The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-03-31
A Remarkable Breach of Promise
Case.


The following case of breach of prom
Use, recently tried in Middlesex, England
has some points of human interest, anc
the defendant might serve new dramatic
hero for the greatest efforts of Mr.. Tenny-
sons life: Miss. Euphemia Collart, the
plaintiff, was young lady about twenty
four years of age, both of whose parents
were dead, and who had been following
the vocation of a skilled attendant upon
ladies suffering from mental disorder. She
had been for about three years an attend
ant to an aged lady at a salary of e6s a
year, and in October, 1881, the lady hav-
ing recovered, the plaintiff was commiss-
ioned with the charge of an insane young
lady, and was paid E100 and the necessary
expenses to take her to New York, and
while there she received $25 week. She
was advised by a friend, DR.. Macdonald,
the medical superintendent of the prinei
pal asylum there, to remain in New York
after her engagement terminated, as SER
vices were in request and were better paid
| than they would be in England. To this
plaintiff agreed and through the introduce
ton of the principal specialists in New
York she obtained several highly remune-
ratiye engagements. Ultimately she had
an offer, which she accepted, of becoming
matron of retreat for ladies suffering
from nervous disorders, under DR.. Hamil-
ton, which was to be opened in Novem-
ber. Before however, entering upon her
duties, she wished to come back to Eng
land and sailed by the ship Queen, and
whilst on board, at his own request, the
shipping agent, During the voyage, ne
showed her constant attention and even
tually proposed marriage to her, and sta
ted that he intended to settle as farmer
in Canada West and had been provided by
his father with means.
His father had retired from business and
lived at Nottingham. .zzpp The plaintiff aecep-
ted his proposal. On landing they dis
| missed their friends and defendant accom-
panied the plaintiff to the Grosvenor Ho-
tel, where she had arranged to stay. They
parted in the hall, but next morning the
defendant came to her room, just as he
was descending to breakfast, to borrow
her hair brush and comb and then effec-
ted her ruin. Plaintiff was subse-
/ cr S,,t, tr h 10 raTnnfE
and treated as his future wife. In No
vember last she discovered that she was
enciente, and communicated the fact to
| the defendant, who said he would marry
| her at once, but when arrangements had
| been made he said his father had discover
ed all and threatened to disnherit him,
and wanted him to marry another young
| lady who lived in Nottingham and who
was possessed of IS 900 or tl0, 900 and he
begged the plaintiff not to force him to
ruin himself by offending his father In
| foolish moment, she very reluctantly con-
sented to a postponement, and the defend
ant gave her wedding ring and told her
| to take his name. Since then he has re-
fused to fulfill his promise and the plaintiff
has been dependent upon her friends and
has lost her situation in New York. The
| Jury returned verdict in favor of the
plaintiff, assessing the damages at t250.
Hardly enough to keep the baby through
teething, not to speak of Euphemia's lost
character and future prospects. But he
roes will be heroes and iuries will be juries
as long as babies come before their time.