The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-03
WON SUIT
AND BRIDE.
Lawyer BeckWith Was
DOubly Fortunate.
MISS FOLSOM ACCUSED
BY Miss Taylor of Telling SANDER
Gus StOri:s of Her.
DEFENDANT WILL SOON MARRY.

Springfield. Mass, Dec. "a strange
case at law which has long kept Spring
field society talking, was tried before the
superior court yesterday. the spectators
being almost entirely women of the smart
set. The plaintiff was Miss Minnie NJ
Taylor, the pretty and stylish daughter
Of Francis W. Taylor Of 90 High street.
aud the defendant was Miss Mary L.
Folsom, daughter of Representative A.
II. Folsom.
Miss Folsom placed her defense in the
hands of Lawyer G. II. Beckwitn, and it
was rumored that the Understanding ex-
isting between them would assume the
form OF an engagement TO marry If the
lawyer won the suit.
Both women are members OF DIR. Philip
S. Moxom's fashionable South church,
and the minister was the most important
witness for Miss Taylor The plaintiffs
declaration was based upon statements
which Miss Folsom is said to have made
year ago To the Rev. DIR. Moxom. The
minister alleged that Miss Folsom had
circulated the story that Miss Taylor
dresses in striking manner TO attract tho
attention of men, that she met men in
the street, and Furthermore that she was
an epileptic.
The two girls. who live nearly opposite
each other, were once on very friendly
terms until stories, supposed to have
originated with Miss Folsom. were told
about Miss Tayler= Miss -Iayfer,s- s-par.
ents forbade her tn continue her acquaibt-
ance with Miss Folsom In 1892, and from
that time to the present the girls have
not spoken, although they have been
members of the same Sunday school
class.
Miss Taylor ties fed that the storles,to d
ls..A n -
nervous prostration, and after Miss Fol-
som had refused TO retract her statements
she began legal proceedings as her only
means of relief.
When the suit was brought Miss Emily
Winters, teacher Of the Sunday School
class of which the girls were members,
tried to bring about n reconciliation, but
her efforts were In vain. She said Miss
Taylor refused to see her about the mat.
ter, although Miss Folsom was anxious to
make amends
The Rev DIR. Moxom explained To the
court that IL was prolsble be would not
be able 70 recall all Miss Folsom had
said TO him about Miss Taylor as he
loathed scandal and tried to forget all the
gossip he heard. He recalled that Miss
Folsom told him that Miss Taylor dressed
strikingly, and possibly might have said
she did 10 TO attract the attention of men,
but he was very sure Miss Folsom never
ssilu MISS lhNloT Wus " Duu RlTI
DIR. Moxom said he had told the story
to r.em bers of his family at the table. but
could not understand how 1t had gained
such publicity.
DIR. Moxom's son Howard, VINO ohanced
to overhear part of the conversation,
which Miss Folsom had bad with his
father, testified that he could not recall
having heard men mentioned, AMI Miss
Winters was very sure that she had never
told anybody that Miss Folsum's stori eS
were ''perfectly dreadful. F"
Miss Taylor testified that the statements
made by Miss Folsom were absolutely
false. and legal techncalities prevented
her from telling what she thought of Miss
Folsom, although she started along that
line After the evidence for the plaintiff
was all in Justice Bond said to the jury
Counsel for the plaintiff having closed
his case, 10 seems To me that l ought 10
rule as n matter of law that the Jlaintiff
has not made out her case Therefore YOU
will return verdict for the defendant. +"