One hundred years ago
'Town' was on Thursday greatly dis- appointed. The action brought by Miss
• E. M. Finney, bearing the theatrical .name of Fortescue, against Lord Gar- moyle, eldest son of Earl Cairns, for breach of promise, came on in the Queen's Bench Division, but was abruptly terminated. Mr Russell made a short address, stating that Lord Gar- moyle, a cadet at Sandhurst, had prop- osed to Miss Finney, daughter of a coal-merchant of that name, then play- ing in Patience, at the Savoy Theatre, on a salary of £6 a week, and was accepted. Lord and Lady Cairns with some reluctance sanctioned the engage- ment, which, however, was subsequent- ly broken off by Lord Garmoyle, avowedly under pressure from his fam- ily, — an excuse which, though final on the Continent, is not accepted here. The Attorney-General thereupon rose, and after stating, on behalf of Lord Garmoyle, that there was nothing in Miss Finney's 'conduct unbecoming a high-minded English gentlewoman,' consented to a verdict for £10,000 dam- ages, which was agreed to.
Spectator, 22 November 1884
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