Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-03-23
The Breach of Promise Case.

| The fact that Miss Margaret Ann Grover OF Gar
| diner, had sued Mr.. Ebenezer S. Bonney of Lew
ston, for breach of promise Of marriage, attract
ed large crowd to the court house yesterday af-
| ternoon, among the interested spectators being
| quite number of ladies of manageable ages,
who doubtless wished to see how it is that bar
| gains made or snapped asunder-barg aims
where the heart is concerned, and where disap
pointed and LAGER ated affections in for their
| share Of damages. Mr.. Bonney, the defendant, is
a man of some A, iron grey hair good looking
face and well formed person He looks like a
| business man who would keep his promises and
pay his bills The plaintiff is "tair, fat and
thirty rotund form, quite innocent look ing
| but not one of those prepossesslng beings that
would involuntarily win their way 10 the heart or
remind one of angelic creatures
Lorenzo Clay. Esq, of Gardiner, ably managed
the case for the lady, showing 10 his opening the
facts that he intended to brng out in the testi-
mony of numerous witnesses who were sum-
| moned He said he would prove that Bonney
had said TO Mss Grover, in the course of his court
| ship, that he had made up her mind to make her
| his wife. This was said in earnest, by one who
| was old enough 10 make up his mind for himself
She wanted to take time, but he insisted that he
wanted the important event TO come Oft before
Thanksgiving 1874. The time and place of mar
risge-in November and at Biddeiord, was sol
EMMY and mutually agreed upon. This interest
ing piece of business was transacted in Lewiston;
but Miss Grover was called to West Gardiner, at
| the bedside Of her sick mother. But, if he In
sisted, she was willing the marriage should take
place prior to her going. No; she might go, with
the understanding that a correspondence should
be kept up. She wrote him, asking him if he
wanted her to 90 to Lewiston and be married ,
but there response. She wrote still again,
| informing him that she would be at Lewiston on
| the 23d of December, and asked him to meet her
| at the depot. But no answer came, and no Bon
ney at the depot. But she found him in the city,
| and talked over the engagement; his house was
| IN poor condition, and the event was postponed
| until spring. She went back TO Bddeford, and
| although she wrote several times the correspond
ence on his part ceased. She was all ready to be
married. having even her wedding garments all
prepared. Mr.. Clay's presentation of the case &C
| cupied about half an hour.
Mrs. Mary Jane Duley of Lewiston, was the
| first witness, as it was at her house the parties
| first met, and, it is alleged, the first tender
| words were uttered, and the VOWS plighted. Miss
| Grover boarded with her. and there Bonney first
met her and was introduced. in February, 1873.
| Miss Grover made shirts and other articles and
presented them to Bonney.
| Mary A. Casey of Lewiston, daughter of Mrs.
Duiey, corroborated what her mother had said.
| When Miss Grover herself took the stand, there
| was great sensation in the court, She seated
| herself in chair in the witness stand and drew
the brown veil from the face that had been covered
up to this time. She was very much affected, and
| her silent sobbing would occasionally break ont
| into right down old fashioned crying. She testi-
| fed that she had lived in West Gardiner, from
| which place she went to Lewiston, to work in the
| factory She first met Bonney at Duleys house
| Daley had told her that he knew man in Auburn
(meaning Bonney )and would talk to hun about her
| That seems to have brought about the meeting,
| for the next week she was introduced to him at
| place named. Would she like TO take ride
| Yes and they did so, on two or three occasions,
going over to his place, and riding about Lewis
ton and Auburn. lie would call at her boarding
| house weekly, and sometimes oitener, and to-
| gethcr they would go TO her sisters where the
chief part of the counting seems TO have been per-
| formed They wonld sit alone in the sitting room,
the rest of the family having gone TO bed or with
drawn to the kitchen, the happy couple liking
each other so well that these visits often pro-
longed into the small hours of the morning. She
made him presents of linen pocket handkerchief,
cuffs and cuff buttons and two pairs OF stockings.
| At New Years, "A, Bonney made her a pre- sent
of a ten dollar bill. One nighttime most intensely
interesting and vital of all the solitary sitings,-
the witness testified that Bonney said
he thought they had been going to-
Would she become his wife Yes; she had heard
| that he was good man. lie wanted the marriage
to come Off before Thanksgiving, but she told him
| that she had good deal of sewing to do, and
didn't know as she could get ready by that time.
But it was finally fixed that they should
be married at Biddeford, in November.
Miss Grover bought bedding, web Of sheeting,
and other articles in preparation for housekeeping,
made her intended hus band his wedding shirts and
| presented them to him. Things were going on
nicely. lie told her that he was getting his we'd
| ding suit made at one of the best taors in Lew
iston, and that it would cost him forty dollars !!
She saw him after the engagement, he took her
out to farm he owned in Lewiston, and they
doubtedle.s talked pleasantly of the happy hours
| in store for them. In the house where Bonney
| lived, he now occupied small bed room, and his
sister large bed room; after the marriage they
| were to exchange, and he have the large bed
roam. Then, like miniature thunderbolt, came
the news Of her mothers serious sickness and the
ensued the events which have been narrated by
| Mr.. Clay-the correspondence unanswered, &c.
| Other witnesses were called, but THEN testimony
i ELECTED nothing new.
The other side Is ably represented by Calvin
| Record, Esq, of Auburn, who is assisted by +. f
Pllsbury, Esq, of Augusta, and that side will