Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-12
BREACH OF PROMISE.
THE IDLER DISCUSSES THE NAT
TER IN A LEGAL WAY.
WARNING WORDS TO WOMEN.
They Are Not the Only Ones VINO
Can Resort to Litigation-How 10
Prove Your Case-A Certain way to
Make Your wife Very Angry.

As marriages and courtships will con-
tinue as long as there are men and wo-
men and preachers. and the money ne
cessary to pay incidental expenses
think it would be well for some philan-
thropist like myself TO publicly discuss
this matter for the good OF humanity
The recent announcement through lhe
press that a nice young man from fhlla-
delphia was suing an equally nice youne
lady for breach of promise lnpeis ny
TO give particular attention TO cases 81
mis- sort And so my subject shall be
along these lines-these broken, lriesuia'
lines that involve tears and wrath. anu
abuse and anger. and surrendered Je~Vl
~ and regrets for bonbons ana otHei
luz.uries consumed in the use.
In the case of the Quaker CITY rover
there are some unusual features Inc
girl-we will presume in the cnarlty %
our hearts that she is girl 'hough tle
evidence on this point Is oouptiui-"a'
so anxious for her fellow thal she I'm
| iqed To give him 500 If he would wed her'
Tbis beit was sufficient to catch the
anorous nibbler, especially as ne, Ike
| Rarxis appeared 10 be "willin " anyhow
| Rut when the time came the woman
| hacked out got balky and IN most ue
termined tones declined to pass uhoer 'Ie
matrimonial yoke. Hence the htisauVh.
| II is my painful duty. in view Oh TINS
case and other information ! nave edi
nered. TO inform the more frivolous anu
| trining sex that suits for breach-oi-
! nrornise are by no means confined as
| hahn FOR wounded hearts to aSBileNeu
| females. The man who has been spuih-
| ed and thrown over has equal rlBhls ia
the eyes Of the law. lie, too can p-ihs
! suit for breach Of promise, ana can
pour into the twenty-four ears Oh jury VI
twelve the pathetic story OF MS ulsap-
nointment. Indeed. the young fhliauel-
nbian Who now mourns as a turtie-doVe
FOR its mate. asserts that the disgrace
humiliation. pain. and anxiety, when ne
suffered has been something beyond COM
prehension." While his woes are mex
pressible-at least so far as hard' cold
words are concerned, he thinks y2'Ov III
damages would serve at least IN par Z,
10 heal up the sores caused by the grand
bounce" he got.
A promise to marry, in the eyes or the
law Is a purely civil contract-that is 10
say, the courts regard such an engage
ment with the same Indifferent callous-
ness that they would view the negotiations
for a bushel Of onions or the purchase oil d
Smithfield ham. To be binding, the con
tract TO marry, must he entered INTO py
competent parties"-that is to say
neither of the parties must be crazy Cas
they too often are) or under compulslon'
or infants. BY infants ! do not near
the pudding faced, bald-headed. domi'
neering. sef-impOrtant youngsters VINO
keep us awake these cold nights, but any
persons under p years of age For III
stance. a hopeful youth Of -, VINO sWear'
- that he will marry you ana become
great man, may after SOBER rehectiOl
and more extensive experience change ms
a mind and wriggle out Of your clutches.
But IL It il his misfortune to be over Il
q and to find that you are not SO deslra
. ble az he had imagined, you can jerk MIN
IN before n Jury and get damages, a
least YOU can get damages If you ar
pretty and know how TO cry at the rlsh
time and TO appear innocent
!. As have said before, the breach-oi
promise suit is a privilege, not ohiy Z
women. but also, of men. The woman
however. is no more bound than the mar
If she is an infant--i. e., under q years
q age. This strikes me as an injustice
for whoever heard Of counting WOmd
who would confess TO being over q?
The eminent authority from whom l d
rive this liberal store Of informauo
l. which 1 am disseminating has much
, GOV on the way YOU can prove your cas-
to be in writing. although much INK
usually expended in reiterating the term
~ such agreements. And II is well e
tablished that the offer need not De ma
I'm formal language-indeed, my own e
perience has been that you never 40 ;
n OF the little speech you prepare pelol
49, hand. No allusion is made 70 the osC
- latory frils which generally accoil II,s.,
the acceptance OF the proposluon' w Il.
tbev odd zest. they are not required
C. tow OF course. there must be mutus
C. tt,-+vyo souls with but single thougI
,vro hearts which exhibit unity Oh pail
taton. ,o,a1
AZ counting couples do not genera
can I'm all the neighbors, friends ana
lotiyes when they are about 10 coiilSu
r,ote q IDEAL" the law is very coy In l
matter Of the evidence II prescrlpeS.
at docs not require positive testimony ds
tbe nrecise time. language, or manner
to tbe nromise-indeed. IT presumes VI
- 90 no Witnesses. It allows
rd Y-or,isa To be inferred. and the jury c
y, draw its conclusions from the hulhl
or visits. the presents eXcnahseu, VIC .
derstanding of friends ana lelauNS
purchase Of trousseaus' ana .le -,
Tbe mere possession Of WeuuiHs
vs. NJ a., itself a corroboraton OF a p
4. IL of marriage; you've got 10 Id
'c' Nar,o+bina else TO back up the lniereh
49, neiobbors. who have investlga
re whole affair, would make sooa
reeses for they generally post theiliSSi
s, &c thoroughly as possible on your ~
ness.
'ep After you've made tbs promise ~ y p
-, late TO back out, unless you -, c1 I,
~ shade the other party TO
IL dissolution Of the engagement; .,,,
or The law presumes that tIe tio 81,
- will be performed in reasoi'.l n,, are ="
81. mon request. OF course IL -,
man and are Only making u W.
y,iu he allowed an oppor'unrE IN,
VS. ,'our boss for a raise. ana Will VI a.
bo permitted to hold of unul Ie ., 80
pes DJ MI DO. When the promise - *
vi md no particular time Is set II ~
20, 49, that the defendant was reiilln
nth ~ engagement, though any se'
~ bint from the lady VIII sulhce'
ar - l',d nrovision is made for the mouS
>. ~, cox which hates TO spehu
-ds' OF Una. tbev are not required 70 &C
ola iiono' and demand TO be welded. 4
.lue rIsns " ,ittle tricks will suffice ana
OF M 80 no tricks, they can rem
.62, ~ recalcitrant lovers Of the ensa
~, through the medium OF third
. ~ 4 father or brother wan d 81
81 e REGARDED as a sufficient hint
Y rte question Of damages Is one ior
h 49,, a. decide. l rather suspect
Y couldn't hope for much' unless =
Rem 10 immense expense, thoueh &c
SIMS have sometimes been ueclSs5 .
. glue with which to repair sh'''S'