A DEAR KISS.

Evening Star, Issue 12899, 23 August 1906, Page 8

A DEAR KISS.

Becauso ho insisted on kissing Miss MaAilda M'Kinlay in a shop in Strabane, John Porterfield, aged fifty, very littlo more than 4ft in height, with bushy red whiskers, a farmer and owner of brickworks at Lifford, appeared as defendant in an action for damages for assault beforo Mr Justice Kenny and a jury in Dublin. Miss M'Kinlay said that defendant came up to ber in tho shop and said " I must kiss you." She replied that ho should not, and he caught her by the clothes and attempted to kiss her. Meanwhile Mrs Loughran, proprietress of the shop, ran to tho girl's assistance, and defendant then threw his arms around her. Plaintiff was ill for nearly a fortnight afterwards. In cross-examination she said that she afterwards consulted a solicitor, who wrote to defendant stating that unless he paid £IOO and published an apology in at least three local papers a writ would be issued. Plaintiff further stated thai, she would not haye minded so much if a young fellow had kissed her so long as he was not rude. Mrs Loughran bore out plaintiffs story of the assault, and said when Miss M'Kinlay left the shop Porterfield used "dirty discourse." and she ordered him out. Defendant entered the witness box and flatly denied the assault, stating that he was not in Strabane at all that day, a.nd that he never authorised anyone to make a settlement of the case on his;behalf. The jury awarded plaintiff £125 damages