Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-08-26
cONvlCrED.
Burnis Brown and the Girls Ia
Court. :.
A Total Of Nearly Ssvenb-6Se Dollars in
Fines and Costs Assessed on
the Party.

The scene in Police Court, yesterday
morning, Was . notable one. Both the su-
dienee and the evidence afforded much food
for thought and altogether the affair was
one shedding food Of light upon the dark
side Of lie in our city.
After some minor cases, representing the
ordinary run of DRINKS and disorderliss, had
been disposed of by His. Honor, the cases Of
Burnie Brown and the four girls found in
his house Sunday night we're called. About
thirty witnesses, white and black, were pres
emit, they, together with the police force, the
accused, and Q number of city and county
officers and newspaper men, pretty we'll fill
ing up the space inside the railing. Out'
side, in the lobby,
AN IMMENSE CROWD
filed every available inch of room, and dur.
ing the three hours of the trial scarcely q
man moved from his position, so great was
the interest in the outcome OF this attempt
to break ups pernicious and outrageous
business.
The defense was represented BY counsel,
and the case was opened at about hslfpsst
nine by the city calling Rober. Junkins,
who stated that the neighbors along
Eleventh and Chspise streets and in alley
c. had made a great deal of complaint
about the house and about white women
going there in buggies and on foot at all
hours Of the day and night. On Sunday
night, when the arrests were made, there
was so much noise that it could be heard
back on Chspline street. One of the girls,
Annie Tyre, was under the influence of Ii
quor. He had known the women to be
there IS late as one and two o clock in the
morning, and had known them to come in
the evening and stay sll night.
Officer Watson testified to about the same
thing. He had heard Jim Lighttoot say it
was bad house.
Officer Dunlap told about the same story,
and this evidence of the police was cor
roborsted in every particular by the stories
Of neighbors, some Of the testimony being OF
the most sensational character.
THE DEFENSE
made 10 attempt to deny the visits of the
girls TO the house, or that they had frequent
" stayed there all night, but sought to show
that they weIe merely friends Of the
Brown family, having become scquaint
ed with them through working 10
gether at the hotels A great
macs Of testimony was produced by then,
going to show that no act of crimins'
character had ever been seen III the house
and that the evil reports into which to,
domicile had fallen was solely due to To
natural comment which would be excitec
by white girls making visits to the hous:
ola colored family at night and remainin;
there late or all night.
At the conclusion Of the hearing at noon
His Honor held that the house had be-
proven to be
PLACE OF ILL FANS,
and he assessed Brown, as the proprietor,
$40 and costs. Annie Tyre, for being in
the house, knowing its reputation, got -
and costs, and Annie Birmingham and Ella
Tyre, for doing likewise, were assessed the
same. IL was not proven that Lizzie Tyre
had ever been farther than the door and
the case against her was dismissed. The
case OF William Sims, who rented the room
I'D stairs. was continued.
The total of Browns fine and costs wa
S43 IS. aud that of the girls 50 50 each
making grand total of So %.
During the course of the day Jim Light,
foot and other colored men paid the glris
fines the last one Of them, Annie Tyre
being released about three O'Clock in III.
afternoon.