The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-23
BIGGAR's BREACH OF PROMISE.
Some Curious Testimony Regarding Kisses
and Obstacles to MatrimOny.

vs. Biggar, the Irish member of Parliament,
the plaintiff, who is described as somewhat
faded in appearance, gave her evidence very
briefly. Mr.. Biggar was then called and was
examined by Mr.. Russell. What age are
you? Witness am in my fifty-fifth year
You went to Paris, as 1 have heard, in Octo-
Der, 1881? Yes There were many troubles
at the time in relation to Irish politics?
Yes. You were a stranger in Paris? Yes.
knew nothing of the language; 1 had several
acquaintance, among them Mr.. Egan. The
first time you met this lady was at Nine.
Rogers? Yes. She says she never heard of
you before; and 1 suppose you never had
heard of her? No, 1 had not. The refresh
ments you then had included whisky
and water, did they not? Yes. What
was the first attention paid to her;
who gave you the whisky and water?
plaintiff said she would give it to me the
next time l came. Were you invited to a
musical party few days afterward at her
aunts? Yes. / believe music is not your
strong point? Yo. Do you recollect the
Rev. Mr.. Byrnes being in Paris? Yes; l met
him about week before l went to Nine.
Rogers, and he left for Rome few weeks
such as churches and other sights he called
with me at Miss Hyland's and on that occa-
sion asked her to go with me to st. Ger
main, and we went about two days after
ward: How long was that after your first
meeting? About ten days.
In the railway carriage going to st. Ger
main did you say anything to her? On the
way to the station L said to her, you should
not keep my company, because l might be
tempted to pay you compliments which you
might rightly interpret and think you were
hardly treated; i shall go back to
England after time, and although l
may not forget you, you may think you are
neglected" On that occasion did you kiss
her? did. There was nothing said on this
occasion about marriage? When l kissed
her she took hold of my hand; L asked her
what she meant and she pointedly asked me
If l would marry her. What did you say?
/ said there were obstacles that would pre-
vent me doing so she asked might not the
obstacles be removed? and | said, Possibly
might probably not" When you next saw
her whatdid she say? She asked me if my
obstacles had been removed and | said posi-
lively chat l would then make no promise;
about that time | was winding up business
Have you two natural children? Yes. Are
they yet OF an age to be placed in life2 They
are both at school. Were they one of the OBJ
stacles? Yes. You did see a great deal of
this lady until you returned to London?
Yes she was most pressing in her attentions
to me. The lady has said that you in
January, said you hoped to make arrange
ments so as to marry her before Parliament
met. Is that true? Decidedly not. l might
mention that she frequently asked me to
name day on which | thought the obstacles
might be removed, and l said l could not;
and whenever she asked me to marry her [
said | would not enter into any engagement.
Did you say anything about the obstacles be-
removed a week a nnnfbo No
at all. 1t was known to Miss Hyland and
her friends that | was going to leave Paris.
The plaintiff repeated her application to me-
and always told her that l would not enter
into any engagement Tell US what took
place-what did you say? | said | certainly
was not married, and again refused to enter
into any arrangement, conditional or other
wise. | said it would be unfair to her, be-
cause it might keep her hanging on for years
and end by her not getting married at all.
You have told us of two children-is their
mother living? The mothers of both are liv-
ing. l correspond with the mother of one of
them from month to month; but the other
have not heard of for years. l send the first
named money. l understand you to say that
the children were one of the obstacles Yes
Then You prayed for the removal of the OBJ
stacles? l prayed that the children might be
settled in life. Then understand that your
prayer was that you might get these children
settled in life in order that you might marry
Miss Hyland? No. | wanted to get rid of
my difficulties generally, which stood in the
way of my marrying any one. What was
the other obstacle? / have an unmarried sis
ter l would not like to leave You did not
pray for her removal? No, but | would like
your No. but a married sister did; recol-
lect receiving the letter, and have no doubt
told Miss Hyland. Did you tell her not to
care about what your sister said about it?
Very likely. Any other obstacle? Do
you want to marry? No. Why? Because [
should not think of it at my time of life
But you said you wanted to be free to
marry? Yes that is if / wanted to marry
later. We have heard that you had some
whisky and water at Miss Hyland's. Do you
mean to say that you took too much whisky?
No, not too much whisky, but a great deal
too much water. And that was a subject of
complaint on your part? Yes. And Miss
Hyland said that she would make it herself
in the future? No; she said she would make
it stronger On the first occasion you saw
her did you volunteer to see her home? |
did; and after seeing her home | returned to
my friends at Nine Rogers. Did you go to
their house two or three days after? Yes; |
do not remember gentleman singing that
night. Did you say anything that evening
about her being your darling? | don't re-
member. Did you not say you hoped she
would be your darling? | have no recollec-
ton; but | may have done so. Does it not
strike you as being an unusual thing to call
a lady your darling on the second occasion of
your meeting? l should say so.
The idea in your mind was that she might
think you thought of marriage, and you
wished her to understand that, whatever you
said, it meant nothing? | wanted her to
understand that, unless l specially men
toned marriage-that, unless | said some
thing about marriage she was not to think
of it. That nothing short of saying, Il will
marry you" should lead her to expect you
would? l don't think she had any right to
expect me to unless l said So Having
pointed that out you kissed her? l did. She
made no objection. Did you expect her to
do so? l do not know. From that time to
the end of the chapter did you understand