The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-06-28
MRS. VAN HORN'SPENNY HAT
THE Ex-COUNTY CLEhx,S WIFE SUB
JECrED TO OUTRAGEOUS ARREST

O'NefI's Cry-GOods Store In New York,
She is Dragged 90 the station House.
Word was brought to the TATTLER yes
terday that ex-County Clerk Van Horn
has instituted proceedings against O'Neil
& Co., the big New York drygoods mer-
chants to recover $4,000 for falsely i'm
prisonlng and brutally abusing Mrs Van
Horn, and reporter was sent to the ex-
County Clerks handsome house on Van
Rsipen avenue last evening to inquire into
the truth of the story.
sYes SIR" said the genial ex-official,
when the reporter had put the question.
81 have commenced such a suit and pro-
pose to push it with vigor to its conclusion.
MY wife was subjected to the indignity of
an arrest by one of the employees of the
store, because, after being robbed of her
pocket-book, she insisted upon making it
known and upon making an effort to find
it.
ssMay ask for the particulars ?"ventured
the reporter.
ssrhere is Mrs. Van Horn herself" said
the ex-County Clerk, waving his hand to-
ward his amiable better half. "She knows
the story better than and won't probably
have any objection to telling 1t to you"
Mrs Van Horn did have objection. She
did not court the publicity the publication
of the story would invite, but after a little
difident hesitation, she grew indignant
over the recollection of her wrong and
gave the reporter the facts.
ST went to New York on modest little
shopping expedition last Monday" she be-
gan, sand towards five o'clock in the even
ing went into ONeil's large store on Twen-
tieth street and Sixth avenue. There was
quite large crowd inside, especially at tina
counter where the cheap bonnets were dis
played. Penny hats are the latest adver-
Using novelty of some of the fancy stores,
and l pushed my way through the crowd
to the counter on which some hats lay. l
picked up one. and tried to step out of the
iostling crowd. When l had pushed my
way out-almost fought it out-a floor
walker or special officer in the O'Neil's
employ, whose name / have since ascer-
tanned to be Wood. stood at the foot of the
stairs.
"sThank the Lord rmAeut of that crowd,
said half to him and half to myself.
sssOne penny, Wood said to me, as l
wheeled out go to the counter and pay
for it,
ST went to the desk with the hat, and there
I was told that ten cents was its price. |
made up my mind that would buy cheap
one, ready trimmed with Indian NULL
wanted bonnet to wear on an excursion
I'm about to go upon-and on my way to
the counter at which they were sold met
Mr.. O'Neill, one of the proprietors of the
store. have been dealing at O'Neills for
a good many years, and knew him well
enough to say word to him. So asked
,xr-l,r sr.lat 10. fl,o rartn Of
bonnet the man at the desk who had said
ten cents, or this man Wood who had said
a penny.
"sHe never said ii was penny, was
O'Neill's gruff reply. That was direct
challenge of my truthfulness, and natur
ally enough / felt indignant. l told him
that the man had told me SO, but instead of
stopping to prolong the discussion | made
my way to the rs cent counter. While
was looking for such hat as / desired, |
observed that my reticule was open and
my pocketbook was gone. 1 made my way
through the crowd intending to report my
loss to O'Neill, and on my way met him
again. I told him of my misfortune.
"I can do nothing in the matter, he
impudently answered
"sRut what can do? I'm pennil SIS. and
have no money even to get home with?
NoAuWull6 bu6 WOul6H III bu6 StOIG
focked about me, and soon there was a
great crowd. Three or four ladies stepped
forward to say that they too had been
robbed of their purses. One, New York
business woman, had lost $31.
"'How much will you require to get
homer asked man employed at the store
who came up. replied fifty cents, and he
started off to get it. On my way out
met Wood
"'Didn't you tell me, I asked him. that
that hat was penny?
"sSee here! he said to one, angrily
fYou have been making disturbance ever
since you came in the store, and want you
to go out or will put you out 7
"What more natural than for me to say
that he did not dare to put me out /? said
1t, and the first thing knew he had me by
the arm. [ caught hold of the newell-post
at the foot of the staisa, but he dragged me
away, and ran me out into the street. The
women cried Shame! upon him. My
arm is still black and blue where he seized
it. A terribly big crowd gathered around
me upon the street. l Indignantly de-
nounced the treatment / had received, and
presently Wood made his way through the
crowd, and after charging me with creating
disturbance on tbs stfeet threatened to
arrest me
ssNo, you will not arrest me, either
exclaimed. i have done nothing to JUS
| tify the arrest.
"He seized me by the arm and dragged me
along the street. He said he was going to
! take me to the station-house. 1t was ten
| blocks away. A rabble. gathered By the
| excatement, was at our heels, and growing
larger every step we took. 1t was too much
! of walk for nae, aud I asked the officer to
ride.
"sAt your expense I added, since /
| have been robbed of all / had in your
stors'
s'He would not Astep te me, but insisted
on my walking, and / did walk. I was
taken to Captain Wiliams's police-station,
4 ON Thirtieth street. There 1 was asked my
name, residence, aEd age.
'"Pm all of sweet sixteen, answered to
| the last question, making the best OF the
situation.
.'We treat you like lady, madame,
said the sergeant, and ask serious
answer
"Then told him the fact.
ssWood made a charge of disorderly con-
duct against me, and the sergeant would
have sent me to cell but for the lucky
fact that Captain Williams was himself at
the time in the room. | told my story, ami
incidentally mentioned that my husband
was q former Clerk of Hudson County.
| hWood skunk away like whipped dog,
and o lady who had seen the whole trans
action, and accompanied me to the police
station, oorroborated my story az to what
occurred In the store Captain Williams
listened to it all, and then saying that tho
charge would not be entertained, released
me. I have the name and address of the
lady to whom / have referred, but hun
dreds were witnesses Of my ill-treatment,
and am anxious to get their names"
Tiae suit for damages had to be brought