The Portland daily press., 1894-04-07
THE BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.
Blake vs.. Robinson in the Superior
Court Yesterday.

The Plaintiffs Spirited Testimony
The Defendant on the Stand-All the
Witnesses Observation-Disclosures De-
elares that the Plaintiff Threatened to
Shoot Herself.
In the Superior court Yesterday morn
ing, before Judge Bonney was began the
breach of promise case of Arletta Blake
of Portland VS.. Edgar r. Robinson assist
ant bookkeeper of the Portland Star
Match company the plaintiff bringing
suit for $4,000, City Solicitor Champan
opened the case for the plaintiff. Her
sister Miss Lizzie Blake took the stand
and testified as to the engagement that
took place August 4th 1891 also that the
defendant fixed the date of the marriage
for the next May or June also that he
was in the habit of taking supper at the
house of the plaintiffs two or three
times a week They attended church to"
gether every Sunday. Her sister Arletta
had made all preparations for the
marriage except her wedding dress. She
testified that the engagement was broken
by letter from Robinson and during
the last call that he made When the
separation was definitely made her sister
was in tears but Robinson was as "cool
as could be-" He said: II we should
be married it would. kill ny mother. !"
She replied: You are killing my
mother" r
Cross-examined by d.. A. Meaher
counsel for the defendant she said that
her sister had been to an expense of $3.50
in preparation Tor the marriage. She
denied that she
Threatened to Kill the Defendant.
If he did not keep the engagement. She
sustained the ability of the plaintiff to
take charge of a house also that she IS
good cook. She said that the parties to
the engagement were good Christian
people and never went to dances of
places of amusement.
The plaintiff next took the stand. She
is a eomely, intelligent and spirited girl
of TWENTY-FIVE years OF age. She testified
that the engagement was made az the
wedding of a sister of the defendant
that BE then said to her: at is about
time we were married. She identified,
the engagement ring presented by Mr..
Chapman upon which is inscribed her
name and the date of engagement.
The next winter after the engagement
she went to the home of the defendants
mother to take care of her during Gan
illness.
The next April she went to live at the
mothers again THE first GOODNESS be-
tween her and the defendant took place
then. Evidently matters was not entire
ly pleasant between her and the defend-
ants mother who is an invalid. She
came down one Sunday morning feeling
cross-grained" and would not go to
church with defendant as was their
custom. She left for her home that day
During the next two weeks he did not
come to visit her as usual. She expected
him. At the end of two week they met
at young folks meeting" as the
church she having written a note asking
if he would sit in church with her. He
replied that he couldn't. He was at the
church and they took walk after the
meeting. He spoke of her conuuct in
leaving his mothers and said he thought
she took that way of getting rid of
him" that his mother also said SO. He
also said that he
Couldn't Marry Her.
She apologized for anything she
had done to offend him but he
wouldn't come half way" She said she
wouldn't take no for an answer that
night. She told him to take two days
to consider and come and tell her
definitely. He did not come. The only
reason he gave for breaking the engage
ment was that given above. She said
that had she wanted to get rid of him
she would have told him So.
The next she heard of him was the
fateful letter which Mr.. Chapman here
offered as evidence and read to the jury.
1t was dated May 18th. 1892. 1t began
with Dear Lettie" and continued to the
following effect? II will call you dear
shis once but God does not will that you
should be my dear any more. 1t almost
breaks my heart to write IN this way, but
you do not love me as woman ought to
love the man she marries. | never
huught boutsit IN til that Sunday that
you refused to go to church." Here the
name of God was invoked to consider
able extent in connection with the i'm
possibility of their being happy together.
81 am sorry, very sorry if l have
wronged you. l think it is Gods will.
Do not think TOO hardly of me or that I
have heart of stone or of lead. | loved
you as much as man could love
woman and love you now but if you
wait while you will find that you do
not love me- Do not think that l am
jealous. l thank you for being SO good
to mother" The letter continued to