The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-07
AS MATRIMONIAL AGENT.
A Bowdoinham Mans Claim Allowed in
Part by Jury.

| Part by a Jury.
In the Superior court at Augusta We'd
nesday was heard case of a kind new
to he history of the court. 1t was the
| suit of benjamin P. Philbrick, of Mt
i Vernon, against VIM. F. Riggs, of Bow
i doinham, for so for services in securing
/ the defendant wife. The plaintiff testi-
fed that in May, 1896, he entered into a
contract with Riggs at Bowdoinham to
nrocure him wife. Riggs said at the
time.that he was lonesome and wanted a
middle aged, rather small, good looking,
stylish woman, SO that if anything hap.
pened he could take her under his arm
and run with her.
| Philbrick said he did much running
about to find woman for the old man,
who had given him picture of himself
to show to the candidates for wifehood.
The witness negotiated with woman in
Waterville but that fell through. FINALLY
Mrs. Ellen Hadley of Belgrade decided to
accept the offer and went to Bowdolnham
with Philbrick one Saturday in August,
1896. She stayed at the Riggs house
until the following Monday when she re-
turned home and this was the end of the
matter.
eThe letter which the aged sutton wrote
to PhiIbrick just before Mrs. adley
visited him was introduced of which the
following is portion.
sssThe old saying is that patient wait
er is no loser, and the lady you have IN
view, you appear 10 think, is just what
l need for a housekeeper or companion.
I would be pleased to meet with her II
she thinks favorable now. IT she would
take the trouble to come down to my
place and stop few days would be glad
to wait on her and she would have q
chance to see for herself. guarantee
there will be no harm come from our
meeting together, providing it don't go
any farther and I can meet her at the
depot, if you will tell me when she is
coming. would like to have her come
quite soon, this week, if possible
Charles E. Philbrick, of Bowdoinham,
son Of the plaintiff, and Clarence Ham,
mond, of Mt. Vernon, testified to being
present and having talk with the plain
tiff made the contract with the defendant
to find him wife.
Mr.. Riggs took the stand. He is man
70 years old and a well-to-do farmer. He
denied having had any talk with Phil
| brick about getting a wife. 1t WAS
housekeeper thatP hilbrick was to procure
for him, the wife part being an after
consideration. 81 told Philbrick that l
wouldn't begrudge pair of my steers II
1 had az good wife as the one Loot.
told him to show her up if he had any.
thing he thought would suit. He asked
me for my picture. After she came, he
asked me how liked her and I replied,
Well enough.
On cross-examination. Riggs was tart
in his replies. IT was married again last
spring." he said. II was foolish when
1 talked with Philbrick. have got
wife, no thanks to him. I wasn't satisfied
with Mrs. Hadley because she didn't do
as she agreed. She agreed to come back
but didn't. told him I wanted mid
dle-aged woman, one who would take
care of me in my dotage. never told
Philbrick I'd pay him. He never asked
me personally for pay. If he had come
down like man for pay. I'd have given
him few dollars"
w. H. Fisher, of Augusta, was
counsel for. the plaintiff, and John Scott,
of Bath, for the defendant.
The jury gave verdict for the plain
tiff for S23.