A BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 306, 5 June 1875, Page 3

A BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

A highly edifying action for breach of promise has just been tried at the Manchester assizes. The plaintiff was a hand-loom silk weaver about forty-five years of age, and the defendant an ex-innkeeper, now living on the rents of some cottage property in which he had a life interest. About three years ago he went to the plaintiff’s house and asked her if she was keeping company with any one, and on ascertaining that she was not, asked to be allowed to keep company with her, telling her at the same time that his cottages were bringing him in about £3 a week, and that he would come into more property on his mother’s death. She assented, and at that time the “courtship” commenced, one result of which has been the obtainment of an affiliation order against the defendant, Mr Ryley. Ultimately, however, he refused to perform his promise, and the present action was brought. The plaintiff in confirmation of her story, produced a short memorandum in the nature of a will, beginning, “ In the name of God, Amen,” and written in a very shaky hand. By this instrument the defendant devised to her five of the cottages, in which he had only a life interest. The plaintiff on cross-examination admitted that this was written by the defendant “ when sitting up in bed,” that he had been drunk in her house many a time, and that he had been “on the spree ” in her house for two days together every six weeks. The “ defence ” was that the defendant had been an habitual drunkard for a great number of years, and had had delirium tremens, which had impaired his intellect. He had ruined his own heafthf had been the death of his wife, had given up his business, broken up his household, and had been left an allowance of 30s a week in his father’s will. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff for £lO, and his lordship certified for costs. It may be doubted whether the breach of a promise worth £lO is a proper subject for legal proceedings at all.