Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-15
breach of Promise ConcIusfOnO of the
Craig-Sprague Case.


From the Chicago Republican. 9th.l
The name of Elisha G. Sprague was
not registered among the arrivals at
Wheaton yesterday. There was a jubi-
LIANT excitement among the people there
during the latter part of the day, which
he probably would not have relished had
he been present. The Whestonians were
celebrating the triumph Of womau's rights
in a manner which would have opened
every old sore in his body, and made him
think that he had something more than
his "wate in wild kats to fte." Mr..
Sprague did not present himself at the
concluding scene of the trial.
Miss Craig was there as usual, and she
had the satisfaction Of not only obtaining
verdict for the full amount OF damages
claimed, hut of having her fair fame re-
deemed from the gross aspersions which
had been attempted to be cast upon 1t by
her former lover. The imported evil
dence from Cincinnati has finally been
souelcbed, and the defendant and his
hired witnesses stand in rather unfavor-
able light before the public. But for his
cowardly attempt to fasten upon the
plaintiff a charge of crime, the darkest
that a woman could be accused OF, It Is
probable that the jury would have taken
a more lenient view Of bis broken vows.
As general rule, young ladies who seek
consolation in greenbacks for injuries
inflicted on their hearts, are not regarded
as models of unselfshness, or as proper
objects of sympathy. The prosecuted
lover is very often to be pitied as sincerely
as the broken-hearted. But when be en-
deayored to shield himself from damages
by aiming deadly blow at the character
OF the woman he had already wronged,
he aroused the popular indignation, and
excited a feeling of compassion in her
favor which the case would not otherwise
have warranted.
The verdict rendered by the jury yes
terday, and the scenes witnessed In sne
vicinity of the courthouse at Wheaton,
were a decisive proof that the age of chiv-
airy is not quite gone. The village was
in perfect uprosr of excitement; the
people cheered and showed as mach en-
thusissm over the matter as If the Ala
bama claims had just been settled. The
sentimental schoolmistress was exalted
into a heroine. They shook hands with
her and pelted her with flowers. She
| looked lovlier by one hundred thousand
dollars Yesterday than she had ever deue
since the trial commenced. Her inno'
ceuce had been established beyond rea
souable doubt, and it was asserted thai
more than one offer Of marriage was made
10 her on the spot. Miss Craig bore 4
ali with becoming modesty. After com.
inc through such an ordeal, she seemed
40 the eyes of the enthusiastic rusticI
around her as something little lower thar
a saint. and her counsel, Messrs Ed
ridge and Tourtellotts, who had laboreC
SO zeAlously aud successfully in her be
half, came in for q share of the applause
r. @. eARRETTE IN COURT.
The court convened at 10 o'clock, wher
the case was taken up. Mr.. Eldridgt
made an affidavit the substance OF which
was as follows: That X. g. Garrette
whose deposition had been read to thu
iury on the part OF the defendant, arrived
10 this place at 3 quarter to hye the pre-
vious evening; that he came here unso
kcited By the plaintiff and at his own ex
pense; that the plaintiff was able TO prov'
bv him that she was not the person &c
ferred 10 in the deposition read BY de
fepdaut in the case, and consequently
not the person referred to By G. w. Bar
rows in bis deposition that the fact o
he plaintiff not being the person referre'
10 in said deposition did not GENE 70 TN