Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-02-12
CUPID's COURT.
yGGS us. ROCHESTER,.
JERDICT OF JURY.

TERDICT Or JURY.
&C., &C., &C.
The trial of the case Of Scruggs Us. Rochester
for breach of promise to marry came off before
the Moot Court in the Grange Hall on last
Thursday and Friday nights The anticipation
of this peculiarly interesting trial, (the first
ever known in this community had awakened
awide and deep-felt interest among all classes OF
our citizens, as was evidenced by the large at
tendance on both nights and by the earnest at
tention paid to the development of the facts in
the case.
At half-past seven o'clock on Thursday night
the Judge, Maj. T. c. Elder. assembled the bench
with dignified step and solemnity Of counte-
nance which at once hushed the murmur OF
conversation. and deep silence fell upon the
audience, which was soon broken by the stem
torian 80 yez," 20 yez,'' of the High Sheriff,
Mr.. G. F. Firth, announcing that the court was
prepared to hear all parties who had motions
to make or causes to try.
The High Sheriff was ably assisted in the du-
ties of his office by his young and active depu-
ties, Mr.. Frank Alexander and Mr.. c. Men.
Whittle.
The Clerk, Mr.. VIM. Patrick. then called over
the docket and several cases were continued as
not ready for trial.
The case of Scruggs as. Rochester being called
the counsel announced themselves ready for
trial, and the following
JURY
was called: W. j. Nelson, Foreman; H. M.
McIlhany, G. G. Gooch, w. H. Peyton, A. F.
Kinney, G. M. Harrison, A. N. Breckenridge
B. F. Coots, A. Lynn, L. Poyntz, w. A. McCue,
and ]. A. Cochran, to whom the following oath
was administered:
"You and each OF you do promise to render
verdict in this case according to the evidence
as you may think proper to consider IT, ana Inc
law of Cupids realm as expounded to you by
the Court"
The appearance of the jury, as fine and able
bodied set of men as We ever saw together,
sent murmur of admiration through the au-
dience, which was promptly subdued by the
Sheriff-s imperious order-"Silence in court"
The general impression seemed to be that If
weighed in the balance they would not be found
wanting-in avoirdupoiS.
The counsel for the defendant, Messrs. II. st.
G. Tucker, P. A. Baylor and James H. Skinner,
announced themselves satisfied with the jury,
but counsel for the plaintiff Messrs. J. w. Stout,
J.V. Brooke. jr., and Charles Grattan, reserved
the right to catechise several ofthe jurors.
They objected to Mr.. A. Lynn, for they were
uuutr tue pTeSSlOu 41duy yOdIS dSO III
the town of Waynesboro' Mr.. L. had been en-
gagged in an 'affair of the heart" and had dis
appointed the expectations of young lady,
who is now mourning out her sad and lonely
existence by the banks of the ripping waters
of the sweet South River. Upon this point,
Mr.. Hilb was called to testify. He had known
Mr.. L. in the village of w. many years ago,
when he was great favorite among the young
ladies Of that incipient city, but never knew
him to be engaged in an ''affair of the heart, -
in fact he had never discovered that he had a
heart and thought the charge altogether I'M
founded. Upon this, objection was withdrawn.
The freedom of Mr.. j. A. Cochran's mind from
Partially was also questioned, because of a sus-
picion that he had been disappointed in an af-
fair with widow living at Kalorama last
Summer. This suspicion, however, proved to
be unfounded, or, at least, could not be SUBJ
stantiated by trustworthy testimony and the
objection was Withdrawn.
The jury being properly impannelled, the case
for the plaintiff was opened by Mr.. j. w. Stout,
who in a clear, concise and impressive manner
gave an outline of the case. In 1852, Mr.. Rech-
ester, in very romantic way, which will be
detailed in the evidence, made the acquain-
lance of Miss Araminta Bangs, then attending
a female school in Staunton, and an affair OF
love grew therefrom. In 1854, at Waynesboro',
certain Mr.. Scruggs was MORALLY wounded,
who gave his dying messages to Rochester to
be delivered to his wife, whom Rochester dis
covered to be his long-lost Araminta. After the
war was over Mrs. Scruggs, who had been living
az Tarboro, N. c. came to Staunton to collect
money due her for rosin furnished the State In
situations and took boarding at Kalorama
where she again met Rochester, and renewing
the feelings of attachment, which had once
drawn them together, he had asked her to mar
ry him and she had consented. He, however
had cruelty broken his promise and had dam
aged her feelings and prospects to the amount
of $4,000, all of which would more fully appear
in the evidence about to be introduced.
Mr.. P. A. Baylor on behalf of the defendant
made most telling speech, impressing the au-
dience and jury with the importance of the is
sue at trial. His eloquent remarks were fire
quently interrupted by bursts ofapplause, ant
strong feeling was created in behalf the de
PENDANT.
At this point, the heart-stricken widow, clat
in the habi1iments Of sorrow, was brought into
court by her prochei7s ami A visible effect wa'
produced upon the solidarity of the jury, ant
many sidelong glance was wistfully cast il
the direction of the fair plaintiffs chair. Thi
effect was, however, skillfully counteracted by
tue Cohusel lOr incl Ooleuudut, WHO, dI I'LL
.Juncture, introduced the defendant, whose opel
countenance betrayed no guile, and who's
whole manner betokened he had never known
a widow in his whole life Sorrow had no
dimmed the eye which had proved so fatal t.
the widow Scruggs, though the terror of the sit
uation had prematurely silvered O. er the golde1
locks OF youth.
The witnesses Tor the plaintiff were thel
called and sworn to "give the evidence bes
calculated to further the cause of the plaintiff
TESTIMONY.
H. L. Hoover testified that in 1852 he hat
known Rochester, who was.then a student a
the "V. M. l." whats that?'' interrupted MI
Baylor, counsel for defendant, who was rathe
deaf. ''Virginia Military Institute reptile
the witness. "Well. why didn't you say SO a
FIRST" was the gruff response of counsel. Wit
ness, continuing, stated that one day he an
Rochester were passing by one of the Semina
ries in Staunton, when Rochester suddenl
jumped the fence, dashed through an ope
window and disappeared. Following hin
as quickly as possible, witness entered tn
room and found Rochester holding youn
lady in his arms, who was then Mis-
Araminta Bangs, but whom he now recognize
as Mrs. A Scruggs Rochester explained aftel
wards, that hearing the young ladys screams
and seeing man waivinga stick overhe heae
he thought she was being maltreated, and fire
with the chivalry which has always character
lied the esprit du corps OF that institution, b
had at once, at risk of life and limb. rushed
her rescue. The truth of the affair was that th
young lady was only singing an operate com
position under the direction Of her musical ii
'structor, whose baton was mistaken by tn
heated imagination fthe youthful Don Quixol
for an instrument of punishment. From tn
unusual and romantic meeting a love affai
grew between R. and Bangs.
d. G. McGuffin testified that he kept board
ing house at Kalorama, and was also an Office
in the Augusta National Bank. Knew tt
plaintiff Mrs. scruggs; she had boarded at h
house during the Summer of 1876, and also
1877. She registered from Tarboro, N. C..wher
it was said, she had very valuable rosin farm
and had come to Staunton to look after SON
money due her for rosin furnished the Sta
institutions. He first met the defendan
Rochester. in 1876; understood that he was
Cont Ia vuhf RI