The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-05-12
LETS BE SWEETHEARTS.
Anson County's Breach of Promise
Case-A Fair Plaintiff Sobs Aloud.

Case-A Fair Plaintiff Sobs Aloud.
WADEsBORo, n. c., May 5.-Long
before the hour of court to open this
morning people began to come into
town from all sections of the coun-
try, eager to hear the greatest sensa-
tional trial ever before the court of
Anson county-that of Miss Annie
Knots, who sues Mr.. t. J. Ingram
for $4,000 (instead of $4,000, as
reported) for breach of promise. By
the hour of opening court the court
house was crowded, even all available
standing room being taken.
Quite a number Ofladies came in to
.Sar the trial, and men were compell-
ed TO move out to give them room
Many believed and hoped that Miss
knotts would be the winner in the
suit, while Others believed and hoped
that Mr.. Ingram would win. There
was hardly a person in the court
house who did not hope that one or
the other would be victorious. The
case was opened at 9 O'Clock sharp,
by John HI. Bennett, counsel for the
defendant.
Miss Annie Knotts was the first to
go on the stand. She is twenty-six
years of age, rather tall, stylish, with
light hair and blue eyes-upon the
whole, what might be termed hand
some woman. She testified that Mr.
Ingram had gone to her home, near
Lilesville, July 18th, 1889, stayed all
night, and on Sunday following
July 14th) he carried her to Gum
Springs. abouo six miles distant, and
between her home and the church he
asked her who was her sweetheart,
to which she replied she had no
sweetheart. He then asked: "Where
is.the Baptist preacher, Pruit, and
Dobbs ?' She replied that they were
not her sweethearts, and he then
proposed to her that they be sweet
hearts; she thought he was joking
and Sic told him so. He told her he
was not Joking, and convinced her
that he was not.
He then asked her if she would
marry him in the fall, and insisted
upon an answer before reaching the
church. This, after being convinced
that he was in earnest about the
matter, she engaged herself to him
and they were to be married in the
fall. He told her that day that he
would come to see her again in Aug
ust. He also told her that he had
been there twice before to see her, but
had not had a chance to approach
her on the subject of marrying
He failed to come to see herin Aug
ust, according to promise, and after
this failure she began to fear that he
was going to prove false to her. She
visited her aunt, Mrs Ingram, moth
er of the defendant, in September fol
lowing, and she and Mr. Ingram
the defendant, went to the vineyard
alone. She reproached him for treat
ing her with neglect, and he still told
her he was in earnest and would
write her note; to watch the post
office for it, but the note never came
During the crOss-eXaminatiOn Miss
Knots was so overcome with grief
many times that she broke down
and sobbed aloud. All the witnesses
for tie plaintiff testified to her high
moral character and social stand
ng.
The defendant, when placed upon
the stand, testified that he had visit
ed Miss Knots and taken her to
church; had talked to her about be
ing sweethearts, but denied having
ever asked her to marry him; told
her they were too closely related to
marry, being double second cousins
Mr.. Ingram tried to hide from the
court what he was actually worth
said he supposed he was $4, 900 or
$4,000. 1t was shown by the tax
books that his property was assess
ed at SIS 900.