A CURIOUS SCOTCH BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

Evening Post, Volume XIV, Issue 49, 26 August 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

A CURIOUS SCOTCH BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

The Glasgow Mail of 10th June reports the following case, which affords a glimpse into some curious phases of low life: — "In the Outer Division of the Court of Session, yesterday, before Lord Young and a jury, the case of Crawford v. Goldie was called. The action is at the instance of Janet Crawford, daughter of a butcher in Cumnock, against Wm. Goldie, some time residing there, and now in Ireland, for £1000 damages for alleged breach of promise of marriage. The pursuer is 21, and the defender 24 years of age. It was stated that the parties had been at school together, and about two years ago the defender began to pay his addresses to the pursuer with a view to marriage. He proposed marriage, and was accepted. Arrangements were made for the marriage to take place, but the defendant's brother interfered, and the intending bridegroom was got out of the way of the girl. The following, among other evidence, was heard : — Janet Crawford, the pursuer, examined by Mr. Mair: I am 21 years of age. I have known Wm. Goldie all my days. We were at school together. He always had a notion of me. (Laughter.) After Mr. Kerr came and took him away from Croftjane, I did not see him until he came back from Musselburgh. That was two or three months after. He came into the house and asked me if I would forgive him, for it had not ,

been his fault but Kerr's, and he would make it all right now. Was he sober then ? — Yes ; as sober as I am now. (A laugh.) He said that Kerr took him to Musselburgh for a dodge to keep me from getting him ; that Kerr wanted all his money, and to keep him aye drunk, that he might die with a pint bottle in his hand like his father. He said he had been left £3550, and the interest of the money would keep us very comfortably, and that he would keep a pony. He was mostly always sober, because I was aye fly tin' him ; and he said when we were married it would never go into his mouth. He then coui'ted me just the same as before until he went away. Defender and I were old friends. Many a time I had given the defender a sixpence, and many a pound of meat. (A laugh.) It is not true that I ever said that when I was married to him I would put him in a room and fill him drunk, and then bring in my own sweetheart, John Wallace. I never correspond in any way with John Wallace, nor slept with him in my life. This concluded the witness' examination ; but when about to leave the box, she turned to the Bench and said — Please, my Lord, Wallace had a lass of his own. (Laughter.) John M'Meckin, tailor, Cumnock, an intimate friend of the defender, said :—": — " We have had many drops of drink together." (Laughter.) I remember the day he went to Croftjane on the 17th February. I saw Wm. Crawford, Janet's father, on the streets of Cumnock that day. He was looking for Wm. Goldie, and | asked me where he was. Lord Young : Old Crawford knew you were a friend of Goldie's ? — A drinking friend. (Laughter.) The witness added that he went in search of and found Goldie, who was "stippit* drunk," and had been so all day. I had been boosin' myself, but I was quite sensible ; I had gotten too little. (Laughter.) What is enough 1 — When you canna speak. (Great laughter.) Counsel having addressed the jury, his Lordship summed up the evidence, after which the jury retired, and, after an absence of about half an hour, returned with a verdict for the pursuer, assessing the damages at £35.