The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-10-28
SARAH'S SECOND SUITOR.
A RICH BUT RECKLESS UNCLE.

A RICH BUT RECKLESS UNCLE,
SAMUEL P. soPER, FARMER OF FARMINGDALE,
ACCUSED, AFTER HAVING PASSED HIS SIX
TIETH YEAR, OF LEADING HIS BROTHERS.
DAUGHTER ksTRAY-TEN THOUSAND DOL
LARS CLAIMED FOR DAMAGES.
the Brooklyn Evening Eagle says: Yes
terday Justice Pratt, holding Circuit Court
at North Hampstead, Queens county,
granted an order OF arrest on the motion of
Messrs. Downing & Scarborough against
Samuel P. Soper, of the village of Farming
dale. 1t is in an action for criminal con-
versation, and bail is fixed at $4,000. The
action is brought by William II. Pear
sail. Soper is a man over sixty years of
age, with many grand children. He had a
brother named Alfred Soper, who some years
ago kept store at Jamaica. He was married
and had five children, three boys and two
girls. The girls were the oldest, and had
received tolerably good educations, but the
boys were little wild, and alter their faith
er's death ruled the roost !" and have not
made the best men in the world. Soper
left very little property, and the family were
dependent to a certain degree on Samuel p.
for support. He was not liberal in his done
tions. and soon an arrangement resulted
which extended over period of four years.
Then old Samuel's heart softened, and they
W6I6 SODu Oh TIE U1Oob l6IIDS. SOLQo
of the descendants OF his brother taking up
their residence permanently in his house
hold. Samuel's occupation is that of q
farmer. He has accumulated q considerable
fortune in the sale of baled hay and straw
and cord wood, which he shipped to New
York in great quantities. He is estimated to
be worth $4,000. He was
MARRIED OVER THIRTY-FIvE YEARS AGO.
All his children, long since married, and
a numerous progeny of grandchildren are
grown up around him. For few years he
lived alone with his wife, until some of his
deceased brothers offspring became of the
household. His sister-in-law continued to
reside at Jamaica, ana the girls remained
with her, making occasional visits to their
uncle. One of them. Sarah NJ, had a suitor,
in the person of William H. Pearsall, a
young man who resided in the family of his
uncle, Henry Conklin, Esq, and was much
respected by the people OF Jamaica. On
August 18th, 1869, William and Sarah were
married in the village of Babylon by
visiting priest OF the Episcopal Church,
named Sill. Their honeymoon was
passed on the farm OF Sarah's uncle, at
Earmingdale. In course of time they Wis
tied other relatives OF the bride in Wayne
county, and became intimately acquainted.
Tbsir first permanent residence YVES in the
village Of Jamaica, Long Island; next in
the city OF Brooklyn, and latterly in New
York. William says that they always lived
happily and affsctionately. One child was
born to them, which died about six months
ago. As to the facts Immediately bearing
upon the action for Grim. con-, the following
narrative Is compounded from the afidavits
submitted to Justice Pratt, yesterday: So
peaceful and harmonious we're their lives
that
WILLIAM NEVER DREAMED OF TREAcHERY
in his household. Relatives visited and
departed. He was always glad to see them,
and treated them kindly and sumptuously.
Samuel, his wife's uncle, who had not been
a very frequent visitor at the house, sud-
denly made his visits so frequent as to be
almost boarder, and yet William did not
suspect anything wrong. His wife's two
brothers bearded with him, and they, too,
were without any suspicionas TO the real in
tent OF their Uncle Samuers visits. On the
seventh day of September last Pearsall's
wife went from her home in New York
to her uncle's residence at Fsrmingdale.
The same day they lett that village together
and iOurneyed TO Wayne Center, in Wayne
county, wnere they paid visit to SopeI's
brother and represented themselves as man
and vile. They visited a third brother un-
der like circumstances, and were elected
from the house the next morning. Their
wanderings eliminated in their return to
the farm at Farmingdale, where Soper's
aged wife was living in blissiul ignorance of
bis violation of bis marriage VOWS. He then
discarded his wife, but very chsritably al
lowed her to have the shelter of the house
while he
They lived in open adultery. Pearsall had
traced them to Wayne and obtained full
information of their conduct. When he re-
turned he related the story to her brothers,
who went to the farm at Farmingdale and
tried to kidnap her to New York, but failed
to do so by unfortunately arriving at the
railroad depot too late for the train.
William had not lost his love and respect
for her, and would willingly have forgiven
ner this transgression had she returned to
him, but the infatuation was so great that
she refused to listen to his entreaties. When
he visited Farmi ngdale in the evening of a
certain day, he found his wife and Soper at
tea. They had q servant to attend them,
something that was never known in the
Soper household before. Mrs. Soper was
not at the table. Her presence in the house
now became very obnoxious. When Will
liam entered without knocking he COM
pletely surprised them. Instead of playing
the part of an agreeable host, S0per ordered
him out before he had time to state the OBJ
ject of his visit. But from the piazza he
obtained hearing, and that voice, which
once had a charm for Sarah, was now re-
pusive sound. She refused point blank to
return to him, and thereat old Soper grinned
Economically. The last straw bad been
piled on, and the patient and enduring Will
liam could stand it no longer. He sought
counsel from Messrs. Downing d Stan-
brough, and the result was the commence
meut of an action in the Supreme Court of
Queens county for damages in the sum OF
$4,000.
There! we always did think that Messrs.