AMUSING BREACH OF PROMISE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 148, 25 June 1898, Page 3 (Supplement)

AMUSING BREACH OF PROMISE.

£200 DAMAGES AWARDED.

At the Manchester Assizes, before Mr Justice Bigliam, an action for breach of promise Avas tried. The plaintiff was Miss Jane Turner and the defendant was Herbert Jackson. Mr Joz-dan and Mr Gibbons appeared for the plaintiff, ancl the defendant was represented by . MrM'Keand. In opening the case Mr Jordan said the plaintiff was a young lady, 28 years of age, who had lost both her parents, and lived with her sister and brother-in-law, Mr and Mrs Walkden, Preslr wich. She became acquainted with the defendant in the spring- of 1804, having- met him at the lawn tennis grounds. On Easter Sunday, when returning from church, the two walked home together, and the defendant proposed to the plaintiff. Miss Turner consented, but suggested that the sanction of her relatives should be obtained. Accordingly they Avent to Mr Walkden's house, and 'the young man told Mr and Mrs Walkden that he had proposed to Miss Turner and she had agreed, subject to their approval, to marVy him. Mr and Mrs Walkden knew the young man, and, BELIEVING HIM TO BE RESPECTABLE, they gave their consent. in 1890 the defendant Avent to Old Whittington, near Chesterfield, ancl it was not until after this change that any difficulty occurred. At his new place of abode the defendant seemed to have become a noteworthy person. He was evidently a gentleman not blessed Avith much modesty, for he told his young lady there Avere A NUMBER OF VERY NICE GIRLS about the place, and he believed he could have the pick of the village if he liked. The jury would hear whether the defendant was able to withstand the temptations put in his way, but apparently the beauties of the place distracted his attention to such an extent that his letters became few and far betAveen; they gradually shortened until tliey became very short indeed, and Impended generally with an excuse that he had no more news, or Hint he had been very busy and bad not found time to Avrit'e. Mis_i Turner was very much attached to the. defendant, and assured him of her willingness to begin housekeeping on a small scale.

The plaintiff was then examined. After confirming Ihe statements made by her counsel she said that she had made some preparation for the wedding and had spent about £50 on furniture, which was now at her sister's house. The defendant was a timber merchant, and was 27 years of age in November last.* She never knew what his financial position was, but he told her it would be improved by his going to Old Whittington, and in one of his later letters he said that he got about £2 a week.

.In cross-examination the plaintiff said the defendant, before leaving I'rest wich, was a sign-writer at a Aveckly wage. She never asked how much he Avas making, nor Avhat sort of a house be AA-as going to give her. She did not want a large house, and on one occasion a cottage at 3/6 a Aveek Avas pointed out as one that she Avould b e content with. No one on her side objected to the defendant, and, with regard to letters, she desired him to write about twice a week. 'That seems very reasonable,' Mr M'Keand observed,' as far as my recollection of these matters goes.'

Mr M'Keand —Your little heart, AA-as it not broken at this little house Avhieh went floating away"?— Yes.

Was your little heart much broken? —Very much.

In pieces? (Laughter.)—No answer.

Did you on the 17th January, after your heart had been broken, write this letter?—

'Mr Herbert Jackson, —Sir, —Your letter of the 13th has been sent on to me here, and now that there is no doubt about your having broken off the engagement, 1 know exactly Avhat to do and how to address you. It is exceedingly kind of you to say, "I avlsli you to keep all I have given you." "What little you have given I certainly shall keep for various reasons which I leave you to imagine. It i.s not difficult to believe you when you say, "I should esteem it a favour if you would

RETURN THE RING," but after your heartless, shameful, and contemptible treatment this is an article Avhich I particularly Avant to keep—not to Avear, you may be sure, but for the purpose of making a certain use of presently. You have caused me more pain and suffering during the hist month or tAvo than I have ever experienced in the Avhole course of my life. It is hoav my turn to retaliate, ancl you may rest assured that the treatment you have meted out to me shall be returned AA'ith interest. It may be a source of satisfaction to you to knoAV that I have given instructions to my solicitor to commence an action for breach of promise of marriage, and you Avill hear from him in due course. You may also like to knoAV that I have kept all your letters, and some of them Avill be of especial interest to your friends Avhen read out in court. I mean not only to those in the neighbourhood of Prestwich but also to your "friends" at Old "VVhittington. You may further like to hear, though you may likewise wonder, that I have had a gentleman making some pri.-ate detective inquiries with regard to you, and the information I have obtained shows clearly Avhat

A MEAN, DESPICABLE, COWARDLY

CREATURE you are. Hoav I- could have been so blind during the last four or five months as' hot to see Avhat you were aiming at I don't know. I confess I have loved you sincerely, but I am sorry to have to say it. Had I knoAvn you as you are I never could have done so. You have Avrecked the best years of my life, but yours Avill not noAV be a beci of roses.'

No further evidence avus called, and after the speeches of counsel tbe judge cautiond the jury against giving a verdict for too large a sum, lest their doing so Avould end in the young man paying nothing. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, damages £200.