New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-02
THE TROUBLES or A DRESSNAKER

THE TROUBLES or Il DRESSNAKER.
The Superior Court of Boston has recently
been engaged in the trial of "a cause (Fiynt
agt. CO0iidge) which has created much excite
ment in the dress-circles of the Tri-mOntane
region. Mrs. Flynt, the plaintiff is the most
fashionable artistic, we may say aesthetic dress
maker of all who clothe and glorify the ladies
of the Hub. Mr.. Coolidge, the defendant, is
an eminent merchant. Mrs. Coolidge is the
spouse of Mr. Coolidge. She had manufac
tured to her order, by Mrs. Flynt, rament for
which that cOstumcr charged 1871. The
Court; some time since, sent the whole matter
TO an auditor, who reported that the gowns
furnished were worth S1,263. Mrs. Flynt de-
clined to accept this report, and so the case was
given to a jury. The ingenious plaintiff testified
that there was no workwOman in Boston who
could make gowns equal in beauty ard taste
to her own. Then she caused all her girls to
he called, from her Miss Knagg down (thOugh
we don't see any Miss Kate Nickleby men
tioned), and they unanimously deponed that
the prices of Mrs. Flynt were exceedingly mod
crate. Then she called three dry goods dealers,
but they were shy, and averred that many of
the goods used in the dresses had no market
value-which we think extremely probable.
Then came the outraged husband, with
long lot of dress-makers in his train the said
mllineTs not being in very good temper by
reason of Mrs. Flynt's boast that she was the
only person in Boston who knew how to make
a gown. 1t was perfectly natural for them to
white down the charges of the self-compla-
cent Flynt frightfully. One swOre that the
work for which 81 1886 was charged was really
nh 4 Of
still another at S236. Then came great many
witnesses from famous dry goods houses, and
they, one and all, united in swearing that the
great Mrs. Flynt had charged from forty to
seventy per cent too much for her brilliant and
beautiful silks, and laces, and satns. Then
came Mrs. Coolidge, wife of the defendant, for
whose use and wear the gowns were wonder
fully and fearfully made; and she testified that
formerly Mrs. Flynt had been reasonable in her
charges, but that now alas she had become
most mercilessy unreasonable. Then came the
Injured Husband, who deponed that when he
went to the plaintiffs house, i'll the desperate
hope of effecting settlement, she had turned
him out of the door, exclaiming as he fed:
"You miserable sinner, yOuo The lawyers
argued the case beautifully. The plaintiffs
genius for dress-making. He spoke scornfuly
of the dress-makers called as experts
by the defendant. They were of lower
order. They "bore no more comparison in
point of ability to the plaintiff than a cobbler
ION North-st. to the most expensive and fash
"ionable bOOtmaker inl the city" Mrs. Flynt
was ian artist" He did MT say-we wonder
that he missed the point-that you might know
that she was an artist by her spelling her name
with "y" The defendants lawyer began by
observing that most of the jurors were mar
"ried men"-if they were not, the disclosures
III this case might prevent them from ever be-
coming so. He declared that from all the
dressmakers in BOstOn-all save the flinty
Flynt-One cOnsentaneous cry had gone up to
Heaven, and that cry was "ExtOrtionl |" He
reminded the jurors that if they allowed Mrs.
Flynt thus to raise the general prices of dress
manufacture. they would have then to pay
for all the fine robes ordered by the Mrs. Jurors.
Then, after being lucdly charged, the jury
went to their den, and stayed there bordering
and debating, and discussing and estimating,
for twenty hours. Unfortunately, nothing
came of it. If Mrs Flynt's bill had been for
breeches or boots, OF for waistcOats or hats,
the jurors might have jumped at verdict
with the alacrity of grasshoppers but SO
many mysterious vanities for ladies did dread |
fully bother the poor men-an excellent argll-
ment, by the way. dear Miss Anthony, for
Women Jurors The more the Twelve Men |
considered this business the farther were they |
from agreement. Strange to say, majority |
Of them favored Mrs. Flynt. But the obstinate |
ones took strong ground, and maintained it.
II we ever hear of any settlement of this
dispute, we shall not fail to inform
The Husbands of NewYork of the adjustment;
Tor they too, we fancy, suffer like unto their
Boston brother in bonds, and often pay their
wives bills with the agonizing reflection (as