, 1877-12-16
THE DURNF0RTH AFFAIR.


The sensation that morning was tue DuEn-
forth affair, which WAS assigned to write up.
The Durnforth affair was only u horror OF i
niece with the horrid horrors that grow COM
monplace to readers OF the metropolitan dailies,
and dreary dull to reporter. 1t was IN affair
of ruined girl seeking to hide her shame, and
coming to ncr death at the hands Of quacls-
For q day-as is each such sensation In t1rn-
1t was the theme Of pruricnt moralizins and
illicit suggestion, and provoked sharp scet't
after carrion details; and then it was forgotten.
| remember it because Of the sequel to it which
witnessed
How it 60 happened was what no live reporter
in town could sufficiently account for. But 1t
did, in some incomprehensible way, happen
that the sleepy old Gazette had the only report
Of the {: tragedy whlcl, appeared that MORN
inc, aud so ssscoopcd ~ the other papers. That
Of itself was cnongh to put nc on my mettlc.
But when at police Headquarters learned the
aiTair was being secretly inyestigated-in Other
words that the facts were being suppressed III or
der to shield somebody having iniuencc-l was
! doubly intent upon getting full particulars.
That was not easy to do Under prete1'se OF
"detentiou,' the only persons who could make
| imnortant disclosures Ind been locked up.
| and, in short, such scare was being given them
,s wonld cffcctually silence most folks Of their
| class, These were the women at whose house
rho rir1 ,3;e,,. and 4 auondam naid-scryant at
! the same place. was hatlled in nll my efforts
J tn ret leave to interview them. Even my ap-
neal to ;l,c superintendent Of Police WAS boot
| less. Detective was working up the case.
| nrtrr+iye -waS O1lt on that uity, noDutly
! knew where. If Detective - had ordered
| tle detention OF witpesscs h: Wo1lld kno" Wtlo
aud where they were, aud had better see nm.
| Doubtless he would furnish al! information III
| his possession. SO | lounscd about head'
nuartcrs. keeping Il sharp lnok-out, anu mea1t'
! while gathering what material c"'tId Tor TUG
tsnot less than two columns report w1'1cn T.
was instructed to write ur for the next '!ay $
| Chronicle was about to go, when one ol the
screeants, who never let i,nss! SIP x,h ~ Up Ep
tbroujcie men, gave me 4 look indicating
! should come after, and passed OUT. follow
ci. When he had turned the corner l cal1'e up
| with him uud lie said:
'sBearound here TINS evening, where tou W.. w." !.
be noticed, about O'Clock, and you may get
chance 10 interview those women. hayc ! sus-
picion they will be let go, soon after dark on
| p1 omise to keep quiet"
Accordingly at O'Clock posted myself IN :
dark hallway opposite headquarters anu "a's
| ad Soon two women came out SIDE ooo'
| which knew was private exit from tue super
;ntcndent's ottjcc. that and the furtive mannei
in which they hurried down croSs-stFect iee
me TO follow. Before they bad ns Eone 9loet
oye1took them them: rSyen hy the We nsn5 pas<ea %
saw them-two as cvil-looktng creature
as ever l bchcld Sorry drabs both. they ap
ncared the sorricr for the forty eight hours
| close confinement upou poltcc-stntion 1ase ano
] with pp}y police-station toilet consenteusaGisl
from which they had just l'ecn released; .nt
elder. brawny harridan with heavy, d4'i 1., 1cat
ures and restless, dccp-sct e;es, when spoH'
| stonnci abruptly as il expecting arrest. :.
"Wel," she exclaimed dogee@lly, turning u 1s ae :
liberatr1y and smiling in sinister iash'oh' 10
'ps / 'osp cxnlaprI that only wanted to tntcrvie"
snSl ia nofhinr to tcll'' she said with sulle1
emnhasis, drawing herself up to her full heish E,
as # making ready to knock me do"fl' Ahu
tell you, won't be inte1vlewed: ~ n vb;c1
+hev mt it. that is what they all, from dist'n
o,,;she1 statesmen and successful authors do's'
- ronvfctcl murlercrs, tell us when we be9ff
Interviewing them. But the temptation 70 i'R
,,rc in print, and the delicious SENSE OF sel1-1hl
porance to which one awakens Waem n ''n". NV.
timed to utter himself to the world ol news
naoer readers, makes easy victims Of tue mos
phd1ratc OF them. And in i few minutes, tn
| hc1dan1e who wouldn't be interviewed was
. rca,ly as ever was United States senator Q
banS-robber to tell, for print, all that was ~
sired. But first shc must hare snppel,.;"a,ts ;.,a
remark she coupled with an outbuTst OF 1nols
| nation at having for two days been Kept o.
thieves rations, served up on Tin plate T..
Of course went with them,-and PAID 10 10
the supper, for they must be kept IN l5len1. s,l
. | humor until the interviewing was en9eu. ~ 81
) led the way to chop,noasesw, s,-s Thc 'n1ac nc
evidently was thieves' resort we took seal
st me Of The rough tables ranged along tue wa
!, and gaye our orders. Presently the fellow q