Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-09


HER STORY OF TEE PROSECUTIONS TO WHICH SHE
WAS SUBJECTED By HIN.
The trial OF the case OF Miss Mary A. Murray
against Postmaster Tyler, OF Baltimore, was
begun In the Howard county court at El1cott
City, Nd, yesterday. The court ruled that the
question OF residence and the question of dam
ages should be submitted to the same Jury. and
the case Will now go on. Mr.. Ernest Bail made
the opening statement for the plaintiff and a
number OF witnesses were examined upon the
question OF the residence OF the postmaster.
The statement OF the plaintiff as Set forth by
heI counsel Is that In the spring OF 1871. just
after the appointment Of the defendant as :;ost.
master OF Baltimore City, Miss Murray-poor,
and obliged to work for q uving-applied for q
position In the Baltimore post-office, aud
through the influence OF several prominent
citizens OF Baltimore, one OF whom was at tnat
time one OF the defendants bondsmen, she
obtained an appointment to clerkship in the
registered letter department. She entered
upon her duties some time about June %, 1871
In July following Gen. Tyler made the first
assault upon the plaintiff. II was during the
railroad riots. Miss Murray was at her desk
early ID the morning, when the defendant
came In and asked for letter which was In the
safe. She at once went 10 get IL, Tyler follow
Ing her, aid as she was IN the acJ or taking
the letter from its place, the defendant caugat
her ihand, and before she cou.d Withdraw it
or reaEze his Intention, he pressed it on
his person. She Indignantly withdrew and
commanded him to leave the apartment From
ILLS lLilc uui OF IllS DOOR girl
commenced. Ee wanted her to go with MIN
1or q rlde In the park, and when this proffer
mao been declined he asked ii he might see her
at ner boarding house. Finding that she would
Lot crafty his desires, he informed her that
some one wanted her place, and that there was
quite pressure being brought to get her out
she as In constant dread OF being removed;
and in the face OF this she was, about Decem-
Der. 1871, removed to another Department in the
office, known as the ladies' delivery. One day,
In January. 1873, while she was alone In the
room. he came In, and before she could detect his
intention. he caught her by the wrist,
with one arm about her waist, and
pulled her In the corner, where they
would entirely be cut Off from all view
from the small window used for q delivery.
The plaintiffs counsel say they will show
that several times afterwards he committed
most outrageous assaults upon the plaintiff,
one OF which was even more violent than
either OF the two described; While not so Inde-
cent as the first, yet so tight did be hold her
that bruises were left upon her arms After
each OF these assaults and indecent and i'm
proper suggestions, she complained TO her
friends, but was unwilling 10 tell them the full
extent OF the outrages TO which she had been
subjected. They advised her not to resign, but
retain her position, for 1t was all she
had TO depend upon for a living Hear
Ing 1t was the defendants Intention TO
discharge her. as he had found that she would
not yield TO his passions, she went TO his Office
Tor the purpose or trying to ind out II he intend
ed to discharge her. He then and there told her
IL she had 0one as he had wanted her, she
would have had things her own way. When
charges had been mace against this defendant
and special agents sent 10 Baltimore to lnves-
tigate those charges, Miss Murray was twice
summoned and twice refused To testify, for sac
dreaded publicity; and not until her character
had been attacked by the slanderous state
mentS In small weekly paper printed Ia Bal
tnlcTe and controlled by Tyler, did she deter
mine 70 testify. When the defendant found she
had resolved TO give her testimony, he sent for
her to come TO his room, and begged and i'm
ploreG her rot 10 TESTIFY telling her tnat the mat
ter and things 10 which She would testify II
made public. would ruin him. she did testify
pIivately-and was dismissed.