The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-24
MINNIE DAVIS.
Temporary Acquittal Of Minnie Davis ON Charge
OF Arson Through Technioality Gaze to
BE Re-submitted to the Grand Jury-scenes
in the Court Of General Sessions.

trunk, having Insured II for 81 600 In the Park In.
surance Company, was called on yesterday before
Judge Bedford, In the Court OF Special Sessions
Theush the burning Of the trunk was the only OBJ.
tect IN which the prisoner could have been lnte-
rested, YET by re-on Of the consequences, she has
been indicted on the charge Of arson In the fra. dc.
gree. II VIII DO remembered that when the prisoner
was committed on the charge, while confined In her
cen, she attempted to hang herself. but was dscov-
efed IN Time TO save her liie Her appearance In
court to-day was that Of ono
UTTERLY wEARlED OUT
Dy excitement or sucerng ana, except on o few
occasions, during the trial she manifested the most
complete indifference TO everything that was pass
Ing around her. Whilst the jury was being EN-.
paneled she looked on lanuuidly ana even when
the charge was read TO them she did not display The
slightest symptom Of interest. She IL an exceed.
ingy pretty girl. with large, dark eyes fun Of OK.
preston. Her hair Is dark brown and clusters over
her forehead and shoulders In r;cn tresses. Her
nose IL slightly retr0uSs5 and perhaps q shade TOO
large. but, with this exception, from her mouth
upwards II would be hard to picture prettier or
MORE PIQuANrE FACE.
The mouth is her worst feature. being large and
sensual looking. The lips are thick and utterly
mar what would otherwise have been beautiful
face. The Impression left on the mad OF the be-
holder IS that she Is woman who would little heed
consequences in the pursuit OF pleasure or the graft
fcatOn Of her desires. Yesterday she was extremely
Daliid and every feature looked dragged Her large
eyes had a leaden hue and sine leaned back in her
char with the air Of one utterly wea. led out She
was most Decomingly. not to Say
FAsHI0NABLY DRESSED.
and even to her lace handkerchief everything was
cOfs,ne u nlAt she wore q slaCe coi0red dress,
back nat with y coquettisn white leather. All
eyes were turned toward ner as sue entered sue
qua not seem u feel their scrutiny, and quietly took
10 delend her, as she stated that she was
ENTIRELY without MEANS
Soon affer the case was called large number OF
young ladies entered The court, and III few
aDolner baton came In ana Look Their seats IN the
enclosure allotted TO counsel. They were al most
tashlonaby dressed and nearly ali were good look
Ing and their appearance created no small sellsa-
ton among the spectators.
THE TESTIMONY
The first witness called was Mr.. George Alder, the
secretary OF the Park insurance Company. He de-
DAVIS, came 10 the offices OF the Park Insurance
Company aud sad that she washed to insure ncr
TRUNKS and wardrobe for the sum OF
FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
The policy was not effected on thai occasion and she
came Sc ono time and stated tnat she had ,aken
ana Twenty-nnth street, and that she now
would only insure her properly for $1,000.
in the PARK Fire Insurance Company after the
usual preliminary inquiries.
TESTIMONY Of MRS. HAGEDoRN.
THIS lazy was rich dressed and CO res under thai
category which has neen so wei described az
STAT, FAIR AND F0RrY.n
She gave her evidence with wonderful cearness
ana precision. but 1t was quite evident from her
spect or frleposnp Tor Minnie. When she got
ON the stand the latter's face lit up
and her bright eyes sparkled but her lace soon re-
sumed It's former Indifferent express Two or
three tunes during her examination the prisoner
suggested questions by her counsel, and on these
casions also her lace became
~. FULL OF EXPRESSION
and wonderfully changed. The witness deposed
that her husband leased the house as the corner or
Twenty-ninth street and Sixth avenue; the ground
floor was q grocery store, which her husband
occupied sae ocSnPiea nIng remainder Of the
lOr bedroom IN OCTOBER last towards the latter part
Of the month, which she OCCUPIED with man
which she then stated was her husband. This man
was not there always; he used to come OFF and on;
he was not there on Christmas day or on Christmas
Eve; she was there on both OF those days and slept
In the house on the night OF Christmas Eve, the 24th
Of December; she discovered fire about halfpast
HALLoAED OUT "FIaE;r
she jumped out of bed, and threw open the fold.
ing doors Of her BEDROOM; IRON this she sud see
IN the trunk and IT,; the trunk was within the
bedroom, near the window. In the corner; she
went back and got pail OF water she saw
Minnie DAVIS In bed, and the latter said.
''Oh, Mrs. Hagedorn,
DIDN'T INfE,D TO SET YOUR HOUSE on FREY
there were some clothes hanging over the s,,,,nL
wrapper and couple OIL skirts; these took fire;
her brother came In and she told HIM TO pull down
tatns on fire; they managed to put out the flames,
however; Minnie DAVIS said to witness brother,
"Where is my husband9 :" the blaze burned the
woodwork just little, and
''KIND OF sCORCHED"
few socsnas ana pape raas III oa e
police sergeant pulled them out next morn
Ing, but he did nos touch the trunk that
evening We took Minnie Davis away 10
the station for the night. He came In the evening
OF that day. The firemen came just they got the
what Minnie DAVIS said wnen she was leaving with
the officer when the counsel Tor the prisoner OBJ
cIded that she should answer 1t ana sne stated that
''YOU'LL BE SORRY FOR THIS,
very sorry" and going out the door she said laugh.
ngly, ''she Will be sorry for this. This concluded
the direct examination.
ness at length IS 10 whether her husband was
Garrett Henry HagedOrn. or merely Henry Hagcdorn
he was well known as Henry Hagedorn: there was
no name over the store, put G. H. Hagedorn was on
their wagon; ne was married before good many
business before, and the same took place;
she did not know what name was on the lease OK |
their house. but she could gettt
THE INDICTMENT QUASHED.
II e at there here were two serious
ment set forth 1.-THE Park Insurance Company |
when II ought to have been "rhe Park Fire lnsur.
MINNIE REMANDED TO The roABs.
suu8C ulfcCtsu inc jury 10 TcuQeE u yer
dict OF not guilty on the ground Of variance be.
tween the proof and the Indictment. The accused
was remanded to the Tombs. Judge Bedford then
suggested to Assistant District Attorney Sullivan
mat the witnesses could appear before the Grand
Jury tomorrow, and the mlghc be set down for
another day. The prosecuting Oa1cer requested the
witnesses TO appear before the Grand Jury ana an.
bounced that Miss DAVIS would be tried on Thursday
The rregularty In the drawing up Of the indict
ment was caused Dy the Fire Marshals clerk who
o0k the statements OF the ,tilessas. |
TH1EE LAW OF MISREPRESENTATION yUn:,jiAIiY RE-. 1
CoGNrzEiS-TAE wANToN Us. CT THE PISTOL REP.
RoBATED.
Inc ne1f Case upon which the Jury were called to
PASS was an Indictment against James r. Winters
VINO keeps liquor store at the corner OF Thirty
18th street ana Tenth avenue. The complainant
James Gallagher testified thar while In there on
sunday, tho 18th of last August, Winters had aim.
Guilty with man named Deyaney, VINO, with two |
men, accompanied him INTO the store TO drink, and !
that, without any prOv0cati0n he lWinters) fired
loaded revolver at him Gallagher. the evil