"A SILLY CASE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10319, 19 December 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

"A SILLY CASE."

THIRTY POUNDS DAMAGES IN AN ACTION FOR BREACH. Bkforii Mr, Justice Charles in the Court of Queen's Bench the breach of[ promise case Hull v. Church was called. . Miss Isabella Hull, the plaintiff, lives with her parents at 65, Frith Road, Leytoustone. Thoy are both twenty-four years of age, and have known each other a considerable time. They became engaged in June, 1894, and remained so until January, 1896, when, according to Miss Hall's counsel, the defendant broke off the engagement. The plaintiff—a good-looking dark girl, dressed in a blue velvet skirt and a tailormade body of light cloth, and wearing a black straw hut trimmed with whitestepped briskly into the box and gave her evidence with greab volubility. Sho had known defendant nearly six yoars. Prior to June, 1895, they saw a good deal of each other. Mr. Church used to escort jjor to church on Sunday morning, he called round at her home frequently, ami had tea times beyond number. About this time they became engaged, Ib happened in the parlour on ono of those blissful Sundays. He presented her with a ring—"/! buckle keeper, your worship," added the plaintiff, turning round to Mr. Justice Charles. "Eh?" ejaculated the judge, looking up suddenly. "A buoklo keeper, sir," ropoated Miss Hull, but tho judgo shook his head as if ho didn't care whether it was a buckle koepor or a gamekeoper.. " How did tho engagement come to bo broken off?' asked counsel. " Mr. Church broke it off," answered tho plaintiff firmly. They had soino words one owning, and lie wont away, saying lie would never come thero any more. • Slio met him next day, and asked him if sho Was to consider the engagement broken off. " Give mo back the ring I gave ; you," was his reply, "and I will tell you then." He subsequently asked her If sho was hard up, because if she was sho might pub the damages up to £1000. The dotendant, Arthur Benjamin Church, had not troubled td engage counsel, and conducted his case himself. He .Is a dark young follow, under the medium height, with a confidant expression, and really spoke well enough. He orosß-oxamined his ex-fianc6e sharply, and the forensic duel quickly degenerated into - a rapid exchango of recriminations. He endeavoured to get hor to admit that ha had come round on so many Sundays because he slept on the premises of Messrs. Hevenden at Earners-street,' where he is engaged as a lodger olerk. < <; > .'! Mr. Justice Charles ' characterised,. the case 'as" a silly one, and (the case being heard without a jury) awarded plaintiff £30 damage • -v W*'. • : 'i »V. : .}'•{ •