"
[1] Senator Stewart, who was one of the counsel against her in the
suit.
CHAPTER V.
DECISION OF THE CASE IN THE FEDERAL COURT.
The taking of the testimony being completed, the cause was set for a
hearing on September 9th. After an argument of thirteen days the cause
was submitted on the 29th of September, 1885. On the 26th of December,
1885, the court rendered its decision, that the alleged declaration
of marriage and the letters purporting to have been addressed "My Dear
Wife" were false and forged, and that the contemporaneous conduct
of the parties, and particularly of the defendant, was altogether
incompatible with the claim of marriage or the existence of any such
declaration or letters.
A decree was ordered accordingly, and the court made the following
further order:
"As the case was argued and submitted during the lifetime of
the complainant, who has since deceased, the decree will be
entered nunc pro tunc, as of September 29, 1885, the date of
its submission and a day prior to the decease of the
complainant."
The opinion of the court was delivered by Judge Deady, of the United
States District Court of Oregon, who sat in the case with Judge
Sawyer, the circuit judge.
Of the old negress under whose direction the fraudulent marriage
contract had been manufactured, and under whose advice and direction
the suit in the state court had been brought, the Judge said:
"Mary E.
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