The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-19
$4,000 FOR A BRUISED HEART.
A Breach of Promise Suit that Recalls That
of ''Barden VS.. P~ickwlck."

IA lDIGaCEA III Il heAa 00A1 Ahph NSNA $1,000
of ''BardelI VS.. Pickwlck."
Boston Special.
The wind-up, at Salem, to-day, of the Raddin-
Currier breach of promise case was accompanied
by more fun than is usually heard in a court
room. A few more letters. that could hardly be
described as amatory, written by Mr.. Currier to
Miss Raddin, were read, and that closed the evi-
deuce. Ex-Attorney-eenera Charles X. Train
then made the closing argument for the defend
ant. He argued that there was nothing. in the
evidence to show that the intercourse between
the defendant and the plaintiff had been any
thing more than a proper social friendship. He
made a caustic analysis of the letters, which be-
gan, on the part of his client, on Aug. |, 1881,
and closed OH Dec. 10, 1881. He desired the jury
to study the letters. They all began, Dear
friend, and closed, Yours truly or Yours, Q.
S. c." and there was nothing in them to indi-
cate any attachment toward matrimony or any
thing that should grow into matrimony.
"They all show" he said, that this lady, who
was paying attention to my client laugh
teri, was very sweet on him when he was away,
for she apparently had nobody else when he
was gone. AL of these letters show one thing
that it was she who was crawling after him,
and not he after her. They all began My dear
friend. Why, bless your souls, gentlemen"
said the counsel, " when I was counting a girl /
put it a deal stronger than that, Laughter
The dear friend. and leaving off with
Yours truly are about as chilly as a car re
fIigerator."
Counsel read a letter from the plaintiff which
closed Yours with respects" and included an
invitation TO spend Christmas at Cliftondale.
"Ah, yes, gentlemen, there it is" he said.
will you walk into my parlor! said the spider
TO the fy.' Mr.. Currier called upon her, but it
does not appear that he carried any testimonial
of his regard-not even a package of ten-cent
lozenges nor a cake Of ivory soap-in proof OF his
love"
The 1882 letters were analysed as showing the
same average sentiment between the parties,
and the counsel picked out one which was signed
''Yours. ETC., O.. S. c. and asked the jury to
Say whether that was the way an engaged man
signed himself to his afianced.
"From Sept. 4, 1882, to Jan. l. 1883, he con
tinued, there wasn't a scrap of a letter between
them. He didn't give her a handkerchief. She
gave him a fern leaf when he went up home
Thanksgiving to see his parents in New Halnp-
shire. He didn't take her with him. and that was
she first thing a New England young man would
do when he went home TO see the old folks; but
he didn't do it. What do we find as the prepara-
tions for the marriagel Why, that she had two
tides, two rugs, and a dozen or so of jollies. 1
suppose she thought they would sleep on the
rugs, cover themselves up with the tides, and
live on the jellies." Laughter, during which
the sheriff raped vainly for order.
Mr.. Train closed by arguing that there was a
clear case of fraud against his client, and that
the charge was tru1nped up against him.
William Fl. Niles, the plaintiffs counsel. had a
hard task before him to turn the tide; but he
announced that he would present the case so
that the jury would leave the courtroom with
nothing but terms of praise for the modesty,
the dignity, the truthfulness, and the modera-
ton of the plaintiff. He then sketched the
case from the first introduction at Cottage City,
ridiculing the testimony Of the defendant that
the ladies of the cottage asked for the intro
duction, and his posing as "a Christian gentle
man, and a citizen Of prominence" He com
pared the testimony Of each of the parties as to
its claim for veracity. Taking up the letters, he
said:
Here, gentlemen, is this old man, grizzled
and gray, who for folty-eight years had been
travelling up and down this universe, intruding
q letter into this young woman's house asking
for a correspondence. In his noble charitable
purpose he travels on the Sangus branch and
planks his feet out at Cliftondale, and goes past
this lady's fathers store. His charity never
took him there, but be kept on to her home.
This man says there was no sentiment about his
friendship, and yet in every letter talks about
the e~ffulgent moonlight at Cottage City"
Mr.. Niles wound up in 4 heart-rending climax.
which evidently made a deep impression on the
jury.
Even the charge by Judge Pitman occasioned
structed the jury that they must consider the
upon her chances of marrying hereafter, and also
the pecuniary damage involved in the loss of
such a husband"
only. They returned with a verdict of 81, 900
nouncement with an expression of disgust and
indignation. The fair plaintiff walked out of the
court room with a triumphant smile on her face.