserved
tribute to her virtues and accomplishments.
and especially her unimpeachable and exem-
Piary purity OF morals for violating his plight
cd word, that his mother was opposed to his al
lance with the plaintiff, and in obedience to
her wishes and under a strong apprehension
that refusal to marry u lady designated br
her as suitable match, would result in the
forfeiture of his looked for inheritance, he con-
cludes by requesting the return of a diamond
ring given the plaintiff as token of his fidelity
and sincerity of his purpose as a mark now of
his forgiveness for this breach of honor. The
answers to these letters were not produced and
are alleged to have been destroyed by defend
ant.
The defence relied mainly on the ground of
lapse OF time, and the fact that no response
having been made to the letter Of July %. 1855.
rs an acquiescence in the conduct of the de-
PENDANT, and release of the performance of
the contract. The case was argued with ability
and eloquently by ID. III. Hooper, ESQ, for
plalntIff, and by William Ii. PeriDe, ESQ for
defendant, the latter gentleman insisting that.
at most, nominal damages could not be awarded
Damages were laid at IS. .000 which was urged
upon the jury by plaintiffs counsel as fair and
reasonable compensation for the injury to feel
ing and character of plaintiff The iury re-
tired, and after celebrating n half hour, re-
turned with a verdict for plaintiff for 81. 500