Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-16
THE PELZ-MEEu SCANDAL
HEARING IN THE POLICE CouRr To-DAY-MRs
MEEM ON THE STAND

A-' ''n iVii,h toihT IO-DAf-hEk
MEEM ON THE STAND
The Pelz-Meem scandal case, which was before
The Police Court yesterday on charges OF threats
and disorderly conduct, brought by Mrs Mary n
Meem against Henry Clay and Chas q. Meem hep
brothers-in-law, and which was continued untfl
to-day on account OF Henry Clay Meem not being
present, was before the court again to-day Mr.
a. Ii. Wells. lr, and Mir. Belts, OF West Washing
ton, appeared for the defendants Mrs Meem and
Two or her daughters were present TO prosecuta
the cases Henry Clay Meem, who did not re-
spond to his name yesterday, had been arrested In
the meantime, and was in the prisoners docr
BeIore any testimony had been heard, counsel for
59e o9 erns offered to plead guilty 70 the charges
court would take their personal Sbndsl Prose
cutting Attorney Moore agreed TO this, and the
court dlSposed or this part OF the case by taking
the personal recognizance OF the defendanfs 70
months
MRS. MEMS TESTIMONY
The charges OF disturbing the quiet OF Wesa
washington still remained 70 be tried and TO thess
charges the defendants pleaded not guilty. Mu.
Meem was the first witness called to the stand She
appeafed 10 De laboring under some mental excite
nent, ana at times during the giving OF her testl.
mony, almost went into Mysteries She tesrifed
That about 9sO O'Clock, on the night the 18th Of
tnls month the defendants came under her window
tWeSt WaSLtngton,) and abused her in the mosc
violent and indecent manner The court reoueste6
hv tho So sample 9i tne LANGUAGE used TO her
clted, ana repeated some epithets which, she said,
were used to her by her brothers-in-inw. The Lam
guage was not MT for publication She said that
Henry Clay Meem came up last OF the two and had
loaded revolver in his hand. They threatened to
Mi her, because, they said. she had scandalized
CRoss-ExAMINArIoN OF MRS MEEM
On croSs-examination by counsel for the defense
Mrs. Meem said that her husband was dead ana
she had four children Herhusband'S people did rot
TAKE care are OF two OF her children Many years ago
two OF her daughters to the sister OF her husband
TO protect them from the fever, and they AFTER
wards refused TO let her have her children, and
kept them from her for ten years i'm defiance OF
her. Mrs. Meem Indignantly denied that her hus-.
bands people ever supported any OF her children.
The counsel for the defense started 10 cross ex.
anime the witness about her Lusba nd's WILL but
Judge Bundy said that that cut lao figure In this
case, ana he would exclude it.
THE QUESTION THE WITNESS ANSWERED RELuo
TANTLY.
The witness was then asked who was present in
the house at the time OF this occurrence
She objected to answering the question, saying
that that had nothing TO do with the case
Counsel pressed her for an answer hut she still
refused.
Judge Bundy said the witness could answer the
The witness said that II she had the right TO re.
fuse to answer the question she would prefer to
do So
The court Informed her that she must answer
the question, and she replied with some feel
Ing that Mr. Pelz, the gentleman about whom all
this talk has been, was In the house with her. He
was anxious TO appear as a witness, but she
thought it was enough for her to be mixed up i'm
such scandal as this.
Mr.. Wells asked the witness II there had not
beena
SCANDAL CIRCULATED ABOUT HER AID Mr. PEIz
She replied that there had been some infamous
anonymous letters and newspaper publications
about an alleged scandal betN cen herself and Mr.
Pelz, but she most emphatically denied the Charge
She said that Mr.. Pe.Z had always visited her. and
would continue to do so.
Counsel for the defense proceeded to question
the witness further about the scandal, but the
court checked the examination with the remark
That the question OF scandal was wholly foreign
70 the charge before the court, and he would hear
no more OF IL.
Mr. Belts said that at this very time this man
was In the house with the witness, and the de-
PENDANTS went there thinking it was their duty to
take the Children out or such a house
MRS. MEMS DAUGHTER
Gertrude Meem, young girl about IS years old,
testified that prior TO this occurrence she met
Henry Clay Meem on the street, With a pistol In
his hand, and he asked her II that man was In her
house.
This closed the testimony for the government
HENRY CLAY NEEN
was put on the stand by the defense, AMI denied
making any threats.
but testified to nothing important
THE SENTENCE
The court said he would impose the only pen.
atty there was for disturbing the quiet of George
town. S. fine or Is days Imprisonment each, and
he hoped this would be the last OF these dlflicul
ties.