New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-07

An action for breach Of promise of marriage against
a man already married at the time of the alleged
contract is a legal novelty Such an action has just
been tried in the Marine Court, Aaron Strauss, aged
80 years, aud married man. being sued by Mary
Palmer aged % years. for oelng to marry her and
then refusing to do 40. Inc jury has gwen bliss
Palmer 81 900 damages but something was said of
Az appeal Mr.. Strausss lawyer admitted that his
client had been :" as foolish as he was Old" and
promised in his behalf that If spared on this occa-
sion lie would never do so any more The questions
are whether the law should Interfere to punish
man Tor not doing what, Mt the time when he prom
ised to do il, he was legally incapable of dong and
whether the woman in such case exercised proper
caution in discovering the precise status of the de-
PENDANT OF course her injury, equtaby considered,
il the same whether her ancient suitOr was married
or not; and she might, in this case. have missed
several opportunities of marrying through the sham
engagement with the plaintiff. Apart from the
legal point it may be doubted whether girl of %
wears whose mother is forune-teller by profession,
is entitled 70 much sympathy BECAUSE she has failed
to secure a husband in an old lover OF three5c0re.
The Judge charged that the defendant would not
have been liable if the plaintiff knew that he was
married man. Up0n that point there is likely to be
no dispute whatever.
That Victor Hugo should translate the Firth Of
Forth into the First of the Fourth and address
the Bohemian Slavs IA children of Arpad' (thc
Hungarian hero, does not surprise us much; for we
cannot expect accuracy of detail from melodram-
attic writer. But that scholar of such repute rs
N. Philarete Chasles'should exhibit nearly equal
carclessness. in bis "Travels of Critic through
Life and Books" is not to be so easily pardoned.
Therein. he grayely informs his countrymen that
,I 8 tlla trn1 of fast
symbol of bon ION :" that Lord Byron married Miss
Milbauth that "Chancer" did not disdain the
Gothic q title of Poet Laureate; that William
Mskcpence Thackeray wrote Vanity FAIR that
"Schelly" is a recent English poet, and Frazer's
Magazine is Tory in its politics. The French regard
such mistakes with q singular indifference. When
Rachel was in this couItry. NJ Beauvallet, one OF
her troupe wrote an American tragedy, the heroine
of which was Washngton's daughter! When told
that Washington had no daughter he coOlly SAID :
"Eh Jien its a liberty one can take" " But sup
pose" rej0ined his American friend, you should
write tragedy for tho Theatre Francois, with Ma
poleon's daughter the heroine ~ "Oh" ex-
claimed NJ. Beauvallet with shudder that's
very different thing that would never do~
The latest device for chastising His Satanic
Majesty round the stump is the new bill introduced
in the Assembly allowing liquor-dealers in New
York to sell their beverages on Sunday, provided
they keep their front doors shut and only admit
customers at the side door Mr.. Christopher Fleckes
bill did not 90 quite so far this That only per-
mtted sales of the virtuous and Misunderstanding
lager on Sundays except from a. m. to 8 p. NJ, fix
ing the license fee at $50. Sunday after ALL is re-
ceiving certain degree of consideration even from
those who have no respect for its sacred character
or for its social usefulness Shutting the front doors
and only permitting the thirsty TO enter by side
door is something. Stopping the flow of lager for
six hours on Sunday and for five hours on week
DAYS is something. This is better than asking that
beer or whisky may be sold whenever and wherever
anybody wishes to purchase it,
The Rev. Edward Everett Hale proposes in Boston
specific solution Of the Tramp problem, viz. that
the Governor of Massachusetts, should issue pri-
yate circular to the town authorities urging them, on
day indicated. to arrest and prosecute all Migrants
in their jurisdiction the night before The result.
Mr. Hale thinks would be that 1900 lazy l0afcrs