The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-03-14
NisrtAaneons,
DICKEY AGAINST TYTUS,
A Sensational Breach Of Promise CaGe-Perlur
SOmeWhere-$6, 900,

Omewhere-$6,OOO.
Cincinnati March 4.-When the news got out
that Nancy A. Dickey had brought an action
against John B. Tytus for breach of promise, the
best society of Ohio was stirred to its very foun.
dations. Not for years had 1t had such sensa.
ton. The case came to trial on Monday of last
week and ran six days, the verdict being handed
in to the court on Saturday evening. measure
of the interest excited may be found in the fact
that the Cincinnati newspapers gave up the best
part Of page daily to the report of tho proceed
ings.
The interest is easily explained. Not only was
the case at once curious and scandalous In the
last degree but the parties to it were scons of the
first families, The plaintiffs father was one of
the most respected citizens ofBuLler county Ohio
The plaintiff herself is slngularly beautiful in
face and form, well educated, brilliant in con.
Versation, and an acknowledged belle for years
past-hoW many years 1t would be ungallant to
say. On the witness stand, and under oath she
said that she did not believe she was yet SO years
OF age: 1t is not disputed, however, that she is
several years older than the defendant. Until
recently the aristocratic drawing rooms of her
native place, Middletown, have counted her one
OF their chief ornaments, and she has been an
always welcome guest at some of the best houses
OF Cincinnati and Dayton. The defendant, her
playmate from early childhood, is considered as
handsome nan as she Is woman He is the
son OF the great man of the town-an immensely
rlch paper maker, whose gray head and stern,
lmpasSlVe lace, gave the Cincinnati reporters q
text lor little OF that fine writing In which they
excel Young John Is now In his 30th year. He,
100, mas shad good education ; he is much sought
after In society, and one Of the plaintiffs counsel
lndulged in whitening sarcasm on the subject of
his dog cart and liveried servant.
Moreover, since the scandal first became public
several things have happened to whet the popu.
lar appetite. Both Miss Dickey and Mr.. Tytus
were members OF the Baptist Church of Middle.
town; Miss Dickey has been expelled or discip.
lined in some manner, and Mr.. Tytus is still in
good and regular standing. Some time ago a
story got into the newspapers of an attempt on
MS part or that Of his agents to kidnap or secrete
her ch1ld-his child, as she alleges-little Alice,
now years of age. Still more recently, the Gin.
cinnau Commercial printed an interview with a
Dr. Mccarthy. who has figured prominently in
the case, in which the Doctor asserted that some
Of TIE papers in the case had been stolen from
his otiiee, and that he had subsequently found a
porcuFine paper weight of his in the possession
Of one of Mr. Tytus's lawyers. This is the publ.
cation In consequence of which an action for
criminal libel was brought against Field. Marshal
Murat Hastead, the editor of the Commercial.
The first witness called last week was Miss
Dickey herself She testified in substance that
young Tytus had asked her to become his wife,
and had promised to marry her several years be.
fore the seduction though she could not fix the
date that he seduced her under that promise
that he gave her money to procure an abortion
that he paid her board in Cincinnati during her
confinement or told her he had done so that
after the child was born he came to see her cried
and called himself villain; and that he talked
to her about their marriage within a month of
the day on which he married another woman.
She produced and identified several letters In
which he had addressed her as, "My dear Man."
but none contained anything about marriage.
Her testimony was Corroborated, as to the atten.
uons paid to her by the defendant and on other
points, by several of her relatives and friends.
To this story young Tytus opposed a blunt de-
NAL. He swore on the witness stand that he had
never proposed marriage to her, or thought of do.
ing so, that he had not seduced her and that all
he had done in the way of advancing money and
making arrangements had been out of pure
friendship. They had been brought up together;
she had been intimate with his sister; she came
to him in her trouble he felt proud of the conf.
dence reposed in him and resolved that she should
not repent it the charge now brought against
him had taken him completely by surprise As
he uttered his emphatic denials, one after the
other, he looked steadily into Miss Dickey's eyes,
She cried out "Oh, John, how can you I" and
burst into tears. Other witnesses for the defence
were introduced to prove an aibi, and others, ap.
parently, to smireh the plaintiffs reputation by
hearsay, inference and innuendo. Some of this
testimony, as well as some of the cross.examina.
ton Of plaintiff witnesses, can only be described
as outrageous.
But, in the face Of Miss Dickey's evidence, Of
the admitted facts, and of the circumstance that
an attempt had been made 10 compromise the
case for S. 0O0 Johns denials and the tactics of
his counsel proved equally .uUavailing to bring
him of. The jury found for the young lady, and
gave her $4,000 damages Of the $4,000 asked in
the complaint. When the verdict was announced
the court room rang with cheers.
AS young Tytus's counsel reserved exceptions
to the whole Of the Judges ohsrge-an unusually
impartial one-there may be more litigation yet
before Miss Dickey gets her 5000. But there the
matter rests for the present.