A PROSAIC SUITOR.

Evening Star, Issue 3504, 16 May 1874, Page 3

A PROSAIC SUITOR.

At the Limirick Assizes on Thursday, the case of Keys v. O’Brien came on for hearing *t an action for breach of promise of marriage. _ The defendant, Mr Timothy OBnen, is a man apparently about fifty y®ara of age, holding some house property in; the City, “The plaintiff is an elderly smnster also residing in the City. The damages were laid at LSOO. Great interest was : attached' to the case, and when called on the galleries of the Court were crowded with ladies, * among whom were Ladies Emly and O’Hagan!; .The defence was that the day had not arrived for the marriage in accordance with the agreement, that she had not sufficient for tune—(laughter)—and that the time had not elapsed before the marriage which had been agreed upon. _,Mias Aeys : I am acquainted with Mr Timothy O’Brien, the defendant in this case, ivve were on terms of friendship, and! understood, from a proposal he made to me, and repeated on several occasions, that we were to be married. On one occasion; when we were in Cork together,- he spoke to me about not paying, sufficient attention to him, aud added that I ought to get more than LIOO. 1 said that 1 had the prospect of getting more from my aunt, but that all 1. had personally' was LIOO. and if he did not like that’he might leave the matter alone. He kissed ; me-that morning,-, and called me: a good-' •creature- (Laughter,)—We went to the Cork ; races, and remained all that day together. He asked meto lean on his arm at the races!: and I did so. We sat alone on the JS aviga-; tion Wall, and he spoke tome very kindly —His Lordship • Was this -while you were sitting on the -Navigation Wall ’i-Yes. We fixed the laeneymoon. for Lahinch, and be •asked me to speak to the priests in Cock,' to ascertain what they would ohargeifor marry-! ing us. (Laughter,) I heard nothing from; txuoruntxl 1 got this letter, dated May 28, . 18i3« * : Counsel read the following letter - ‘‘My dear Miss Ifeys,—[.have, seen Mrs - Cooper. She was surprised at my looking l for money, as she thought I had enough, and that I ought to be well pleased at getting a ! pretty wife. - My reply was that I ought to get what.was mentioned,to pay my outgoing! expenses. Her reply, was-‘I regret, and: let there be no more about it.’ I left my nng on the dressing table. You will oblige! me by sending it by post. - ! T „“ best regards to yourself and sister,! l-remam, yourß sincerely, . : ; . . “Timothy O’Brien.” 1 continued : I never released' Mr O Bnen from 1 his promise, nor. he never; asked meto do so. Might I ask on‘what ’ V« y i, yo ? 1 . f , e11 , 1 , n . 10ve : Mr O’Brien ? , ed him because I thought he would make a good husband.! I fell in love; ; with him v: on • the day he proposed for iae,_ ( Laughter.) I don’t, think he might be old enough to be my father.; (Laughter.) : He spoke about the L2OO on several occasions, and I said there was not much probability of getting any more than ir? 0 ' ,1 P?l ectl y understand he was satisf h lo jl' l t Waa , ver y iudignant when I got that letter from him. There was not a -° V f afterwards, I sent a reply to Mr O’Brien’s letter. I said in it L was surprised at getting his letter, that I had only LIOO, and that I considered there was time enough for I said that I .had been explicit enough oh money matters, and' he should not have broken off the match. I thought it might come on again. 1 was annoyed at the loss of the individual and of the match being broken off. I met him in Limerick after coming from '’alt-hill I bowed, and he cut me dead.—(l aughter ) ; I was anxious to bring it on again. He bowed to me very coolly, tie did take off bis hat. 1 had no opportunity since that of bowing to mm. I saw he was avoiding.me in "eptemher and October., Of course I would rather have it brought on than dtherwhe. Afterjthe evidence of plaintiff’s sister, Mr .Patrick Coffee, Limerick, was next examined. He said: I recollect travelling "0“ ,Cork with Mr O’Brien in 1*73. He told me (that he had gone to the races, and that my name had repeatedly been mentioned ih the company in which he had been. He mentioned the name of Keys. .looked rather, suspicious from the rumors I, had heard. He referred toa ring which he lost in Cork, and 1 said that perhaps it was lost in a loving squeeze with the young lady -■ (laughter)— and that it occurred in the excitement of the moment. He called in afterwards, and said that a matter would thortly take place which Would be a subject of pleasure to me—- , namely, his marriage with Miss Keys. He said it had been postponed owing to the illness of his sister-in-law, and an interview he Wishedto have with Father O’Kennedy. ' Mr Heron addressed the jury for the defendant, and said that love had nothing to do with the case, that it was intended to be a frugal common-sense marriage, arid that his client would have married Miss Keys if she had agreed to the conditions, namely a ; fortune of L2OO. Only LIOO was forthcom. ing, Mid Mr O’Brien was justified in breaking Off the marriage., v Mr Timothy O’Brien, the defendant, was ;^ d his appearance on the table evoked roars of laughter. He confirmed in a grea-t measure the evidence of the plaint tiff as to the meeting in Cork, and the conversations he had with Miss Keys. He swore distinctly that the sole condition of the contract was that her fortune should be L2OO, ■ and he on all occasions dwelt .upon this indispensable condition. “I , fell m love with my first wife, but it was not a matter of very deep love with Miss Jxeys;—(Laughter.) I had a great respect and thought she would make a good mfe, but she could not get the L 200.” Witness swore he got L3OO fortune with his present wife, and that he was worth L3OO a year. . t , The jury found for the plaintiff.- damages, L3OO. The announcement was received with load, applause, in, which the ladies in the gallaries vigorously joined.