The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-12-24
WIDOW SUES CLINTON MAN.
Jacksonville Woman Demands Dam
ages of M. S. Bailey, Alleging
Breach Of Marriage Promise.
News and Courier.

In the office Of the clerk OF the
United States circuit court, 4th cir
cult, district Of South Carolina, was
filed Yesterday afternoon the COM
plant in the case Of Phena II. Love,
of Jacksonville, Fla, plaintiff, against
Mercer S. Bailey, Of Clinton, 5. w.
in suit for damages for alleged
breach of promise of marriage co1-
tract, at which the damages are laid
at Sl5O,OO0. In the amount involved
and in the prominence Of the parties
this suit is of larger interest than any
of the kind ever before brought IN
this part of the country.
Tie complaint, which is printed be-
low. states the salient facts OF the
case from the plaintiffs point OF
view. ct will be seen that the alleg-
ed courtship and engagement be-
tween the plaintiff and defendant
dates from the 18th Of August,
1901; and began in the mountains OF
North Carolina. Mrs: Love will be
remembered by hundreds of persons
throughout South Carolina as the
former landlady Of the Blue Ridge
Inn in Hendersonville, n. c.
Mrs. Love is a woman said to be
somewhere about 50 years OF age and
is a widow. She is woman OF eul-
tivation, excellent manners and pres
ence, and enjoys the friendship and
respect Of many of the leading peo-
ple in the church and civil life OF
Jacksonville, and has prominent
friends in Charleston.
The plaintiff, MI. Bailey, who has
been a widower for fifteen or tWen-
tv wears, IS one Of the best known
men in the commercial and industrial
circles Of South Carolina. For per-
shaps forty years he has conducted a
yhiehly successful private banking
Business in the town of Clinton, Lau-
rens county. About eleven years ago
heestablished the Clinton Cotton
Mills, plant having $4,000 splndles,
and which has had a uniformly sue
cessful history, paying for the last
seven or eight years good dividends.
Later one of his sons established in
tae suburbs Of Clinton the Lydia Cot
ton Mill. with $1,000 spindles, and
in this, too, Mr.. Bailey is said to be
lheavily interested. It is also high
h prosperous company. Besides his
me appears at the head Of one OF
large mercantile houses OF Cln-
The popular understanding Is
the Bailey family, composed of
Bailey and his sons, own the
ing interest in these mills and
large owners of lands, hous-
kther properties. Mr.. Bailey
Enere between IS and 70
age, and is prominent in re-
and other activities Of life in
On. The Bailey family wealth is
eAmated in current opinion as ag-
grsgating s5oO,ooo and upwards.
What the trial Of the case will de-
velop cannot be anticipated, but the
allegations of the complaint, especial
ly that relating to the engagement
ring as an evidence in the case, leads
to the assumption that in the course
of the litigation an intensely interest
ing remaAce will be revealed. The
hotel in Hendersonville, which Mrs.
Love managed, is said to have been
the property at one tine Of Mr.. Bail
4y, and the large acquaintance when
Mrs. Love gained by reason Of her
connection with tnat establishment,
gether with the alleged wealth and
aniing of the defendant, promises
cause every successive step in the
lgatlol 1naugurated yesterday 10
watched with the keenest interest
roughout the South Atlantic States.
The complaint follows:
C!,ar VIXEN the time for the per-
l:n~e Of said marriage approach
wit about tie - day of Sep
er. 1901, the defendant, because
affliction in the family Of said
!a..t- requested the plaintiff to
ne the said marriage; the
f thereto agreed and consent
thc pos1ponemeut at the de-
: insistence, and thereafter
ne to time the said marriage
Instance of the defendant was
Id so that on the 26th day Of