The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-26

A SOCIAL LITIGATION THAT ABUSES NEW fohk'
Perhaps no case 10 the annals Of social
lI,iga,oxs In New York has produced such
A fund, Of curious facts az the suit OF vii.
liam Rcmsen Us. John Hay. William Rem
sen. the plaintiff Ia this curious litigation,
sues the defendant. who Is bis fathersiu.
law. 10 recover $4,000 damages for mali
ciously Inducing his wife, nee Maggie Hay,
10 leave him, aud against bis express desire
and utmost efforts 10 regain her custody nos
eyer since and still does harbor her at bis
residence In Bayonne.
Mira. Remsen gave detailed history OF
her courtship, marriage, ana separation'
She tiippcd lightly to the witness-stsnd,
her checks flushed slightly, snd turning
boldly 10 the Jury, she shot forth the strange
tale with yoIubility so startling that Tor
some time the Jury and spectators could do
nothing but look at her In mute astonIsh-
mept. 81 first met Remsen about two years
before L was married." said the witness.
al visited some friends OF mine In Bath.
who informed me In girlish confidence
that there was an old widower there who
had horses aud carriages, and said they
would introduce him To me. Like most
Young girls fond Of fun, / consented,
and we met at party at which be was
the butt.'' She went on TO say that be
seemed smilieD at once and followed her
about tenacously. He asked her out 10
drive, and The next evening she drove out
with him, aud he proposed 10 her before
they got home. She refused indignaiAly;
said that she did not care for bin, and that
The idea was perfectly preposterOus. lie
followed up his attentions, however, with
remarkable and unwelcome tenacty, and
q
did not marry her. He wrote her all sorts
Of letteys-at one time thirteen a weck-to
which. however, she paid no attention.
He told her of his wealth. promised to
give her o phaeou and horses. and said
that he was rich, aud loved her TO
distraction. She was still obdurate, and it
was a long time before she paid any
attention 10 his opportunities. Final
ly, however, she began TO think that,
perhaps. 1t might not be such bad thing,
and while on visit to friend in Newark,
after giving him some hope, she sent bin q
telegram telling him TO come on II he
wanted her. He came on next day and told
her she had saved his life. Her friend told
her il she was goinl 20 be married 1t should
he Of her house, so that everything would
be properly done. Remsen upon his arIl.
val called her down stairs, and said {:
have brought YOU diamond ring" She
as ked him why he had done that, rs she had
plenty OF jewelry already aud did not re-
auire any more, but not having a solitaire
she thought it very kind OF him. She
examined the ring and was rather doubtful
about rs appearance. but not being familiar
with diamonds thought no more OF 1t.
They were married next morning.
Soon after her, marriage Mrs. Remsen
found she " bad put her foot in it," The
house was poor one and very dirty. She
had frequent quarrels with her husband,
the first OF which was caused by her at
tempt to borrow $1,000 for him from her
father. He became jealous OF her, and talk
ed continually Of Il separation; and she
finally told him she was going away. He
accompanied her to the station.
The phiutiff denied all OF his wife's state
mcnts. He humorously detailed the pro-.
gres, and elimination Of the eccentric court.
shin that led up TO their union. He said {:
{" Sirutbers's grandson Jem came running
into nv house, at Knoxville. one day, and
told me ] was wanted at their place.
Thinking something was wrong, rushed
out lust as I was-all dirty. When / got
there found Maggie. AT her request
took her out for drive. We went,
think, TO C0pey Island. On the way,
she asked me to drive right away TO the
minister and get married. told her was
not quite ready, and | would rather not.
She went back to Newark, and two days
later got telegram from there signed NJ.
IT, 1t said: Come to No. 81 William
street at once, prepared to tie the hnal
knot / went on next day and tied it. l
did not keep the telegram, but did the APP
p0intment. Ialways do, generally"
Counsel here read another letter from
witness urging bis wife to return, written
three years after she LETT him. He made no
efforts to reform after she left, as none was
needed. He haG Seen church-me mber for
eighteen years. He was in the habit OF get
ting up and praying aloud at his church,
and hoped to do so as long as he lived. His
wife told him before she left that if she re-
NAMED with him her father would disin-
herit her. He never had and did not now
charge her with leaving him on that ground.
Mrs. Remsen was recalled and positively
contrad;cted the plaintiffs statement that
she had proposed marriage to him.
This ended the testimony. A decision in
the ease will be given to-day.
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