Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-28

Unique Dreach-oEPrOmise suit In
Brooklyn Court.


brooklyn Court.
HERALD
This time it is not a pretty, vivacious
girl suing for breach Of promise Of
marriage, but man, and he, too, half q
century old. The man in the present
case is Henry l.. Mugford, who has lived
thirty years in Kings county, and is in
the commission business. Mr.. Mugford
is seeking balm for his mortified feel
ings, and wants $4,000. The summons
and complaint we're filed with County
Clerk Rankin, in Brooklyn. yesterday.
The complaint is a short document,
covering a page and half. The alega-
tons are that Jane Norrby agreed ia
March Of the present year to marry him,
aud the ceremony was to have been per-
formed on April 4th last. She has
broken the promise and has refused and
still refuses to fulfil it. Like Barkis, Mr..
Mugford is willing to carry ont the con-
tract. These are all the particulars con-
tanned in the complaint, with the one ex-
ception that the plaintiff demands iudg-
ment in 80 600.
Mr.. Mugford's address is given in the
Directory as No. 1Q&..E Eleventh street,
South Brooklyn. AtISbrter called there
yesterday afternoon. In answer to his
summons a young woman carrying
baby in her arms shortly appeared.
q don't know precisely where Mr..
Mugiord has moved to, " she said. "He
did live here, but sold the house. l
think he lives at No. 224 Prospect ave-
me. Yes, [ heard he was suing some
girl, but don't know anything In addi-
ton"
Search was made for Mr.. Mugford on
Prospect avenue, but the venerable liti-
CANT and wooer could not be located.
His nephew, John II. Mugford, is COM
mission merchant doing business at No.
- Whitehall street, this city.
Mr.. MuQford, the one who sues, is
stout, of medium height, and has short
cropped whiskers. he formerly dealt in
hops and malt on Broad street.
THE FAIR DEFENDANT.
Mrs. James Norrby, the defendant in
the suit, is a spriehtlv, dark haired, dark
eyed woman, rather stout, with heavy
features and somewhat prominent teeth.
Thobh not possessed Of much book
learning" she is intelligent and rather
attractive in manner. Her appearance
would Indicate that she is about forty
years Old, but this estimate may err.
Mrs. Norrby, who Is the widow OF
former janitor of the Long Island His
torical Society, has pretty little daugh-
ter Of seven years ami resides with her
child in tWo-story-an and basement house
at No. 81 Second street, South Brook
lyn. Her husband, TO whom she was
deyotedly attached, eXacted, she says, q
promise from her that she would never
marry any one unless he was IN posi-
ton to support her well To their
daughter he left the house, his wife hay
ing the privilege of living in It. de
also left her small amount OF money,
and 10y going out and working she was
enabled to get along very nicely.
In the neat little parlor of the widows
home hangs full-szed portrait Of her
dead husband, to whom, IN conversation
with q reporter last evening, she referred
in terms Of affection and with tear-be-
dewed checks.
MRS. NoRRBY's STORY.
Her story was that about two months
AGO she became acquainted with Mr..
Mugford who had lived with his daugh-
ter. in Eleventh street, since the death
Of his wife niue years ago. Recently he
had been living in a top fiat at No. 2l8
Prospect avenue. He is not she said,
engaged in any business OF the cir
cumstances attending their first ac-
quaintance Mrs. Norrby declined to
have anything to say. But be that as it
may, a mutual affection sprung up be-
tween them, and she had believed that
he loved her sincerely. As a result Of
their mountaineering an engagement
ensued, and they were to have been
married on April 4th.
Then came the cloud which blighted
the summer Of seeming content. She
learned from papers and documents
which she had seen at his house that she
had been deceived with regard 10 the
age Of her intended husband.
TEN YEARS TOO OLD.
She had been led to believe that no
was only fifty years of age, whereas she
discovered that he was sixty years old.
Being only forty years old herself, she
had promised that she would not marry
man who was more than ten years older
than herself. She also realized, she said,
that he had no means, and she extracted
from him the information that he had
not been earning bis expenses.
Then it was that she broke off the en-
gagement of marriage. In answer 10
letter which she sent him he called at
her house o couple OF weeks ago and
tried to explain matters. Subsequently
she wrote him q letter, ID which She said
among other things:
81 shall not, ought not, and | will
not see YOU again until you can come
and see me and say Mrs. Norrby,
forget all the old relations and see you
as a friend only Don't think too
harshly of this letter. As you are so
persistent and will not take no for an an
swer as you should, therefore you leave
me no other way than to be so very
plain"
In his answer, Mr.. Muglord, Mrs.
Norrby says, wrote: 81 intend to bleed
you to the very quick. II you ever dare
to marry any man | shall find you out
and blacken your character 30 that the
man of your choice will have very little
enjoyment of your charms"
To this note, which she says she sent
back to him, she replied briefly that he
Il, 70, 40
him any harm.
As to the widower recovering any Pc
cuniary damages from her in his suit
she regarded that as simply absurd, the
little property being in her child's name.
PnsfnI Advancement with Canada.