The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-17
Mayor Reynolds OFF,
ciated as Judge.
City Hall Was Crowded to Hear
the Proceedings.

For nearly two hours and . half last
evening crowd that filied every seat on
the floor ami In the galleries of City hal
were much amused with the great mock
trial which was given under the auspicsi
Of Bramhall lodge, Knights Of Pythias
The affair was by the far the most novel
one that has taken place In this city for 0
long time and IL can be truthfullv said
that there was not du II moment during
the entire proceedings, not from the time
that Deputy sheriff Clarence l.. Buck
nam who was tbs orier, and who con-
oluded his exhortation with the senti'
ment. "and may the widows Of Portland
be protected, down to the adjournment
of court without day.
The stage Of the hall had been fitted
out TO represented regular court room,
N desk being arranged for tns justice and
clerk and ssats being reserved for the
officers, witnesses and members OF the
jury. The justice was Mayor Edward g.
Reynolds of South Portland; the clerk,
Calvin E. Woodsids; sheriff Oren I. Des-
peaux performed his usual every day
duties as did Deputy Sheriff q. Buck
nam, and the jury consisted Of Gen. Wes'
ley q. Smith, foreman, Col. William h.
Kicker. Rev. Q. Everett Bean, Andrew
NJ. Heseltine. Clarence ID. Lane, John
Massure, George s. Atkins, Jacob Shiebe
Warren c. King, George Shear. all OF
Portland and Charles A. Moses Of West
brook.
than fhaaa
gentlemen were the plaintiff and defend
ant in this great breach OF promise case.
The plaintiff was Miss Harrietts l.. Pike
Of this city who took the part Of Mrs.
JsrushA Il. Perkins. a facinating widow.
The defendan was Mr.. John G. Sher-
man, a well known young man Of this
city.
Sheriff Despenux announcing the justice.
Then for the next few minutes the time
was occupied In calling tina docket of q
number of unimportant cases. some OF
which had little local application. This
was followed by the impanelling OF the
jury. These jurors bore some real big
names, such as Mckinley. Clevei and.
Hill, Reed, Littleteld, Allen, CIeaves,
Depew. Hanna. Frye and John l.. Sulli-
van. One Of the attorneys OF the case
strenuously objectsd to President McKin.
ley serving on the jury, on the ground
that the President was man Of good,
sound Judgment and that this would de-
AN opinion on such n subject as breach OF
promise. This objection was overruled
and then the case was at once started.
Col. A. v. Newton of Worcester. Mass.
the counsel for the plaintiff advance 70
the front with the greatest air Of dignity
and made his plea. He was followed by
q. b. Perry. also Of Worcester, who had
been retained as the counsel for the de-
PENDANT. Both OF these pleas were fine
efforts. In fact each of the attorneys
frequently descended from the sublime &c
the ridiculous. Col. Newton said that
after great elaboration the amount Of the
damages to bs asked for was only 1915
This very small amount, the attorney ex-
planned. was decided upon as an sxaui
nation had been made into the financial
condition OF Sherman and IL had been
found that this was all the money that
the defendant could possibly have after
all Of his bills had been paid.
Then the principals and witnesses were
sworn. Mrs. Perkins. Glad in her fnesi
and with q studied affeotation, wa,
ushersd to the stand by her counsel. In
sobbing terms she started out to tell how
sherman had won her heart and had Their
broke IL. 1t was the old tale of woe aud
Miss Pike surely acted her role splendid
ly. During her examination her lawyer
had occasion to interrupts her to ask O.
the jury how many of them were IN
married. At this every member OF the
Jury arose from their seats.
Hon. Fred Emery Became Of Hallowell
was the first witness to testify in behalf
Of the plaintiff, and he stated that upon
Perkins and Sherman when both Of them
wera acting rather affectionataly toward
each other. fisherman paid great atten.
ton to Mrs. Perkins," sald the Hal
lowell man, "but I think that this wa
the only thing that he ever paid"
Miss A. Louise Mcdonald. who was
sworn as Miss Grace Roseberry. gave
some pretty Important testimony. She
said that Sherman had also proposed to
her and that she had accepted him. He
wondered why she was Willing 10 have
such poor man Is he was; and to thii
Miss Rossbsrry replied that she always
din iiks bargains and that when he had
gone through the act of proposals. 10 her
he had looked 90 cheap that she oouldn'i
bear to refuse him. sherman had given