Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-03-21
THE BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

the Circuit Court, the case OF Oliver agt. Cam.
eron-the action brought by Mrs. NJ. s. Oliver
agt- Hon. Simon Cameron for breach OF promise
of marriage, alleged to have been made on the
9TH OF December, 1885, for which $50 900 dam
ages are claimed, was continued after our report
nellie and MT: Toney lof Kentucky for plaintiff,
Gen. b. f. Butler and MeSSrs. w. A. Cook and
A. @. Riddle for defendant,
the unpublished letter OF Mr.. Cameron TO
Secretary Brfstow asking him to give Mrs
Oliver an Office, and in which he represents
that Mrs. Oliver is the daughter OF an Old naval
offcer-a friend OF hfS-WaS then offered In evil
dence. Thi~ letter was admitted by the counsel
for the defendant as genuine, and read to the
jury.
GEN. BUTLER SAYS THE PROMISE LETTERS ARE
FORGERIES.
TWO other letters, already published In each
of which Mr.. Cameron speaks Of making Mrs
Oliver his wife, were presented.
Gen. Butler objected that these letters had
not been proved and were forgeries. He said
the exterior of tile fist OF the letters showed
them TO be spurious. The pOstmark Of Harris
letter. In one OF them a ''2' has been added
with pen 10 make it correspond With the in
terror date. 'Sept. 25th."
Mr.. Peter.-There is no '2" there it Is the ''t"
in September. | will leave 1t to any man to
examine II.
Gen. Butler said the court could look az f.
and continued his argument, saying There are
always indiceS which follow these cases. Let
us look at some OF them. / have heard that Ia
his younger days Mr.. Cameron was compost
tor in printing office. Now all printers know
bles only. But In this letter, dated September
5; the word washington Is divided between
the m and the g. thus 'Washin-gton
but in Mrs. divers letters now In court there
are abundant examples of such divisions OF
monosyllableS. Thus in the one letter COM
planning of MI. Riddle there are words divided
weary the court, there are hundreds OF such
instances scattered through the letters. Gen
Butler called attention to the patent absurdlty
OF the statements OF Mrs. Oliver He compared
TO show that at the time it was pretended Mr.
Cameron was about to make Mrs Oliver his
vile he was trying to get her place in the
Treasury: Here was Cabinet officer, sena-
tor, selecting the Treasury department as d
graduating school for his wife. The Treasury
is not a school whence Senators take their
wives. They knew the Treasury girls thought
that the Treasury department was the only
place TO graduate the wives of Senators, but
the gentlemen think differently, except when
an old and decrepid man is entrapped by a
y31 1n and olooming girnot by an Old tough
urging that the face of the letters and the eyi-
dence surrounding precluded the court from
allowing these so-called letters to go before the
jury.
As On the previous days there was something
Ola jam this morning in the court room, aud
many new faces were to be seen. The widow
Oliver appeared early On the scene, unattended
as Oh yesterday and with huge Bible in her
hand looking something like a female colpor-
teur. The court was on time as also plaintiffs
counsel. but dAendant's counsel were few
minutes late.
THE "pROtIsE" LETTERS.
When the court ad ourned yesterday the
question was pending as TO the admiSsabiiity
Of the two letters purporting to be from Mr.
Cameron to Mrs. Oliver containing the promise
OF marriage.
On referring to the short hand report of Mrs.
divers testimony, it was found that she testi-
ned distinctly that these letters were in the
handwriting OF Mr.. Cameron.
Judge Cartier said that that was a sufficient
foundation for the admission OF the letters, and
there was no need of further argument.
MRS. DIVERS AGREEMENT WITH HER COUNSEL.
Mr.. Butler then asked IL the plaintiff had
brought the agreement between her and the
counsel the articles OF this joint stock CON-
pany.
The Bible was referred to and two papers
found receiptS-but not the paper In question.
Mr.. Peter said he had inquired Of Mrs oliver
and she said these were all the papers she had
Mr.. Butler said she had sworn that she had
copy OF the agreement and he wanted her to
produce it.
The court remarked that that was his recollec-
ton.
AN UNPLEAsANTNEss BETWEEN COUNSEL
Mr.. Peter said that Mr.. DarneIlle had a copy
Of 1t and would bring 1t In.
Gen. Butler-But ! want what she said she
had-the original stipulation. There is no
hlOW inS, Uut W E1l one nau Dee0 maze TO order.
Mr.. Peter warmly don't wish any insinu-
atoms against my character, and it stands as
well as Gen. Buffers or any one else'S. II viii
not stand any such aspersionS On my charac.
ter"
The court said that they had seen much to
regret about this case but nothing for Counsel
10 get mad about. There is not any great oc-
casion for feeling except contempt and indigna
ton. - mean about The whole case"
The letters purportiDg to contain the promise
OF marriage Were read in evidence. THEY have
been published in THE STAR
THE PLAINTIFFS CASE CLOSED
The plaintiff called Witness who failed TO
answer, and they announced their case 10 chief
closed.
MT, MIR; Darnellle at this point appeared, and
stated that he had the agreement
Gen. Butler said he wished IL proved first.
MRS. OLIVER RECALLED
Mrs. Oliver was recalled, and in response to
Gen. Butler, testified that She was unable to
said about the expenses. She paid sri to the
counsel, to the firm OF Peter and Daraeile.
didn't know whether the contract was made
stood that the money was for the officers OF the
court; that the counsel received nothing: don't
know that Mr. Wood, late Treasury detective.
was there Saw She 70
the case. Witness signed but one paper, and
that was to give counsel one-third.
Witness examined the paper and said that
was the paper she signed.
Gen. Butler-They were to have one.third
you say. and this says one sixth.
Mr.. Darneille.-We can explain that. Peter
Peter to receive One-Sixth and myself one
sixth, making One-third
THE AGREEMENT
Is as follows:
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb H. 1871
| have to-day employed Messrs George and
john +. Peter and Benj j. Darneille, attorneys
at-law as TO bring and prosecute suit for me
against Simon Cameron for breach OF promise
OF marriage TO me, and agree to give George and
John +. Peter for this service fee equal to
one-slXth part OF what may be recovered by
Sald SUIT, ana 10 SAID Darneiiie a like sum as
his fee. -1A 10
witness the following signature and sea, on
Ihe DAY ana y ear Aforesaid. MARY s. OLIVER
TeSt:-Wn1ord Marshall.
MISREPRESENTATION the within-rnentioned case fs
settled by compromise. then the fees of the men.
tloned attorneys are 10 be the same as men
toned therein.
THE RECEIPT FOR Sil
signed by Peter Peter for Mr.. DarneilIe to he
applied TO the suit OF Mrs. Oliver against Mr..
cameron 1or breach OF promise, was also read
Mr.. Darneilie remarked that at the time the
receipt was made neither Mr.. Peter nor himself
was present, and it was signed by Mr.. Peters
son.
Mr.. Butler said to save time he proposed TO
put Ia all the letters proven. lie did not wish
TO take the day In reading II they are consid-
cred In, and for convenience he would have
them printed for the benefit OF all parties
Mr.. Darneile objected. and tie plaintiff said
xvJ.i 10