Breach of Promise

("Ottawa Herald," January 28, 1911, page 8, column 4)

The McKee-Crain breath of promise suit which is being heard in the district court now, has recalled to the minds of the old settlers, a like action which was tired in this court thirty years ago. The parties in the case were Alfred Johnson of Peoria, who was sued by Ella Leggett. Miss Leggett came to the county in 1876, and in her action alleged that Mr. Johnson had paid attention to her, and that in the spring of 1879, they became engaged, and the wedding day was set for November of that year. In November, however, Johnson married Florence Cary. At the time of the engagement, Miss Leggett was 18 years old, and Mr. Johnson was 45. The parties in that case both lived in Peoria township, and in the first trial before Judge Stephens and a jury, the jury disagreed. Then Jim Green of K.U. law school was called as a judge pro tem, and in the second trial the jury awarded the plaintiff, Ella Leggett, $1250 damages against Alf. Johnson. The defendant was one of the old settlers of Peoria, and was a leading merchant of the county. At first he treated the suit as a joke, telling some of his neighbors that "it was a joke that the boys had put up on him." C. R. Meigs was attorney for Miss Leggett, and associated with him in the trial was Judge Benson. The case was defended by Col. Mason, Col. Deford, and Judge Thatcher of Lawrence. The case went to the state supreme court, and in 1882 that court sustained the verdict of the lower court, and Johnson had to pay the judgment.