The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-03-24
THE FAMOUS BREACH or PROM
lSE SUIT

cussed breach of promise suit that
has been on the tongue of everyone
for the past month or more, was tried
before Judge Robert A. Burford at
the Temple theater Monday night.
The court room was packed and JAM
med with friends of both the defend
ant and plaintiff, who were most anx-
ious to be present during the interest
ing court proceedings. The crowd as
sembled early, as no one wished to-
miss particle of the evidence, pro or
con.
The stage had been converted into
perfect court room and from the
moment court convened to the final
drop of the curtain the interest was
intense. The judge presided with un-
usual dignity and was attended by his
clerk, sheriff and deputy sheriff.
There were several cases on the
docket before the breach of promise.
case. Mr.. Marcus Frank was tried
for selling undressed kids. Mr.. o. B.
Howse was tried for over-exertion,
and Mr. Harry Palmer and others
were tried for smaller misdemeanors.
They all waived trial, and the sentenc-
es pronounced on them by the Judge
were great, and convulsed the audi
ence with laughter.
The jury to try the great case of
the evening was then impanelled, and
included twelve of the most prominent
citizens of Ocala. The jurors were
accepted without challenge, and the
case went to trial.
After an impassioned appeal to the
jury by Col. A. v. Newton of Massa-
chusetts, setting forth the laceration
of the affections of his fair client at
the hands of the gay deceiver, said
client was called to the stand, and in
a most aggrieved and subdued manner
the bewitching and imposed-upon
young widow, Jerusha jenkins Miss
! Alice Bullock) gave her testimony. At
the trial she wore a pretty white lin
en- frock, becoming hat and carried
blue bag. The recital of her wrongs
almost brought tears to the eyes of
the audience, and very wroth were
they against DR.. Beck, the defendant,
who was in terrible state of nervous
ness during the evidence against him,
advanced by the widow, and it was
| with difficulty that he was revived.
DR.. Beck was represented by the
Hon. W. X. Zewadski, who made a
most fervid and eloquent plea for his
popular but hapless client.
The witnesses were called on in
regular order, were put under oath,
and gave their testimony unfaltering-
ly, and could not be tripped up by the
most rigid cross examination. Mr.. A.
E. Gerig, Miss Betty Wray McIver and
Dr. Walter Hood were the witnesses
for the plaintiff
The defendant, DR.. Alfred Beck,
was then put up in his own defense.
He told story of being really and
truly in love with Miss Jerusha Ray
Perkins, and not Mrs. Jerusha Rug
Perkins, her aunt, but that he had
found it necessary to court the aunt
all of one night in order to enjoy his
courtship of the niece the next, the
aunt having to rest the second night.
That the love letters the plaintiff had
put in evidence, were intended for the
niece and not the aunt, who had inter-
cepted them. The utter disregard that
| he evinced of the tender feelings of
the fair sex, and especially of suscep-
tible widows, made a very unfayorable
| impression upon the jury.
Miss Perkins, Miss Alta Pearson),
the pretty young fiance of DIR. Beck,
who was faithful to her lover all
through his trying ordeal, gave some
very splendid evidence in his de-
Tense, which was most damaging to
the widow, as did also his friend, Mr..
Clifford L. Anderson.
| Upon the conclusion of the testi-
mony of the various witnesses, Mr..
Newton made another impassioned
appeal to the jury in behalf of his eli
ent. He was followed by Col. Zewad-
ski, who plead most eloquently for his
client, reviewing the testimony in a
splendid manner.
The jury then retired and after a
short deliberation brought in verdict
of guilty. He was fined an enormous
amount-most of which went to the
jury. So in this manner ended one of
the most talked-of scandals in the so
cial history of Ocala.
Everybody present at the trial was
delighted with the case and its out
come, and the trial will net splendid
sum to the Auxiliary Board of the
Marion county hospital for their char
ity ward.