New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-22
A WITNESS FOR MR.. CAMERON
OLIVER HIMSELF on THE STAND.


,, ,roro, was renamed i'm the Circuit Court this
morninp Mrs Oliver was present at an early hour'
She entered the courtroom carrying tue oiu Ia"n'
Bible under her Walking over sue laiu ~ c"e
fully upon the table OF General Butler theh reurhg "
a char back Of her counsel. who had III the hean'o
entered she folded her hands beneath piach anu gray
shawl which she carried and resisnedy seemed reauy
for business
The LAWYERS for the defendant were late In appearing
and DELAYED the trial for fifteen minutes Mr. Cameron
was not present and has not been In the courtroom
since Tuesday last.
When the Court adjourned last evening tine point
under discussion was the objection made by Geheial
p.tr "a rho admission OF the two letters presented by
Mrs Oliver and supporting to have been written d.
Mr. Cameron The defence based its objection upon
the ground that the letters are forgeres ana 10 PROOF
had been offered TO show that Mr. Cameron wroie theh
This morning the testimony OF MIS- oil'er was io''
on that point she testified that she knew his hand
writing and that these letters were written by MIN.
The Court ruled that this was sutclent priina l'eo
evidence 70 hermit the letters the jury The de-
fence excepted 10 the ruling.
The Cour-Have the Bible and papers promised to be
furnished this morning been brought IN .,o.o
Gcn Butler feXamlning the bOos)-Paruon me tntsG
are not the papers she said on the stahd tns' sue a
a stipulation with counsel Now want 10 ., Sc s nn9
agreement with Peters and DarnelC WauU W ~ y,
What this ioint-stock company is, and Will know u II
there power enough in the law 10 ger IT, Hno
she had "A copy OF the aRreement-Ho sut ou. Do
tween herself aud her counsel Now want ~ pro,
duced. Let her take the slahd aKdin' anu W. WIN '
AMI" Mr. Pctcrs- suppose we have copy Of where
Gencril Butlei-That won't do. COPY might nave
been made since this night. want hcr copy, ,,,
Mr. Peters, think that my reputation ranur ~ Hd
as any mans, aud VIII not nave any euon "'p'''
Tpc Conrt|There has been good deal said during
ali there il no need OF display OF emDer between coun
sell Justice can he dispensed III calm ana peaceiui,
vay she certainly did testify that she Dad copy Oh
thc stimulation while the stand Yesterday me paper
s collateral the issue or the Court would Know VIVA
tlai II.
IL ought to be produced, or copy OF u . 1919 II.
MI Peters-Mr Darneile has COPY OF H. or 'ne Srig
naI and Will bring ii He had not bothered his head
General Butler-Yes, Mr. Darneille is conveniently
The ComTt"Thcre is no occasion for feeling. except
contempt and indgnation mean all around tue "ho'e
While waiting to get the reporters notes as to Mrs
divers evidence the two letters admitted in testimony
were read to the jury.
The plaintiffs counsel announced that here they rested
their case in chief.
Mrs Oliver then went upon the witness stand and was
questioned a few moments about the contract Inc
paper was then read and il as follows:
WASHINGTON d. G., Feb II, 1877.
Ihave to-day employed Mcssrs. George ana John +.
Peters and Bent lmn j. Darncilc attorneysat-aw, -
BRING and prosecute a suit for me against SIMON cam
er0n for breach OF promise of marriage 10 me- ana now
service Zee equal Ia onesiXth part OF what may he
recovered 10y said suit, and to Sad Darheic iAe sum
witness the following signature and seal the datc and
wear "A tOreeaid. MARY :. OLlNfk
Attest-Wfrid Marshall. "
Mcm.-If the wirhn mentioned case shonld be se!ted
by compromise, then the ices oi tue T,tHh nAeu "'
MIA Nav ar i. ISL Is NV MARY OLIVER.
The following Is the receipt:
"Rcccived This seventh day Of February 1871 eleven
dollars of MTs Oliver by j. Darnec, 10 lo applied To
tie suit OF Mrs. Oliver against Mr.. Cameron
Mr.. Damcille-At the time the receipt was made Mr.
Peters and myself 1t appears, were absent from the
Office
General Butler-To time wish TO put in all the
letters that we have proved upon DO not wish to take
the time in reading them II considered In they can be
referred 10 In argument.
Mr. Darncllle objected.
The Court-rhat settles IL 1t cannot be done.
General Butlcr-I Will have printed copies made OF
them for the benefit Of all parties.
General Butler then said that tho suit could not be
maintained and asked that 1t be withdrawn from the
Jury argued that matter what the Kentucky law
might be, to all intents and purposes she married
woman She had proved her marriage IN two ways.
She had for five years lived with Mr.. Oliver and held
herself out as his wife, They had from that cohabta
lion three children one had been laid in the cemetery,
and over it was placed bearing the inscription.
" Tommie son of Thomas and Mary Oliver" II cohabi-
taon ever proved marriage then IL had been done in
tins case She to3 Mr.. Cameron that she had not heard
from Mr.. Oliver for many years nut admitted on nc
stand writing to him down to within six months OF this
trial H.. =. .-
for ali iuents and purposes
General Butler-Thcrc was a case for jury
where there only one Witness ana tAaV Witness
swearing all one way.
The Court-Don't she swear two waysl
General Butler-f she does, then you ought TO throw
The Court-No. I will reserve my decision for the
present upon the legitimacy Of the marriage ana The
effect of il upon "A contracting party.
General Butlcr-Call Thomas " Oliver.
MIR. DarncIlc - Hold on l object. ] want him
sworn FIST ON his coir are to see TO his competency
The COurt-Wel, II You make that objection i viii
the living husband OF the plaintiff, and II you object
upon TINS ground VIII settle tins case very promptly
matter aud withdraw my objection.
Mr.. Oliver was then sworn and examined by General
Butler He testified in substance as follows:
Nv name ia Thomas Marshall Oliver. In theyear 1850,
IN New-Oreans ana Raleigh, y Co. was doing business
as a merchant tailor ana clothier In the Spring OF
1850 I went to New-York to buy goods | met the
plaintiff at OsbOrn's Masonic regalia establishments IN
That city, working. visited that city again III the Fan
of the year. went to the store. inquired for her and
again in the spring of 1851. While IN the city that
time. in company Win other persons, visited
, , history Of herself where She cane from and
who She told me that she came from Ireland
b, landed a Ouchec bnJ NOT getting along well tnrre
they to Montreal aud next 10 NeW-IOrk where |
she told me That she had DceD heduCed while
employed M O,horn's by a man named Johnnic Plitt
under promise OF marriage. Her name then Mary
Ann McCaf.cy. she never said anything about the
Duke Of Armand, Butler family other dlstiu-
guIshed people. | met her III New-York a mum.
Der OF times, and passed several nights with her.
In the year lsjl made arrangements for ner 20 90
with south. search OF vest and coat makers,
told her that II she would 20 Win me 10 Raleigh, y.
c., would give employ mcut and never expose
past life She agreed TO the arrangement, and took her
TO North Carolina. The pantlh was never with
the stuart family. | believe that she called
herself Cooper sometimes. In 1SJl | went Ia
New-YOTk three tunes, and on one OF these
Journeys took her back To EeW-NUIk with me.
/ had nothing improper " do with the woman whc
she wss IN North Carolina On January 3, 1852 lcit
Raleigh for Louisville n.y. TO SCI up merchant tailor
u., tsabls hucuf and clothing house In So again
met the plaintiff III New-iork, and sent her to
Louisville with NY nephew, James ". Gaskins.
1 directed my nephew board her where he stop
ping at the hOusr of airs. Bl.scrt, pubic boarding
hOtse. directed the foreman OF the shop give her
vests to make and done. went 10 Louisville ia
MAY OF June aud found her AT Mrs. EggcrIs
suggested that her education imperfect and If
she would ~ school would send her aud pay Tor it,