The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-29
APPLAUSE IN A coUnr ROOM.
Disehnrrina Mrs. Ellen whalen who Was
Trial ON an Accusation OF Then.

Mrs. Ellen Whalen, n rosy-faced, simple
looking Irish woman. bearing in her arms a
sleeping infant. and with two children. boy
and girl. clinging 10 her home-spun dross.
tremblingy stood at the bar OF the Special
Sessions yesterday. accused Of stealing un ac-
cordonn from the bazar OF julius S. Ehrichs Of
2s7 Eighth avenue.
Detective Alexander G.. Sisson. who for several
years has been in the employ Of the firm tcsti-
fed that ON Tuesday last he posted himself on
the stairs overookingt the whole store. Ho saw
Mrs. Whalen and her children enter the store.
and watched her examine numDcr Of articles.
He noticed that she bought pair Of woollcn
miuons. aull also some cheap trinkots. Then
he saw her suddenly. rs he thought snatch AN
ACCORDION from, table. put it in a basket and
hastily move away Iie ran down stairs asked
the woman clcrk II She had lost anything and
on her answering in tho affirmative he ran out
OF the store. arrested Mrs. Nhalon. and found
the accordion upon her.
ON cross-cxaminatiun Detective SissOn AL
mitted that the store was greatly crowded that
day. and that. necessarily. he was iostled about.
He saw the woman take the accordion from the
desk and hastily leave tho store. and us the
ricrk told him that the accur1eun was missing.
lac arrested hor. To the Court. Detective Sis.
son said that Mary Mckcnna. the clerk who had
rhnr.s of the counter refused n come before
til" Court aud had consequently been dis
chHrg.d. ,SissOn would not swear positively
that Mrs. Whnlcn had stolen the ACCORDION.
in-supprcssed feelings Of sympathy, rs her
litle ones climbed uD the steps after her, and
nodded and smiled "a the Judges. She, cried
Justice Murray. the only Catholic Justice On
tn. bench. explained To her That the ceremony
ot kissing tn" Bible WIS merely Legal form
simply demanding Of hor The most earnest aud
conscientious acknowledgement of the truth.
Mrs Whalcn then said: - My husband is a
lulprnT. La
ana |, We saved two dollars t. buy Christmas
prescris ior the little ones. The day before
Christmas took them with mo 10 the store on
Eighth avenue. God help me. yer Honor II
ever 1 20 there Agin. 1 hnd only Two dollars
linn some musical tool. Will. Jrdse bought
Tor little Mary pair Of mittcns, with blue bows
and paid thirty cents for them. and shuro
paid more for the bows than the mittcns.n
Mrs. WhHl"n then told how she had gone
from tHbl" TO table; now the little ones stood IN
umazemeni at counters where toys were dis.
played ut all prices how she could hardly keep
them from picking tho toyr that lay so trmpting
l"fOr" them: thnt, passing by the booth where
the musical instruments were. she saw an nc
cprdcOn FOR snlc for only eighty cents. She
asked the clerk II Il WIS good ono, and
mo gin REPLIED hastily in the atrmg;;
and received q check. Il receipt. AM 20 cents In
change. She quickly put the instrument under
little ONES. Hardly had she got into the street.
than three nrn Jumped upon her, Thcy
uir 1oTn 20 sn1 fe, oi InY store.
shawl. She screamed for help. when the men
Knocked her down. One OF them chokcd
her. while Si-son struck her in the
face and kicked her. He called her u
thief. and accused her Of stealing the
musical instrument She was taken TO the
Twentieth street police station and locked up.
Mrs. Nhalcn them at the request Of her law
yer, produced the receipt signed by the clerk
for No ncrordeon. As she did 30 the sensation
in court was intense.
When her lawyer asked: " Mrs. Whalen. did
you .tcal that accordeonr' Mrs. whalen burst
into tears.
d" For Gods sake don't charge me with that.
nm an honest woman" She said. and have
Tire" chlldrcn. Please. please don't make u
thief Of me-"
Mrs. Mhalens landlord. who gave bnil for her
appearance. spoke OF her Ms q simple. kind
hearted. mothcrly woman. The family were
poor but honest.
justices Dutty. Murray and kasmire with out
moments hesitation discharged her. Hardly
had they given their decision Of acquittal when
there was u burst Of applause throughout the
court room that the officers Of the court could
not stop until IL died out OF itself.