The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-01-20
Our New York Letter.

Our New York Letter.
Regular correspondence Of ADVOCATE.
Nkw YoRK, Jan. lG, 1888.
The sensation of the week was unques-
tionably the suit for $75,0 damages for
breach of promise of marriage, brought
by Miss Mary A. A. Livingstone, against
Henry Fleming. e young millionaire.
The details as developed in the course of
the trial were prurient in the extreme,
and OF course the court room in Brook
lyn was packed to repletion with curiosi-
ty seekers. The trial resulted iu ver-
dict for the plaintiff for the full amount
asked for, the heaviest amount ever
awarded in breach of promise case in
the history of legal practice. Now, there
is no doubt that such verdict would
not have been given in any other city in
the Union save Brooklyn. That city has
not its like in the country. 1t has more,
scandals to the square yard than other
large cities have to the square mile. 1t
combines the peculiar friskiness of Chi
cago with the outward dTdemureness of
QAaker town. Everybody goes to the
church and yet everybody looks as if be
or she had a history. Outside of that
however, Mr., Fleming's case was grossly
mismanaged. His lawyer, Mr. Howe,
who is very good at saving criminals
from the gallows, seems to have been at
sea in this case. He attacked the girl in
the most brutal manner, He called her
cyprian and the daughter of a cyprian.
On the statement of a detective who
seems to be a paragon of assiniiy. he
charged with having kept an improper
lodging house ten years ago. Now the
girl is not yet twenty-one and the de-
tective simply ascribed to her the doings
of woman by the name of Livingston,
who for ten or fifteen years prior to 1874
was fashionable notorious character of
metropolitan shady life. Of course the
jury had to sympathize and side with
her.
Said lawyer to me. man who at ore
time filled the position of judge in one
of our leading State Courts, and who has
gained many laurels by his pleadings at
the bar, "the day of bullying a plaintiff
or hearing vile abuse on him. and treat
ing him or her in such a manner as 10
arouse all that is manly in bystanders
are over. A lawyer who attempts to rely
on such method will not alone lose his
own cases, but he will make himself liza
BILE to prosecution. The spirit of the
age is in favor of moderation, nni it was
high time that this spirit made itself
felt"
An appeal has been taken from the
verdict, aud additional evidence against
the character Of the woman has it is
claimed been discovered. During the
trial it was charged that Miss Livingston
hai been intimate with her mothers
coachmGn, one Alexander Cornelius.
This person has now came forward and
produced the letters alleged TO have byer
written to him by the girl. This OF
course will open the sluice gates again
The spectacle is not eiifying, And yet
strange hre the workings of wcman'i
mind OF rather feelings, this giil would
even now marry Fleming wers he viii
/ ling. am SO informed by aperson who
knows both parties.
The first of the great masquerade ball
is over. The French Society L'Amitit
gave their tenth annual masquerade a
the Acad my of Music last evening, anC
of course the place was packed after mid
night. L'Amitie's is not THE Frercl
Ball, it is but the preliminary canter, t
use a racing Phrase, to the grand pa
geant of the Cercle Franchise de / Har
monio next Monday. Then in rapiC
succession ctme the Elks, the Lieder
kranz and the Arion pageants. Tn
ball-goer will be pretty we'll worn out b.
the beginning of Lent. The season 6
penauce and sorrow this year begins oil
the 7th of February, and thus all tx
I treme worldliness will havo to be com
pressed into two weeks. While at tn
, Anliiie ball, it struck me, that somehoN
; the taste for mRsquerades and carniva
extmvagances is on the wane in NeN
: York. There were crowds, of course
but the crowd came more to look on thai
to take part in the fun, and this is bount
to kill such affairs. for when fun 'el
masque" becomes funereal it ceases t
be fun and every ldY walks HON
tired. " in the vernaeular Of Wall Street
= Besides, the lcisIies who 6 up thes
: sf .ils are not spending ANY Ii1nSy ~