Putnam patriot., 1917-01-12
BREACH OF PROMISE
Jury Awards Mary Longo s675 Heart
Balm
When Defendant Raised Mustache Re-
Iations Became Strained


Killingly, who is plaintiff in a breach
of promise suit, and Leo Peters of
Moosup, had their first little lovers
quarrel, but according to Mary the
only result was period Of sulkiness
on the part of her intended husband.
1t was noted thut the defendant was
clean shaven but that niue out of the
twelve jurymen wore hair lip.eover-
ings ol various styles aud haes.
The case was begun before Judge
Milton "a. Shumway aud jury in the
superior court at Putnam Wednesday
morning. Plaintiff asks for $1,000
heart balm.
Miss Longo, pretty Italian girl
with black hair and snappy black
eyes, was becomingly gowned in a
brown velvet uress, which she pur-
chased us part of her rousseau, with
shoes to match and a white broad
brimmed hat sporting a little varied
hued bird as an ornament on the right
side She is graduate OF the Daniel
son parochial schools and made an In
telligent witness, although speaking
with a slight foreign accent.
She told the jury that she became
acquainted with the defendant, a
short stocky young Italian laborer, in
1909. She was in her fathers fruit
store in Danielson at the time and was
but Is years old. Her sutton was six
years her senior.
He first mentioned marriage in a
letter he wrote her shortly after they
became acquainted. He told her in
this letter that he could not keep still
any longer that he loved her and hoped
to marry her.
She answered that she was willing
TO accept his attentions and was will
ling TO marry him, some day.
She said he called on her every
night. He wished te better his posi-
ton and she taught lin reading,
spelling and writing in the English
language and from laborer with a
railroad section gang he became a
foreman. He took her out some and
they exchanged presents. He spoke
/, of marriage once or twice and she told
him he would have to see her folks as,
according to the Italian custom, the
parents arrange marriage.
Her parents told him she was too
young TO marry and tlat he would
have to wait three :, cars AT The end
of thst period he told them that he
had waited three years and that now
they would have To wait three years.
This was satisfactory. In 1915 the
matter was again spoken of and De-
cember was suggested This was Adj
vent and no weddings would be per-
formed by the church 50 January was
selected rs the month. She gave up
her position us head gifl in laundry
and prepared her wedding outfit at an
expense of $3.50.
liz the meantime defendant had
gone to visit his relatives in Italy and
lIUul tHSic Wiotc COliCcihtbs thc tiidi
riage. When he returned he went TO
work in Moosup but came TO call Sun
days and holidays.
He left one evening in January and
did not call as usual for several weeks
so her mother went to find out what
the trouble was. AS a result of thai
visit plaintiff wrote him letter. He
returned the letter and on the back he
wrote requesting that she leave him
alone.
She was sick as the result of his jilt-
ing her as she said everyone knew that
she had given up her employment to
get married and she felt ashamed. For
seven months she did not 20 out of the
house.
1t was on cross examination that the
matter of the mustache quarrel was
brought out. Defendants attorney
tried to get plaintiff to admit that after
this she left him alone when he came
to call and that he told her he was not
coming again, but this she denied.
The defence is q denial and for sec.
ond defence 1t Ia claimed that there
was an agreement to break the en-.
gAgement.
The father, mother and sister OF the
plaintiff corroborated her testimony.
The defence Is, first q general denial
and % a second defence defendant
claims an agreement to annul the en-
gagement.i
Defendant took the stand shortly
after the recess 70. luncheon. He said
he was a section foreman and told SUBJ
stantislly the same story Is the plain
tiff up 10 the time of the trouble over
raising a mustache. He said that the
first time he arrived 1t the Longo
home with the mustache his sweet
heart said, "You look awful" and
made fun OF him. He came the next
week still wearing the mustache and
she left him and went into another
room. On succeeding visits he was
left very mucn TO himself and finally
told them he had become sick of COM
ing there and sitting ,sround like Q
dummy. He said that most of the
talk of marriage was with the mother,
the daughter saying little about it. He
told of hunting for tenement and Of
hiring one and then giving il up be-