The Portland daily press., 1888-09-18
THE FARRELL-cooDwIN CASE.
What the New York World Says
of II.

Miss Farrell lives at No. 200 West Thirty
fourth street. New York, in apartments
whose Oriental furnishings are dainty and
rich. She is beautiful and bewitching, as
thousands can testify who saw her as Polly
in Little Jack Shepard" in which she made
most decided hit last season. The critics
had a good deal to say about her stage attire.
which they thought very startling. She is
Just twenty-one. and her sbapely head is
crowned with wealth Of confused chestnut
ringlets Her eyes are hazel and shaded with
long sweeping lashes.
The story of the alleged trifing with her
affections is that when in the Jack Shepard
Company she met Mr.. Goodwin, who soon
loved her. and told her so, and promised to
marry her. He lived in the sunshine of her
love, and she had no thought of others than
Nat. They made trip to Europe together,
it is said Mrs. Goodwin died, and Nat
promised in the presence of numerous wit
nesses, as she claims, that Leila, the idol of
MS heart, she. and no other, should be his
wife: In letters also, it is alleged. the tickle
footlight favorite made the same protesta-
tons OF love and promises of marriage. The
fair Leila became ILL., Nat sent her West, it
is said, and paid all expenses, and they were
not small either.
But Nat did not marry her. He began to
cool in his affections soon after the death of
his wife, and at last let 60 his hold on the
aforesaid heartstrings and went back on all
his promises. Hence this suit. according to
the chroniclers who sympatnize with her.
Friends of Mr.. Goodwin on the Rialto, who
claim to know. say the idea is preposterous.
He Is quoted as saying that 1t is simply
scneme TO extort money from him. 1t is also
said that ne discharged the young woman
simply because she possessed no special mer-
It in the company and did not suit the piece.
Goodwin, they say, was most devoted and
loving husband. and it would have been i'm
possible for him to act thus, either before or
Just after his wife's death. He is now at St.
Paul. and, it is reported, says the suit is
brought Tor mere spite because he discharged
However that may be, he will have soon
TO appear In the by no means comedy role of
defendant In breach Of promise suit, and
some folks affirm It will take mighty fine
acting on his part to get around the contents
OF the amatory epistles which are now in the
hands Of Lawyer Hummel
Mr.. Hummel refused to allow World re-
porter to see any of the love letters, but it is
claimed that they are both loving and full
of promises of marriage. If SO, the reading
OF them in court will produce big sensation
as 1t is known that the writer is glowing
word painter under the proper impetus. Mr..
Hummel also says he can produce at least a
uV1Cu pcVplc VI uuuOuDteu pTODlty VINO VIII
swear they heard the defendant promise
again and again to marry the young lady as
soon after the death of his wife as the social
amenities would allow
An interesting phase of the proposed suit
was raised as to whether the promise of
marriage would be valid if made before the
death Of Mrs. Goodwin, but LAWYER Hum
mel proposes to prove that it was made af-
forwards as well as before that event.
The New York Herald in an editorial SAYS:
IF the theatrical breach of promise suit
comes to trial it will doubtless prove one of
the sensations of the season. The curious
feature of 1t Is that the promise is alleged to
have been made while the first wife was liv-
ing-t0 be fulfilled after her DEATH Some
contracts may be made conditional on a
future contingency. On the occurrence of
the specified event they become binding. and
may be enforced. Buta marriage agreement
"a promise made by married man to wed
another when his wife dies-can hardly be
classed in that category. The courts would
be very apt to look upon such an agreement
as contract against public policyand refuse
TO lend their aid to its enforcement"