Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-12-26
MOCK MARRIAGES.

The decision OF the celebrated case 1T
Nee Utrecht, New York, iii which Miss
Annie Hishic sues Mir. Walter Vaughan for
abandonment, has been postponed UHt!i
January ). The couple, it appears, were
sin fun" at Earty some months ago, and
now the fair plaintiff, who is desirous OF
being united to the defendant in dead earn
est. sues the latter for abandonment. The
evidence in The case was doubtless OF as
humorous a nature as ever heard III i court
room. ana while no immorality was directly
proves against the parties, the acts OF IN
discretion on The part Of plaintiff aud de
teudaut as we'll as numerous maic and
female friends who were compelled 10 testl-
fv were numerous, and gave an insight into
the diversions entered into by young men
and girls at certain gatherings. The extra
ordinary amount of kissing, and the COM
plicatons arising out of the mauy marriages
and cross marriages, all for fun, among the
Young people who attend the church socl-
ables has so puzzled Justice Ferguson that
he will require at least three weeks to un-
rave the knot. The most notable event OF
last Saturday when the case was submitted
was the speech Of Mr.. Leggatt, Miss Hlg-
bie's counsel. Mr.. Pelton, counsel for Mr.
Vaughan, made no argument, saying that
he thought it would be an insult TO the
sense of the justice and discretion OF the
court for him to say single word IN the
way of argument.
Mr.. Legeatt said that he did not think
that he should be doing his duty to his client
if he refrained from commenting on the evi-
dence. He insisted that the clear straight
forward statement of the plaintiff had not
been in the least contradctcd.
"These letters from the PLAINTIFF said the
counsel, ''are ali OF a serious character. and
not at all as he says-'tatly. Miss Gertie
Bennett has testified that Walter Vaughan
maids, and when the lovely plaintiff came
among them they became jealous. Mr..
Walter Vaughan saw her plump proportions
his attenton. He kept on and found that
she, unlike the others, was proof against his
establishments but the idea came into his
mind that he put into effect on the 10Th day
of Julr al Mr. Cases sociabe. The young
ladies had been having refreshments; they
had eaten of the seductive sponge cake ana
had drank deeply Of the exhilarating lemon
adc. They had walked out on the lawn and
had been hugging and kissing one another,
and Walter says to her, 'Will you marry
me?n He was general beau at Flatbush.
She must have heard of him, and admired
him, admired his manly proportions, and
she, ilattered by his attentions, goes III the
presence of witnesses and agrees to become
his wife.
.'Wherc was all this done? Was it at The
Aliens? Was it at Billy McGlory's? Was
it at any of the vile dens of Hester street or
the Bowery? No 1t was at church-at
Methodist church in Flatbush. 1t is time
that these damnablc hot beds of vice were
purgcd-these dangerous places where the
innocent lips of maidens are smothered and
defled with the kisses Of libertines, like that
thing there (pointing to the defendant who
exchanged a loving glance with Gertle
Bennett). 1t is time that such church soca-
bles were suppressed, because so long as
they continue so long will young aud limo.
cent girls be robbed of their virtue as this
girl has been" (Applause.l
In concluding the counsel urged the JUS
tice to consider that the future fate of the
plaintiff rested upon his decision. Either
She must go out Of this court vindicated rs
q pure matron, or else for all her future lie
have brand.
During the latter portion of tho counsef7
remarks the plaintiff and her mother wept
freely, and at his conclusion the large audi
ence heartily applauded him.