The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-27
JURY GIVES HARRISON
VERDICT FOR DAMAGES
He Is Awarded $4,000 in I.:s $4,000
Slander Suit Against Mrs.
Clarisa Ramsay.
CASE FAR FROM FINISHED
Defense Announces Appeal, and, IL
Necessary, Will Go to Supreme
Court-Ldtigation Which Has Stir
red Charles City Is Unique.

Especial to The Times -Dispatch1
CHARLES CITY COURTHOUSE, Oc-
tober 26.-Mrs. Clarisa Sears Ramsay,
owner OF the famous Westover plan
tation, must pay Hugh T. Harrison,
scion of one OF the oldest Yireinia
families. the sum of s25oO to compen-
safe him for insulting words conveyed
to him IN letter written by her on
August 12. 1913. This decision was
reached this afternoon by a Jury of
farmers in the Charles City Circuit
Court where for the better part of i
week the $4,000 slander suit has baen
or trial.
It took the jury three hours and a
half TO reach verdict. Three times
IL reported that no decision could ne
reached, but each time Judge r. Gar
diner Tier sent the jurymen back 10
consde" further. When the verdict wa
announced shortly after o'clock, Nor
vell L. Henley. for the defense. moved
to set the verdict aside as being con-
trary 10 the law and evidence. Judge
Tyler gave ninety days in which 20
prepare the papers. Should he then
render an adverse decision, the case
VIII be carried to the Supreme Court
Of Appeals of Virginia
SUIT STANDS UNIQUE
--~-IN ANNALS OF STATE
INC SUIT mas oeen ono OF the most i'm =
portant ever tried in Charles CITY
County, and is unique in the annals Of
the state. 1t is the first time in this
state that man has sued n woman for
an insult, and should the verdict stand,
1t Will establish n precedent in vir-
ginia The suit was brought under the
provisions of the old antiduelling act.
designed to prevent breach OF tho
peace. and this ancient law probably
will be revised in many cases where
insulting language has been used The
law provides that punitive damages
may be assessed.
When court convened yesterday
morning, the little courthouse was
crowded with interested Spectators.
Judge Tyler again read the instructions
TO the jury, and charged 1T to use care
and Judgment in finding an unbiased
verdict. He eXpounded the law for the
benefit of the twelve men, and then
sent them out to consider the case.
The trial of the suit began on Tues
day, and the evidence was finished OH
Friday Arguments of counsel were
heard by the jury on Saturday, but be-
cause of the late hour when they were
finished, the jury was permitted to
return home over Sunday.
Hugh T. Harrison, the plaintiff,
charged that Mrs. Ramsay had written
him letter In which she used Language
which was calculated to cause q breach
OF the peace, and that these insulting
and malicious statements were sent to
number of public officials. both State
and national All the written words,
tho plaintiff averred, were such. as,
from their common acceptance, are con-
strued as insults. and tend to violence
and breach of the peace.
On the stand, Mr.. Harrison testified
that the letter was the elimination of
series of insults. The trouble had
originated after he had gone to West
over in the summer OF 1911. as the
guest of Mrs. Ramsay during her alb
sence in Europe.
The defense attempted to prove that
the letter was n privileged communica-
tion and that the language was justi-
fed
CHARLES CITY SOCIETY
IS AROUSED OVER CASE
Charles City society was aroused
over the case and IT has been the chief
topic of conversation for months on ac-
count of the prominence OF the princi-
l.als.
Mr.. Harrison. the plaintiff, is n de.
scendant of the family which has pro-
duced two Presidents OF the United
States William Henry Harrison and
10y