New-York tribune., 1886-03-25
MRS. BISHOP ACQUITTED.
THE LARCENY CHARGE FAILS WHOLLY
JUDGE cowING ADVISES THE JURY TO FIND
VERDICT IN HER FAVOR

JUDGE CowING ADVISES THE JURY TO FIND a
VERDICT IN HER FAVOR.
The unusual vision os dozen young and
middle aged ladies Of fine appearance In the Court OK
General Sessions attracted the attention OF the ire-
quener, OF the court yesterday The case called for
trial before Judge Cowing Part r. Of that court was
that OF Mrs. Eleanor Fletcher Bishop the mother OK
Irving Bishop tho mind reader and herself lecturer
certain phases OF mental peeulisrities. Sne s an
elderly lady with attractive face.
The charge against Mrs. Bishop was prand larceny IN
the second degree and it charged that she appro-
priated to her own use furniture and other property
belonging to Mrs. Margaret Webrook. Assistant Dis
Attorney Purdy conducted the prosecution ana ex
Judge Mcmahon and Samuel II. Randall appeared Tor
Mrs. Bishop. .
John J. Robson, clerk in Haeger's storage ware
house, at Eighth and Thrtyfonrh st testified tna
on November l, 1884, Mrs. welbrook aud Mrs Bishop
visited the warehouse about souo furniture which
had been left there by Mrs welbrook in October 1888
it had remaiDed year without the payment
OF the storage the sale of the furniture advsr sed
in The TRIBUNE to take place NJ vember II. Mrs.
Bishop paid 800 which DUE and Mrs. Wcbrook gave
q receipt for the furniture.
Mrs. Margaret Webroox. tho complaining witness,
was then called. She Is stout woman WHO confessed
that she entirely unedUcaed She said:
with her fp@ for time at No Broadwsy Mr- Bishop
agreed to advance the money to obtain my furniture ana
carpets. They taken to No. l,lI3 Broanway ana
with my assent the carpet put on the floor and the
furniture placed in the rooms. Afterward l-lt
Mrs Bishop and went TO live in Third ave. some
months after went TO Mrs. Bishop aud said tnat l
wanted my furniture She said, 1t Is al gone naI
to mortgage and the mortgage was torec,Osed.' L
her any authority TO mortgage or TO sell IT,
Lawyers Mcmahon and Randall conducted vigorous
cross-examnation. Mrs Weltrook denied that she was
present. the previous witness had said at the delivery
Of the furniture by the warehouseman bill OF sale
Of .hs furniture Mrs. Bishop then Produced IL
was dated November IA. 1888. Mrs WelOroos was
asked
Did You not sign that bill OF sale Al do not know.
[ cannot read except to read little printed mater
and write except that sign my name Wien
holds my hand Mrs. Bishop promised to teach
me- but she never did.
She said that Mrs. Bishop told her the paper was
receipt for the money to use ia cass Mira Webrook died.
and that Mrs Bishop held her hand while she was sign
ing the paper. she did not think that George H. Rex
ford present when the paper was signed fhe
counsel then asked:
Are not the house IN Third ave.. where you now live,
and the one in Fwenty secondst. where you formerly
lived, houses OF i'll fame and have not you been the
housekeeper Al do not think so.
Judge Cowing-What! DO you not know whether you
are the keeper OF such houses A-No, don't Keep
any such houses.
She subsequently said that she had loae gen temen
aud young ladies among her boarders. She denied
that had kers house OF i'll fame in Thirty y-tth-st
and that Mrs Bishop persuaded her to give It up ana
wished heI to lead better life.
Q.-Did you not make Will In Mrs. Bishops favor
Al signed some raper. 1t did not LOOK IKE a VIII
Q.-Was not the furniture divided between yourself
and one Mrs. O'Malley or Annie Bell A.-les. -.
Q.-Who is Aunie Bell A.-One OF my former
bOardeTs ,., =,
Anderson with Que Fisher employed az deteetive py
James b. NJ GrOsyenor in the suit for S1O0OO danase5
against him for breach OF promise brought by Ma.e
Dugdae Al went to their Office, but not with Mr.
Fisher. -,
seated beside Mr. Pnrdy the prosecuting oiceS)
Ayes, air, know him.
Q-Who told You to 20 to Rowland & AndersOn's
office Al don't know. ,,-,..,,.o,
hef that unless Miss Dusde settled that you would
compel Mrs: Bishop to 20 before the Grand Jury A:
No, tut did 20 TO Mrs. Bishops rooms ani told
young lady, Miss Stewart, whom met there, that
wished could get chance at Mrs. Bishop for what she
Ex-Judee Mcmahon asked Judge COwing to direct an
acqulttal the ground that matter Of law Mrs.
Bishop had been subrogated in place Of the w1rehose-
shage Of the goods and had tue rgnt dispose OK
them IL the charges were not paid Judge COwing said
that inclined take that view but would let the
go 10 the jury.
Mr.. Randall in his opening address said that the case
tad been Instituted IN the hope OF breaking down Mrs
Bishops reputation or getting her out OF the way,
because she WAS the principal witness against Me-
rosvenor in the suit for heavy damages for breach OF
promise. He said that everything possible had been
done to have Indictment found and to keep tho
hanging Mrs. Bishops head that she would not
testify. The defence called George Fennan, expressman
who testified that Mrs. Webrook had endeayored to get
him to advance the money to obtain the furniture,
promising to repay him BY getting mortgage OF selling
part OF the furniture. The witness WAS asked what
sort Of houses Mrs welOrook ve ia but the question
excluded.
The deposition OF George II. ReNiord was then read
Mr. Purdy made objection, but Mr.. Randall SAID
that Mr. Rexford, who lived III Boston. had attended
several sessions AMI had 10 leave town. and Judge
Cowing had directed that his deposition be taken
"Yes," said Mr. Purdy with sneer. I suppose 1t
must be read This man, who has the h0pOr OF being
an intimate friend OF the tr!a runs a. az to
Boston where we cannot rrosscx!mine him.
Mr.. Randall protested.
u think, Mr.. Purdy," said Judge CoNina severely,
that your remark entirely uucaed for. There Is
nothing dscredahlo to the witness and nothing far
as this case appears FAR discredtable IN being tho
freud OF this defendant
The deposition showed that Mr.. Rexiori, who said
that he was the son OF Professor Rexori present
when the bill OF sale made and that he read IL over
10 Mrs. WcbrOOk, who willingly signed IL.
Another motion for a direction for an ac1uittsl was
asked this point. but Ju ge COwing sad that he would
like TO the detenGants story simply rs TO the bill
OF sale Mrs. Bishop sworn and said thai tha bill
Of sale given voluntarily. Mr. Purdy started IN on
fierce s-examnAtion, but was stopped by Judge
Cowng when her counsel said chat they had only asked
her about tue Iii. OF sale
Mr.. Purdy-Of course am shut up but could prove
there is another suit III tue courts about this
JuIea Cowngf do not see why this should be used TO
help another civil action DO you NOT think Mr. Pirdy
that there Is nothing In this caset rnis Dill OF sale ap
pears to DC all right.
Mr.. Purdy-NO. do not think 50. tbink there vas
deliberate cheating. She had this ignorant woman in
her aud Kept her there to cheat her aud she mas
done tue 70 others too
Mrs. Bishop starred up aud exclaimed; - You he Mt.
Purdy. You lie!
Mr.. Randall-Thls X infamous.
Judge COwng-Ies, ". Purdy, think you baye been
apt draw too much your imagination IN this
The facts do allowing his 20
to the Jury without a.rccO ls>iaOn tunk II should
never have been brought To triAl.
Mr.. Phrdy murmuged something aboUt the Recorders
to 20 again before tho Grand jury and
Judge COwing said odignanty:
There Is no use of saying anything OF that. Tho
Recorder acted all in such matters entirely
on tho representations of the He
any Judge OF this court would feel as feel. take the
whole responsibility. advise the Jury 10 acquit.