A HEARTLESS WIDOWER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6362, 8 April 1882, Page 7

A HEARTLESS WIDOWER.

At the Liverpool Assizes, Susannah Banner, a girl IS years of age, sought to recover damages for breach of promise of marriage from' John James Waterworth, landlord of the Kgerton Arms Hotel, Runeorn. At the age of 10 the plaintiu"entered the service of the defendant and his wife as a domestic servant and to assist in the bar. The plaintiff remained in their service until early in January of last year, when the defendant's wife died. After the wife's death she still remained, and the defendant began to pay attention to her. The plaintill's father, feeling that people might talk about so young a giilreniainiug in the house of a man who had no wife, and thinking that there might be some scandal, or indeed, some danger to his daughter, went to the defendant and spoke to him about it. The defendant expostulated with him, and said that no harm would come to his daughter whilst she was in his house. The- plaintitl', therelore, remained in the house, and the defendant intimated to her that lie would require some one to look after his house, and that lie would marry her. After this he seduced the plaintiir. The engagement went on and the intended marriage was the common talk of the place. In the following October, however, the plaintiir discovered that the deleiidant was courting another woman. She thereupon gave notice to leave defendant's service, and she did so on the Idth October. Ou the 'J-ttli November the defendant was married to another woman. The defendant's answer to the case was a complete and distinct denial both of the seduction and the. promise to marry. The jury gave a verdict for the plaintiir, and a warded £1 r>o damages.