The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-16
Mr.. ROBERTS LOVE LETTERS.
SPOKE OF FEELING LIKE "a p
YEAR-OLD IN A RYE PATCH


the Marriage Was FiKed-sevcraI
of the Defendants Expressive
Love Letters Head in COurt-Mrs.
Carson Comes From Famous Vir-
gInia Ancestry-TriaI to he Con-
tinued To-day.
There has not been more interesting
| proceeding in court in sometime than the
trial now in progress in the United States
court of the suit of Mrs. Charlotte b.
Carson Of Auburn, Ala, against Mr.. Will
lam Roberts. Sr., of Valdosta in which
she asks $4,000 damages for breach OF
promise.
Judge Speer's court room was an at
! tractive place to many yesterday when
the proceedings began. Among the spec.
tators were several ladies, some of them
northern visitors, who are here for a short
while only. All of them were greatly in
| terested in the testimony, which. in many
particulars, was most amusing, and, on
one or two occasions, the court had to
suppress the laughter that was produced.
But it was the letters from the defend
ant to the plaintiff that were responsible
for most of the merrlment. Mr. Roberts
is a gentleman of about 6s years, but mis-
love letters, nevertheless, bore the stamp
of youth. There were smiles audible, and
smiles behind fans, when some of those
present heard statements read from the
letters, which no doubt recalled to them
recollections of somewhat younger days.
Both the plaintiff and defendant were
in court with their counsel. Mrs. Carson
I 10 a han md
| perhaps in middle life, though youngeD in
! appearance, and. as was shown, is highly
connected with prominent Virginia an
cestry. The bearing of the defendant,
though dignihed, is far younger than his
years He is a gentleman who is WELL
known in Savannah, as well as in the Sec
ton where he lives, and, as stated, was
two years ago the state senator from his
senatorial district. The plaintiff was rep
resented by Judge Allen Fort of Americas
and Mr.. Marion Erwin of Macon, while
Hon. +. G. duBignon appeared for the
defense
In beginning the proceedings, Mr. du-
Bignon moved to continue the case on ac-
count of the absence of Mr.. Roberts old
est daughter, she being the one who OBJ
| Jected to the marriage. Judge Speer over
ruled the motion on the ground that Mr.
Roberts himself was the best witness as
to the facts to have been proved by his
daughter, and on the further ground that
her evidence could have been taken by
interrogatories.
Mrs. Carson was then put on the stand
as the first witness, ana she was the only
witness during the days proceedings.
Il was born in Stafford county, Virginia,
Mrs. Carson said, in reply to the inter-
rogatories of Mr.. Marion Erwin. My
! Go u
niece of Chief Justice Marshall of the
United States supreme court. My
husbands name was ]. p. Car
son. who belonged to the con-
federate service, having served under
Gen. John b. Gordon. He was the cap
tain of Gen. Gordons sharpshooters and
commanded the memorable assault which
captured Fort Stedman when Grant was
closing around Lee at Petersburg. He
died in 1889
Il met William Roberts, ST., about the
first of November, 1891, at Cordele. He
had been recommended to me by his
friends, and 1 was solicited to receive a
visit from him. On his first visit he con-
WINGED me of his intentions. He made
three or four visits and then wrote to
me between times"
Then Mr. Erwin rendered in evidence
fifteen letters extending over the period
from Nov. %, 1894 to April 80, 1885, writ
ten by the defendant to the plaintiff, and
also photograph of Mr. Roberts, which
she said had been gwen to her by a
friend of hers i'll CoTdele, who was aid
ing in arranging the match. Mr.. Erwin
read several of the letters to the jury.
All of the letters abounded in strong eX-
pressions of love and affection, and show
ed practically that he had not received
any definite answer from her, until after
he had written repeated letters pressing
her to accept him and made his second
visit time agreed hpfWRaQ
them that the marriage should take place
some time in February. The letters in-
Dictated also that while Mr.. Roberts sta
ted some of his children had objected to
| the marriage, he had made up his mind
| to marry her in spite of their objections.
In one of his letters he said he longed
| for the time when he could take her to
| his arms and fold her to his loving BOSOM
At another time in writing her of his love
and affection, he spoke of a wedding that
was to take place near his home, which
he was to attend, and when he thought of
her he said he would feel as Bill Arp had
| expressed 1t, like a 2-year old in a rye
| patch
lie was frequently in the habit of put
| ting Biblical quotations I'm his letters, and
in that of April 30. 1895 written ten days
before his marriage with Miss Jessie j. |
Cook of Boston, Ga, he quoted the ia |
nous conversation between Christ and |
the apostle Peter, who, when Christ asked, |
'HDost thou love me, Peter?" replied, |
YEA, Lord thou knowest that / love |
| thee" His comparative reference follow !
ed in the assertion that it was not neces- |
sary for he and the plaintiff to ask each |
other this question, for each knew of the |
others strong and enduring love. After |
the reading of some OF the letters Mrs |
Carson was again questioned.
HE professed to be very much in love" |
Mrs. Carson said when her testimony was |
resumed. land after the second visit |
wished to marry me Immediately as soon |
as we could appoint a day. and / agreed |
to marry him, and February was appoint |
ed as a time. lie said his children object |
ed to his marrying any one. but that they |
had no personal objections to me. that he |
would not regard their objections. and he |
wished to know of me If | would regard |
my chidren's opposition, and I told him |
that my children were too sensible to put |
in any objection TO anything l might dc. |
They had confidence enough In my judg-
ment to let me do as | pleased.
ION the occasion of his second visit the |