The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-05-01
AN ABBEVILLE SCANDAL.
Alleged Betrayal of a Country Girl by a
Former Charleston Dry Goods Clerk.


Brown, charming young woman of this
County, has brought suit against John
Mcneil for breach of promise OF mar
riage. She has laid the damages at
$4,000 and has placed her case in the
hands of Col. Orville It. Calhoun, who
is considered one Of the strongest young
LAWYERS at this bar. Mr.. Mcneil is rep
resented by Ellis G. Graydou, ESD, who
was for several years the partner and
trusted adviser of the late Armistead
Burt. The case will be tried at the reg
ular Fall term of the Court of Common
Please for this County in October next.
1t is already creating a great deal of in
terest in the County, and when it comes
up for trial there will be some rich and
rare disclosures. This is the first case
for breach of promise that has ever been
thrown into the courts in Abbeville::
The fact that the issue had been joined
in this matter has already been published,
but none of the details have been given.
Miss Mary L. Brown, the fair plaintiff,
is not more than twenty-five years OF age.
She has neither father nor mother and
lives now, as she has been living for
some years, with her three sisters and
her brother.in. n.law, Oh plantation which
is owned by herself and sisters, and Is
situated on the Savannah side of the
County. She is tolerably we'll educated
and is connected with some of the most
respectable and best-to.do families in the
County: She has round, plump figure,
sweet face. is quite attractive in her
manners and might we'll turn the head
of an impressionable young man.
Mr.. John Mcneil, who it is alleged
played the fair Mary so false part, is a
large, fue-looking young man, about
thirty.five years of age, with a rich
sonorous voice, quick intelligence and
pleasing manners. Immediately after
the war he went to Charleston and was
employed as a salesman in Erwin's store,
in King street, where he remained tor
some time. When he gave up his posi-,
tion there he came to Abbeville and
commenced business as q country mer-
chant. He had large trade, and by bis
merchandising and his farming, both OF
which pursuits he has followed success
fully, he has accumulated, it is said, a
snug little fortune, and is now worth
SIS, 900 to $4,000. He still has his store
and his farm, and although he is Kept
busy is quite literary in his tastes, and
was for several terms one Of the most
capable pupils of the Rev. DR.. Patton,
now of tue State University. In the
midst of his business Mcneil has also
found time to make love-indeed he is a
kind of genius in this direction if Miss
Mary Brown is to be believed, for she
declares that he fooled her by his honled
phrases until she fell victim to his
passion. -,
The story is thrilling one. Mcneil,
it is said, commenced paying attention to
Miss Brown about the beginning OF 1880,
and under promises of marriage succeed
ed in running her. He agreed, it is
alleged, on several occasions that he
would marry her, and tue day was fixed
several times, but he always managed to
postpone the wedding without discontin-
uting his visits 10 the trusting Mary.
About the Goth Of February last, while
Mcneil was on visit to her, she deter:
mined to put the matter to the test, and
sent for q Trial Justice to come and
marry them. Mcneil, hearing the Trial
Justice enter the house, made his escape
through window, aud has refused to
right the wrongs Of Miss Brown.
Public sentiment is very strong against
Mcneil, and the impression is that he
should be made to pay we'll for the dam
aoe he has done Miss Brown. There are
many interesting facts connected with
the affair that cannot be mentioned here,
as it might serve to prejudice the case Of
either one or the other of the parties to
this peculiar suit. -,
Of course the lawyers in the case Will
do their level best to whip in the hight.
They are hard fighters and are reading
up all the authorities with great Yigor'-
Special to the Ne~s and Courier.