Winchester Gazette

Has a man a right to the possession of his own wife?—This question it appears has been recently and gravely agitated in the Court of Common Pleas, and general Sessions of the Peace at Genesee, Livingston county, N. Y. under the following circumstances.—An action on the case was brought by the husband against the father of the wife, for forcibly taking her away, and detaining her against her own will and that of her husband. The decision in the court below was in favor of the plaintiff, and the defendant appealed.—On the trial of the appeal, it was admitted that the daughter was married, and married against the will and without the consent of the defendant. The marriage was admitted to be legal. The defendant's counsel contended that the father had a right by law, to the custody and services of his minor child, the marriage notwithstanding: and the court on that ground non-suited the plaintiff. On the subsequent day of the term, however, the court set aside the non suit, and granted a new trial; so that the parties now stand in statu quo. We may add ante bellum.