528 HELMS v. FRANCISCUS.—2 BLAND.

tendered by him to the supplemental bill, if received; and that if
that answer was received the case should stand for hearing; and
a general replication be filed to that answer also. On the next
day the plaintiff's' solicitor endorsed the proffered answer of Helms
as follows: "the complainants allow the within answer to be ad-
mitted into this cause, and the register is requested to enter, ia
behalf of the complainants, the general replication to it."

The answer of Lewis Helms thus introduced, admitted the facts
and circumstances of the will, the partnership, and other matter
charged in the bill as against the defendants Franciscus and Sadt-
ler, and then stated that he found the plaintiff Anna resided ia
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, keeping a small store, and reputed to
be a widow, having an only son, Frederick A. Wandeloher, and as
such he married her on the 12th of October, 1819; but he was de-
ceived; for soon after his marriage he ascertained that she never
had been married, and that she had also concealed from him the
fact of her being then herself largely indebted; that within a tew
months after their marriage his wife solicited him to become surety
for the payment of certain debts due from her son, and also from
others to a large amount, which he refused; soon after which, she
disposed of the most of their movables, and went to Baltimore; and
on the 7th of February, 1820, having caused him to be invited to
aa interview at the house of John H. Eathean, where she and her
confederates locked him in a room with them, and by great threads
of personal violence, insisted on his releasing all rights to any
property to which she was, or might be in any way, entitled, and
to leave the country; but he refused, and made his escape unhurt.
That his wife Anna, having got possession of his family papers,
and clothes, refused to deliver them to him; that she defamed and
slandered him much, by which his character suffered greatly in
Baltimore. That a certain Jacob Merkle,who held his promissory
note for the sum of $61.28, at the instigation of the plaintiff Anna,
sued him for payment, and he being unable to pay, was, at the
suit of Merkle, on the 6th of June, 1820, imprisoned in the
555 *jail of Baltimore Couaty, and so detained there until the
17th of July, 1821; that during his imprisonment his sufferings
were various and extreme; because one Kugle had detained a trunk
of his clothes, until he should be satisfied a small sum due to him,
which he was unable to pay; because his wife refused to send him
his clothes which she had in possession, and because he was utterly
destitute and pennyless; but that, at length, Merkle, being con-
vinced by the statements made to him by this defendant, that his
wife had deceived him; offered to release this defendant on his
giving his promissory note for the principal and interest of the
debt then due, with the fees, amounting to about $100.80, which
he gave, and was accordingly discharged from jail. That, having
heard of the threats of his wife and her confederates; and that she