The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-03

The shsw-Csrstang Case-Tho De0i-
Monde Of Amofneo.
We priit In another part Of our impress
sion Of bday, . further instalment OF the
evidence N the famous breach Of promise case
at St. Lous, together with the determination of
the jury, which has found a verdict for the
defendant and sent Miss Carstang out Of court
with q heavy bill of COSTS The counsel for
the plaintiff has given notice of appeal; but
we presume the cause will never be tried
again.
According to our usual custom, we have re-
Trained rom abiding to this curious cause
while it was in the process of adjudication.
Now that has been passed upon, we purpose
to pay attention for q moment to the facts it
discloses and the lesson it teaches
First 8 to the history of the affair. The
plaintiff, Miss Efie Carstang, was, it seems, very
respectfully connected and properly educated.
Her cary associations were not, as it would
seem from the evidence, of the most rigidly
virtuous character. After numerous amorous
adventu es in Brooklyn, Charleston, S. c., and
elsewhere, as it is alleged, she made the
acquaintance of Mr.. Shaw, who seems
be one of the new rich men of the day, and
made so by the rapid Development of the re-
sources of the Great West. Mr.. Shaw, per-
son we'll stricken in years, is fascinated by Miss
Carstang; he gives her many valuable presents,
and finally pops the momentous question. He
is accepted; the preparations for the wedding
are made. Miss Efie already sees herself pre-
siding over the palatial mansion of her octo-
marian adorer, when he suddenly breaks the
skeu tie and leaves the lady to the solitary
delights of spinsterhood.
This is terrible. Such perfdy should be
punished. The injured and unprotected fe-
male rusbes to the temple of justice and cries
for damages! damages damages! He has much
orey, this Shaw-let him disburse literally.
The lawyers are only too happy to take up the
affair. Next to divorce case, breach of pro-
mise actions are the best things going for the
mar. If the parties have any social standing
" shat. ver all the details are reported, and the
couT sell get fine advertisements for nothing.
Toey ometimes take cases of this kind as peo-
pc tent farms on shares, and recall to the IT.
reve,ent mind the evidence of Mr.. Weller
10 Il celebrated Bardell vs.. Pickwick
cfc, 20 the effect that the plaintiff expressed
her admiration at the conduct of her attorneys,
who acted uncommon handsome" in saying
that they would not charge her cent unless
they got damages out of Mr.. Pickwick. In the
present case Mr.. Pickwick suffered heavily.
The intelligent jury, sworn for the first trial,
awarded to Miss CarstaDg one hundred thousand
dollars-the heaviest sum, we believe, ever
given by law as salve for injured affections
and blasted hopes. The defendant succeeded
in getting new trial, and commission was
appointed to take testimony as to Miss Car
stangs real reputation, and to investigate more
particularly into the facts connected with her
adolescent capers. This inquisition was COM
posed of delegates from the counsel on either
side, and its members travelled from place to
place, examining very great number of wit
nesses. 1t will be noticed that the privilege
of cross. examination was accorded to the plain
tiff's counsel, so that the dispositions taken
by the lawyers were of equal weight
as If they nau Noon sworn tn in open
court All of the evidence that could
be printed has been laid before the public, and
the inference from the perusal of it and the
verdict of the jury is that the plaintiffs cha
racter was not, to use the mildest term that &C.
ours to us, immaculate. If all the evidence is
true, Miss Carstang's love affairs have been
very numerous. She has had, according to the
witnesses, f1irtations without number; of serious
intrigues not few have fallen to her lot; she
has been several times afianced, but never
welded; and more than once detected in pecu.
liarly perplexing predicaments with persons of
the opposite sex. The array of evidence on the
defendants side must have been very strong to
have overthrow Miss Carstang's CASE Put
twelve intelligent American citizens in jury
box. Place before them pretty woman in
distress and a rich man who has, as alleged,
promised marriage and then basely deserted
her when her things were all ready, and the in
telligent jurymen, unless the facts are each as
solid as sixty flour pound shot, give the pretty
woman swinging damages, and go home to
their dinners with the proud consciousness Of
having done their duty to lovely woman in
difficulty. That was the sentiment of the
jury in the first trial of the Carstang
suit; but the panel for the second exami-
nation Of the affair has been obdurate. The
jurors evidently believe, from the testimony,
that the plaintiff belongs to what is politely
known as the demi-monde French term for a
class of women very well known abroad, and
not altogether a stranger in some circles in the
United States. The best definition of the demi.
monde woman extant is given in the play of M
Dumas fills, by the famous comparison of the
peaches: the fruit as it is exposed to view in
the basket looks all alike, but here and
there you may find specimen with suspi-
cious spot under the skin-not alarge spot, but
still q spot The unsound peaches represent
the den,imonde women, who are clever, hand
some, well bred, cultivated, agreeable and so
Al mi