BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 240, 5 December 1900, Page 4

BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

INTKRKSTING ...CQSBBSPONDENCJ.-

J» the breach -of fttom e cate, Thorns Wfl T. M vcott, in whioh the jury gave * !* *»' £275? damages', o ■ce defendant represented Taranaki •gainst Otogo at foitiall 1 last reason. ; Be «-a .samyor, earning £6 10s » week, and had £BOO in the bank when he beoame engaged. The plaintiffwas a teacher at the George ; fctreet Stake school, but resigned in Marcbj as tbej ware to have betn marrifd an JSasfcr, < i*. 'k? re< SQ[aoT wediiine pre- ' sents Mr. Si'ms's opening addre<s lasted four boon. Many. love-letters . Were r?ad, Ocuosel, in thfl coords of that on April 18 the defendatt wrote* > l.n«thy letter, >in which he fit *iJ f If I r'o not marry • ■ iw I jojr hrppioess. If I s do, I shall have the iW tbai I was forced to it. If joir father dot a write to me, he will get a stiff letter back. I admit that my letters hive co-led, and that I have ohaoged. Why, I don t know. The Ol h'-r girl may have something to,do with it. Those - drama have kicked all the lovo out of my head." On 4pril 30 th* pl-.i n . ti3 wiote that her lov < bad been the steady g'owth of years, and could not be coded id a few weeks, that there was no pressure of marriage on the part of her father,or anybody, and that the matter rested between bim and ber alone. Defendant's letter of May J intimatad that he was not well, and had lost an inoh in measurement. ■ He woald not have been surprised if •he had broken off the engagement. He coold overlook those telegrams, bnt he had grown oooler since Christmas, the reason being that there wis another girl at New Plymouth whom he had a liking for, and whoa, but for Miss Thomson, he woald ask to many .bim. He disc aimed the idea that be was trying to break with plaintiff si as to marry this other girl, and he conotaded, "Whether to get married or not 1 leave to yon. I know yon are the girl for me, and thp one'l ought to marry. Give me your honeit opinion what is to be done, and I will try and abide by it," On May 14 plaintifl answered saying that mrely Morcott knew bii own mind. Was his liking 1 f«»r the other girl stronger, than his j liking for her I She earnestly hoped J»ot. As for bersel', in spite cf all, her lovebad not grown cool, and »be was is My prepared Jo m irry Murcott if be assured her that she was the fir tin bis love. On May 16 she wrote again '< nyiog' that ; Wili-s's conscience would surely guide him to his duty. In answer to these : communications! defendant wrote on M y 26. He thanked hei lor her kicd and loving Utter*, ano " went on to say, inf r a i*», • At Curist- ' mas 1 was at right as the bank, bnt . when I got back my letters did get cooler.. I had teen ttus ether girl bni only in a friend y way however. After ootiveriation, I fonnd she was clean r on me, and got t> like her, hence oauseof this pteunt trouble, I expected it was off with you, and that * I was free ag«ia. Another thing that pnt me off marriage was . the bad state of the ro&d-. I feel as though I have acted in a Very dshon onrable manner to joa, I have-car- ' ried on a little mora with the • c'th r , girl than witi you." Defendtnt aso boasted of his cotqaeetj, referring to a ?. Maori girl writing bim love letters, ; and mentioning that a widow had .mid. that if he weiit away she woo'd cry Plain»ifi, in h r of .Jane 8, • ventured the opinion that be had be ■ come j«aane to write in Vniearing tsrms aid at the sama time oinfebs to dishonourath dralisgs, but advisirig binj to o rne t > Durstum and chat oyer bia trouble ufaaiever it m<ght be be. .Defendant wrote resenting what he ■- farmed the insulting and bouncing ' tone (idcpled by plaintiff, mentioned h s having asked general opinions from Taraniki friends, who all said be had aet'd honourably, and reft rr ad to some action by his father saying his father " ought to be dashtd well ashamed of himself for s*y ng I must marry you or cot all famuy conre:tirn9, when he hasn'o heard my defrnce." On May 9 defcndait wrote to plaintiff saving . that he was s il- willing to marry ber, and he rrprated t l afc statement in his letter of June 20. Plaintiff, ho wove-, insisted on an answer being given to 1 her previously stated qaestioa, namaly, l was the " fitst in nis lova" On ■August 4defeudant repliedjtio tbii in t>»fl followicg terms"l made af.irofferto you te/eral timrs. ard r nov you want to know if you are the | One Toat seems to bs tbo point. Well, if I did not tfci ik ym were, 1 do not think I woald mak , rbat" propotal to you." - la this same letter defendant soid that the trouble had , "P'oyed up" Kith him, aod if he ■ lived aiottier fise years he thought be would be lucky. jTnis, »a'd learned co niel, w*b a somewhat stmngs re- , m«ik to cimefrom amaa wLo shortly ' sft<rwards was selected to play for Tarxnaki Province against 0:a«o at fontbal'. Un Aagisfe 15 plaintiff wrote accptiog iha a suiaLCj.g vm by defenotn' 'ia v she wan sti.l fi at in Lis love, and »tkiag when he »ai cumit g co*n to ma'ry her. She said that ber pati nee wan exUus ed, .ni agked for a straight and prompt answer as to *h«'h«r he was goi g to marry her, ud Wtl dfclfry, Learned c , n?(¥Pl la'd tint tie defendant had ' siiiffl d" f.om F bruary o !, and bis last Wt.-r kef ire the writ w#i< iooned was an <x tr>me i ff. rt in " eluffl og " P.sintitt tbercsi t i r tn t»|f o 'tiil'isiun t' a 1 d»fend«6t wks »im. )y huuibuggir g h r, *nd ib»t it ui- eis to troub e xny . flj'iri' *'th l. m, aod ia Octo er ehe is a w.it f>r d miges This wm eei»<d <-n o»f t »n Oc ohnr 15 aod cn that day he Wrote to plaintiff the Is sU ft .f the »rt, Braii°l> hirn hj s ■<ir,r cno<,,<i \ bB i " Ei' rcpoatrd fbat he had not ref s fl to ai.r>y p i .fc fl", aud tb.tiu bis opisi-o plaintiff hid a poor cage. Tbub »>t.di d correspondence, cxc ]>t tSat Misj Tl uuiiß n ►'■ nt di f rdnijt a telegram n-ying t'lib b« accrs d her father unju-t y. thit she v. luuUii y t o'* the aotion, »nd that she «un <j prisecu e Tbe d»f nd*nt r<-pliei th -t he wind ii h«t', indth'-t he tuok h*clr whit he B»id Th<- jury wern j,,. ?i > d *n h i d that the defendant wag a " 8 uffler" from tin. to last) and to di" acc&rd» gy,