I found this while researching the shipwreck that deposited my ancestors on
our shores. Anyone related to anyone herein? Enjoy!
John Keating
Keating-L Admistrator
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New York Daily Times, Vol. VI, No. 1805, Thursday, July 2, 1857. P. 2.
The Romance of an Elopement Knocked in the Head.
Court of Common Pleas Special Term.
Before Judge Brady.
James P. Cahill vs. Francis Keating. This matter has already occupied the
attention of the public and the Police Courts, caused by the defendant being
arrested for larceny, he having run away with plaintiffs wife in this suit,
or she with him. It is had to tell which, on which occasion the wife had a
watch in her possession. He was discharged by the Police Magistrate, but is
again brought before the public by the plaintiff instituting a suit against
the defendant, on the charge of having criminal connection with his
(plaintiffs) wife. The present proceeding being a motion to vacate an order
of arrest by which the defendant is held to bail in the sum of $2,000.
The Defendants Side of the Case
The defendant, in his affidavit, tells an innocent and interesting story; he
says that in February last he was eighteen years of age, that in the Summer
of 1855 he went to tend store for Philip Smith, in the Third avenue, and
about a week after he went to Smiths he was introduced to Susannah
McGinness, who lived with Smith at that time, and is a sister of Mrs. Smith;
and he taking a great liking to Susannah paid attention to her, and was in
the habit of taking her to theatres, concerts, and other places of
amusement, and when not that way inclined, spent many a happy evening with
her in the parlor, sitting with her until after the Smiths had gone to bed,
but that they knew all about it. After he had been thus familiar with
Susannah some time, he was introduced to Cahill, who was about to leave for
Cuba; that during Cahills absence, and after his return, he continued to
pay attention to Susannah, and once, when he was sick, she came into his
bedroom alone, Cahill knowing the fact; and he also says that he has often
had long and confidential interviews such as lovers have with Susannah,
in Cahills presence, and he always looked on Cahill as a rival lover, and
never dreamt he was the husband of Susannah, from the fact that he never
complained of his (Keatings) intimacy with Susannah, never objected to his
taking her to concerts or theatres, neither did he ever call Susannah by the
name of wife or cohabit with her, but in all respects acted as a mere
friend, or perhaps lover; and during all this time his affection became
stronger and stronger for Susannah, which affection was reciprocated by her.
Finally, she said, (and no doubt thought,) "That she never could or would be
happy without Keating for a husband." She therefore went to the house of
Keating, without any previous agreement, and by a good deal of persuasion,
prevailed upon him to elope with her and get married. In the course of
debate she repeatedly said that she "never could live with Cahill, and would
die before she would marry him;" he submitted to the telling arguments of
Susannah and eloped, but he further says, that "from his own knowledge he
believed that Cahill never cohabited with Susannah," and that when he eloped
she was a "virgin female" and says that the alleged marriage is a fraud, but
if she is married, he charges the whole "Smith family," all her relatives,
Cahill and Susannah with a gross and united conspiracy to trap him into a
marriage, which trap he fell into.
Sympathy for Susannah.
James Keating, the father of the defendant, states his knowledge of the
affair, and says that the "Smith family" always spoke well of Francis, and
when he heard that Francis was married, he was much surprised, and he
immediately went to see Mrs. Smith, and she frankly admitted that Francis
was ignorant of Susannahs marriage to Cahill; and that she did not blame
him in the least; and that the marriage had been kept secret; and that
Cahill had never occupied the same bed with Susannah for "particular
reasons." He (deponent) then blamed Mrs. Smith for her action in the matter,
and asked Cahill (who was present) if what Mrs. Smith had said was true, to
which Cahill rejoined that it was true, and that he had not cohabited with
Susannah, whereupon Mrs. Keating, wife of deponent, remarked to Cahill that
"he ought not to blame his wife, for," said she, "I would be apt to do the
same thing if my husband had neglected me in such a manner." Cahill then, in
a solemn manner, said that he "did not blame his wife." Deponent then
offered his services to arrest and bring back the parties.
The Plaintiffs Tell Their Story.
Philip Smith, head of the "Smith family," and brother-in-law of Susannah,
tells his story. He says that Francis Keating was never formally introduced
to Susannah at his house; that she was simply called Susannah, and nothing
else, and that Francis admitted to him on the day that he was arrested, that
he knew that she was married at the time that he eloped with her, and that
he never permitted the slightest intimacy between Francis and Susannah, in
his presence, and that the going out to concerts, &c., must have been done
secretly, and that as soon as he suspected that criminal intimacy existed
between them he discharged Keating from his employ, and she says further
that he (Smith) was a witness of the marriage.
Keating Writes a Touching Letter.
Another affidavit of Smith sets forth that the following letter is in the
handwriting of Keating. It was written when he and Susannah were at
Poughkeepsie enjoying the romance of an elopement, and was writing to Mrs.
Smith, the sister of Susannah:
My Dear Sister: I suppose you are surprised at the idea of my calling you
sister, but it is a name that I have languished to call you. My dear sister,
you must not blame either of us for what we have done, if it had not been
for one word I heard Cahill say to my dear (a name which I had given up all
hopes of ever calling her.) a word which I knew would cause her many a tear
through life, if she lived with him that word is not fit to be written. You
shall know what it is when you see me, let that be as soon as you wish; when
you write to us telling us that we may return we will do so; dont think it
strange that I asked my dear to marry me, after her being married to Cahill,
but a m an that talked as he did, is more fit to marry a wench; then my
dear. Cahill may as well give up all hopes of ever enjoying my dear, for if
she had not come with me on Friday, the first time I ever met him either him
or I should die. FRANCIS KEATING.
The Judge rather sympathized with the defendant and reduced the bail to
$500.