UNUSUAL ENDING OF A BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1569, 3 July 1885, Page 2

UNUSUAL ENDING OF A BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.

0 In the case of Coatigaß ▼. Doaglaa, heard at Timaru the other day before Judge Johnston, Mr HaaMntey, in hit opening, said that on or abottt December 21, 1881, the plaintiff and defendant mutually agreed to marry. I* October, 1881, plaintiff entered tke serviw* of the defendant, a innholder »t the Waibao, as hit housekeeper. Om night after the had gone to bed, he went to her bedroom and woke her up saying that h« expected some visitor* to arrive 4nd ah« would have to get up and prepare for their arrival, this the firat retesed to do, but after tome persuanon she con* s«titf»d, and dressed herself. On her going out of her room the 6 < d«»nt nmdf dishonorable propota c- ;,. her. FUintitt r^fnsrd to listen to thpm. bat ,>p tvs j-iouv»in;: ui.iniage glu tVtitw- ■• d. SLe then in\d in tbie d> fendant'a ;>ouis« ivi- ihn'6 jmia, during mkkk

she cohabited with him.. At the «n< of that time, defendant refused to havi anything more to do with her, and sau that lie had never promised to mam her ; he only meant to provide for her For such breach of promise she claimed f 750 damages. Wheti defendant dis charged her, he had her forcibly pui iuto a trap and taken to the railway atition and put into the train against her will, she all the time sayiug thai Jf fondant ought to fulfil his promise, he then instructed a solicitor to bring the present action. Defendant pleaded on his part merely a general denial of the statement of plaintiff. Mr Joynt asked whether his learned friend was prepared with corroborative evidence. He was instructed that this action had been brought for the sota purpose of blackening the defendant's character. His Honor asknd Mr Hamersley -what reply he had to make to this. Mr Haraersley said he had indepd very slender evidence of a corroborative character. His Honor said he should certainly not allow the plaintiff to enter on a course of blackening defendants character when them was no evidence ~~~i'j support of the statement beyond that of the plaintiff. Mr Hanaerßley accepted a norivilt. His Honor animadverted severely upon the irregularity wbioh hml characterised the proceedings on the part of plaintiff's legal adviswrs. And now ensued a highly sensational albmt amusing scene. The nonsuit having been accepted, plaintfff, who (clad in deep mourning) had occupied a seat beside her counsel, ros<\ -and, advancing to the witness box, burst into tears, and begged His Honor to hear her. His Honor (sternly): I shall do nothing of the kind. I shall heor nothing you have to say. Plaintiff continued to sob, and, holding up her arm, which was in a sling, said piteously " Look 1 my arm is in a sling your Honor. This i 9 the way he has treated me. Look at me ! Look at me?" His Honor ignored the plaintiff's utterances, and this seeming to suddenly infuriate her, she flew across the amall space between herself and defendant, and raising he parasol, dealt him a series of vigorous blows on the head and shoulders. Two constables in a few secouds interferred, however, and forcibly restrained her, just as the major portion of the parasol Hew into the air, and t!ie b«rir part of the handle dropped on the Press table. Defendant, rising hurriedly, exclai* m«d " Sir? this is the fourth time-din attempted life !" His Honor directed the constable* to remove her, and, as soon as convenient, to charge her by his order before the Resident Magristrate with assault. At the later hour Mr Bes wick, R.M., sat to hear the case of assault Jane Costigan was char red by the police, at the order of Judge Johnston, wUII assaulting John Dotujlas in the Btfp^ reme Court that day. Defendant, .whose agitation, real or affected, was very great, pleaded guilty, but with hysterical laughter and much crying, urged that when she was nonsuited the remembrance of her wrongs burned within her so much that she was driven to desperation, and attacked him. The Court rebuked her very sharply r reminding her that she had become liable to four months imprisonment. As, however, she might have been laboring under a sense of wrong, they wonld not inflict the full penalty. Th« assault had been committed without provocation, and in a Court of Justice. Sh« would go to gaol for seven days, and be boa .id over in heavy recognisances to keep the peace towards all Her Majesty's subj<tcte. Afterwards defendant frantically andeavored to address the Bench, and crying out " Oh, shoot me, shoot me, shoot me t" was with difficulty removed from the Court. _ mmm _ m __ m _ wm _ m _ mmmm