The Cannock Chase Examiner. — 1877-08-10 (Cannock, Staffordshire, England)

EXTRAORDINARY BREACH OF PROMISE  CASE.  At the Warwickshire Assizes, the ease of Reading v. Parsonage has been heard to recover damages I for breach of promise of marriage. Mr. Buszard, Q.C.. and Mr. Hugo Young appeared for the plaintie; and Mr. Mellor, Q.C., and Mr. Lawrence were for the defendant. Plaintiff claimed £5OO damages. —Mr. Bustard said the plaintiff, Ann Maria Read- . ing, was twenty-eight or twenty-nine, and the I daughter of a butcher living at Alvechurch, and the defendant lived with his mother at King's Heath, , and appeared at the present time to be in no bneiseat. Defendant first began to pay his attentions to I plaintiff about two years ago, and at that time he made her an offer of marriage. As her mother had only just died she preferred to wait twelve months. In October, 1876, the defendant's father was very ill, and he sent for the plaintiff's father, but before the latter could arrive Parsonage's father died. Defendant then told him that he wished to marry the plaintiff, and that,, his father had lift aome £3,000. Defendant contemplated setting up a public-home, and decided upon taking one at Brotbsgreve. At defendant's wish, it was decided to be inarri.el by license. A wedding cake was ordered, and every arrangement made for tha wedding, and defendant had gone so fares to engage ringers at church, and to provide for a dinner for them afterwards. On Monday, sth of March, all the parties assembled in the church at Alvechurch for the "wilding, defendant taking with him Mr. Ford as his best man. Defendant was themd asked by the clerk for the license, and he said " It was all right, he should pay presently ;" but ho produced no license. He made a similar reply to the curate. The rector was sent for, and ho was equally unsuccessful in hit efforts to obtain the license. Accordingly the rector informed the plaintiff and her brother that the marriage could not then take place. Plaintiff was very much distressed, and foilowed the rector with her brother into the vestry. Defendant was mein to leave the church and go off in the coinpany Of emue woman whom plaintiff was unable to trace. The neat day plaintiff received the following : "King's Death Monday afternoon March sth 1577 Dr. Aun 'risings have gone on very unpleasant today at Alvechereh but the reason the affair did not come off why did you not keep Mr. Fora out of the vestry to-day at Alvechirch we went up to the Church yen let hint coins in to this vestry and he said I was not sober and Mr. Islildmay said it could not come off to-day but it most come off between—S: Thursday has I takes to a big undertaking at liromtgrove get him away as soon has possible Remember to Father Tom and so no more at present from A. It. Parsonage of Rose Cottage Kings Heath to A Reading get isim away again as soon as his half afoot needle, Ac. (Laughter.) Remetnber me to Miss Rogers of Kings Norton has you wil find me Bronisgrove tomorrow Tuesday at the George Inn to see tome drink in from King's 'tech.' He never went neat to her, awl did not writo to her ignin.—John Thompson, parish clerk; the Rev. A. F. Clarke, card° of Alvechnrch; and Thomas Reading gafe evidence in support of the claim.— 11.. Mellor, for the defence, submitted that his client intended to marry from the fact that he went to church, and undoubtedly would have been married, but for the unfortunate circumstance of not having the license, which he had expected the clerk to bring with him. With regard to the woman whom defendant wds said to have gone away with she was a friend of the mother's, and he thought it was not fair that any insinuation should have been made with reference to her. As to the defendant's position, it was not true that he was to receive sev.val thousands of pounds at the father'e death..—The lulls after consulting for a considerable time, gave a verdict for the plaintiff. damages £l5O.  , AN EX RCUTIONER IN TRotiat,E. At the Dudley Police Court, George Tucker, eats , tic drover, and the hangman who officiated last weeh on the unfortunate murderer Rogers, has been charged with being drink. Police-sergeant Spoke met that defendant eame to the Police Station to pay , the amount which his son had been tined for being drunk. Idefenthint admitted he had "a 'input beer." The Mayor said : You will be tined 2s. td. nod CO4ll, or in default a week'i. imprisonment—Tucker : Very well, I shall go to Worcester.