The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-09-29

ElLabeth Gresham vs.. BartfAm Liens.
Action for breach OF promise of marriage,
damages being laid AZ slOgJU. Bradley and
PhlIlipG-Davidge and fcmd-Il
. MT ih!lllps opened fer tho prosecution.
usual lcglcC Of iurpitudc. II would chow
that the defendant, under IIumisc Of mar.
rage, produced the ruin OF the pIa!utitI, and
then refused to- iulhIl lis promise, nal drove
her fron his house. The case was one that
called upon thcJury to give the plliutirhr heavy
damages for her WrOnEg, as well hs to punish
the defendant for his wickcdhcss, and as an
example to warn like evil doors.
Mr.. FeHdall said that the evidence would
chow that the plaintiff was a servant girl In
the establishment Of the defendant during the
life of the defendants first wife; that shc
shortly left his house and went 10 live as
waiter girl elsewhere, and was living else.
where when the defendants frat wife died;
soon after her death, the defendant CHANGED to
be at the house Of Mrs. Dyer, with friend,
where the plalniiii waited on them, bringing
th, wine, Nr.i Liens was excited by drink;
Mrs. Dyer said that Mrs Gresham would
make a good match for LicnsI shortly after,
Mrs. CIcswcll came TO Liens house, where her
brother was bnrkCcpCr; insisted on staying
there, and did stay there until Liens compelled
"cr to lcayci Itcns soon after married very
Elizabeth jtrc.swcll. sworn. witness frat
became acquainted with Liens In lsl2, while
living with MIs. Byor, on Capitol Hill, IL
came there once a month. The 18th Of Decem.
her, 1856, the defendant asked witness TO marry
him. He spoke iirst TO Mrs. Dyer, and then
came and called me out and asked me what |
drank, and said 81 don't know, 50 aud ~"
Then lac came In and told Mrs. Dyer, " II isall
right; give US some wine ] don't know how
many bottles he got there. lie then went
away, but next morning at o'clock came
back and called me out and told me he wanted
me TO come TO his house He carried me To- his
house at O'Clock the next day. While at
Mrs. Bycr's he again asked me to marry him.
No one was present. Witness told him she
was willing to keep her promise. Liens lived
on Pcnnsylvania avenue, between Eighth and
Ninth streets, Navy Yard. He lives there
now, and keeps a rGBtaurant. Next time he
met witness in city cars, and told her TO come
to his house and take care of his children, rs
he was going to New York
Next day witness went to Liens house to
carry clothes to her brother, who kept bar
Tor Liens. When she got there, ut was on
saturday. Liens told her 10 stay; that she
might sleep with his daughter. She did stay
until Monday morning, and then went back to
ByCI's, lie came for her again, and again told
her lac WAC going to New York; that he want.
cd her to come and stay 1T his house during
his absence. He did not 20 to New ! Ork, but
after she had been there awhile he sent his
little daughter 10 tell witurst to come up
siaIis when she came up he sent his dAUgh-
tor down, and then show ed her his wifc's
clothes aud her watch and chain, telling her
she could take the watch and chain and wear
II uu'il his GhHEhtct got 10 lie sixteen years
OF age. witness refused TO take the watch.
At IA" cEh OF the ucCunI week, Liens told
her to put the children all in another bed.
witness said that che would not do 80. Ono
night about eleven o'clock, Liens came to her
bed where she lay, took the little hoy, Julius,
OUT, aud pat him III another bed. Witness Oh
JCcfCd, saying rhC would have nothing to do
with him until she was married lie said they
were Just AS gOOl as mhTTICdi but she replied
that she WAS not going to throw herself away;
but he had the power. The next morning
lie told witness that he certainly would
keep his promise nHl marry witness; witness
pressed him Ia marry her then, he snii he
would DO 50 after he came from New York
The nest night he iLipus) repeated the same
proceedings. The thiId morning Liens asked
witness about some money she had; but Wit
ness told him II WAS no concern OF his; she had
but little. AFTER thgt he did not speak to wit
ness, and treated her with GOODNESS. That
night hr came again into her room, but she
ordered him out.
The next day he told witness that the
mother Ol his inst wife objected to her, be-
cause she WAS not a Catholic, and would not
hc good To his children. Witness replied that
everybody knew her and her character. Liens
then give wltncss separate room, and she
WAS sick for three days, not eating anything
him to have n jury, hc to have six men and
she TO have six To decide If he should not
mary her. This he refused, and the next day
lie told her he would not keep his word; that
he wuull take II back and not marry her. IL"
then offered her 300 to 60 TO her aunt in Win
chester, which she refused, saying she had
done no il arm that she should leave Washing
ton. He then told her that she must leave his
house; he took away the key Of the room, and
soon after his ChillIcn came and threw a
bucket 81 water on her rs she lay in bed.
Wltncss lett Licns's house, and went to Mrs
Gratis. remained there eighteen mouths; then
stayed four weeks NJ the house OF Dr. krOusr,
and then went to Mrs. Byer's, where rhe now
stays.
GfUss-rNaIAlncd; In December, lSGg, witness
did house work At Mis-. Dyer ., and sometimes
waited GA customers. When Liens came there
he treated her To some beer, calling her Miss
Lizzie" Witness was employed AS a house
sCINaUt At Mr.. Liens during his wifc's life.
stayed th,ir two weeks; then les and went 10
live with Mrs Dyer, At the time OF her meet.
Ing Scr us TIE 9TH Of i'.-CWheI, l>Gi, Liens
drank yuu5iiuIthic wine ami lurT; witness
also dInnk. tn that occasion he asked her
what she would think II he asked her TO
marry ham. lie asked her two OF three times,
and upon IfUmisr that lac wol.t treat her well
she gave hIn the Mur! that she would marry
him. IiCEs before that lad never given Wit
Hrsr pr,srWi3 LCNrI talked TO hrI alone;
uvvvI took her to = Place OF amusement not to
church, never wrote her u letter.
Witness. Why should he write me a letter;
he came himself. Lnughtcr.l
Lien was not drunk when he asked witness
TO marry him; the reason witness, when Liens
came into hcrroUm, did not run out and tell her
brother was that he was only nineteen yrHrs
uld--tuO young to he told of such things; Wit
mess Is twCniy-eight years old, and has been
xix yrHrs IN Wnshingioni witness went to Nj.
FinrkCl's gMurCh, nCI ct went out duriu: the
last two weeks uI her stay Ut Mr.. Liens;
during that time III" would drink . "punry"
in the bar-rOomMtth any good lficml who hap.
pCnCI 10 be there.
Rc.cNamincd 10y Mr Bradley, witness left
Liens house within four hours after he took
the kry OF her ruumi did not drink with any
body a. the hnr alter LiCns hal told her he
now IN Oregon.
Ms IycT testrnyd DNnt the piaiuttn and the
defendant were present her house on the ith
OF bee, mhrr, l,u. &tr. Liens asked witness
II she knew sumrhDdy lutf woUli suIt him ~
a wife. W.tucsssiil. ''hcrrIs L.l4c." shortly
dlcr h,r n.rA the pia.h'Iii out, AID when hr