The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-16
BALM FOR BLIGHTED HoPEs.
Young Woman Receverinn $1,000 In =
HuIt for Breach Of Promise.

GOSHEN, N. Y, Jan. IA very interest
ing breach Of promise case has just been decided
in the Orange County Supreme Court. The
plaintiff was Fannie Is. Decker and the defend
ant John Is. Elston. Mise Decker demanded
$4,000 damages for the non-fulnlmcnt OF "a
marriage contract The parties are residents Of
Unionvlle The prosecution showed that Miss
Decker and Elston had been keeping company
for seven or eight years, and during all that limo
the understanding between them was that they
were 10 be married. The plaintiff testified that
their intimacy began in 1867. In the following
year Elston became more steady ia his attcn-
tions. his calls were more frequent and the
attachment between them grew very strong. In
$50 ilStOn proposed marriage. the ceremony
TO take place In two years. His professions Of
reason to believe that he would Keep his prom,
Use. But he did not, and instead kept putting
the marriage of on frivolous grounds aud pre-
texts. In September 1874, Miss Decker met
Elston In Clark's store in Unionyie. Here IL
was that he first made known his determination
not to keep his promise. He told her point
blank that he did not intend to marry her. Sho
Mns greatly astonishcd and not a little agitated.
Miss Decker had every reason TO believe that
Llston meant to do just what he said, rs during
the engagement he took her to see house he
had Just built, ~ he said, to make them home
after they were married.
I'D. Freedman. OF Port 1ervis, testified that
Elston had told him about buying nice suit Of
clothes which, he said in response to n que--
ton were To he wedding suit in his marriage
to Fannie Decker. Miss Decker also testified to
having procured her wedding clothes and also
several articles with which to keep house. She
also said that during the long engagement She
had been ready at any and all times to fulhl her
part of the contract. when she first began to
receive the attentions Of Elston she was twenty
four years old. now she is thirty three.
The prosecution also proved that when Elston
stopped visiting Miss Decker she became very
much detected and dispirtcd. Her health be-
gan to give way. and from that time to the pres
ent hour her physical condition has been very
poor
number ~ letters written by Miss Dock er
were put Ia evidence. hut They were not Of the
gushing Kind. hcing generally addressed Mir.
El-t"n,' or " Dear Friend. and ended Yours
with respect. Fannie"
The defendant put In denial Of tho promise
or intention to marry. lie admitted the attcn-
tion- paid to Miss Decker, hut s,vore that shc
was the one who proposed the marriage and did
80 repeatedly. and tina, he as often refused OF
declined. On his crosse aniuation El-tun said
that hc was q widowcr, aud he created no little
stir l., swearing that he did not know when his
wife died lie could not. he said, " como within
a year or two ~ the date.
After being out about an hour the Jury re-
turned with a verdict for Mis- Decker for ~lH1
half the amount demanded. The verdict was
received with great satisfaction 10y the thrunl
that filled the court house.