Morning journal and courier., 1888-04-14
THE PICTURE TAKING.

Signal officer Sherman-The Omcef
 Gives His Version of she Case Con-
 arming Mrs. Ronald's Statement.
 The statement that Mrs. Ronald has made that she did not entice or allure the Darrow and Smith girls into Signal Officer Sherman's rooms, but that they accompanied her will lingly, is substantially borne out in the inter view with the young ladies' Miss Darrow, the young lady who had her picture taken, said yesterday that she didn't at the time suppose they were doing anything wrong. It was the intention of all three when they visited MT. Sherman's room to have their pictures taken, but time would not permit. Detective Brewer, who has been working on the case, eross- examined Miss Darrow very closely as to the question of the dress she wore and she stoutly maintains that there was nothing out of the way in the costume, no part of her body being exposed and that there was no entieing on the part of Mrs. Ronald. Both the girls are very modest appearing young ladies. Miss Euretta Smith, the young lady who accompanied Mrs. Ronald and Miss Darrow to Sherman's office the day the picture was taken, is very much ad verse to gaining notoriety through the news papers, but told her story. She said that while employed at Powning's Mrs. Ronald had told them that she had had some pie lures taken by MT. Sherman. who was friend of hers. ''We wanted to have her ask MT. Sherman if be wouldn't take our pictures. She did so and we went with her to room 40 where she showed us lot of pictures, in some of which the persons were taken in fancy costume, others with only towel on and some entirely nude. MT. Sherman was s-,o 1,74 kI,o,. oII AIa were there. Mrs. Ronald suggested that we have our pictures taken in fancy costume. I refused, but Miss Darrow was induced to put on & costume.
 ''The costume was not very bad. The skirts reached to her knees, and only the shoulders and arms were bare. MT. Sher- man sent word to her day or two after that he wanted to take her picture in another pc sition, but she didn't respond. didn't hear anything about costumes until we went to the room. do not know that Mrs. Ronald had spoken to any other girls employed ct Powning's, but I have heard that girls who ge to the Yale Business college hays been photographed by Mir. Sherman"
 Chief Bollman and Detective Reilly made tour of inspection in the Insurance build ing yesterday. They visited MT. Shermans apartments, but found nothing to indicate that the practice of photography had been carried on except @ camera that was found
 
 months ago hired a room on the floor below the signal office. It was to this room that the young ladies went when they had their pictures taken. He had this fixed up as sort of studio. Lately the room has been cleaned out so that nothing is left to indicate the character of the operations carried on there. MT. Powning, in whose employ the young lady has been up to a short time ago, said that he knew nothing about the picture talk ing until he saw it in the papers. He pro poses to sift the affair to the bottom. Miss Darrow was called into MT. Powning's office and questioned by that gentleman. Miss Darrow told him that she and Miss Smith had gone willingly to Sherman's room for the purpose of having their pictures taken in fancy costumes, as she had not considered that there was anything wrong in it at the time ''I have known Mrs. Ronald for some time. She has always acted like lady" WHAT SIGNAL OFFICER SHERMAN SAYS. Sergeant Sherman arrived in this city last evening. MT. Sherman was seen by COURIER representative last night at the signal service office and in a very cheerful way told the following, his side of the affair: 'I am an en- thusinstic amateur photographer and have many applications from different persons to take their pictures. I went at one time and took the pictures of a number of young ladies at the Yale Art school. They had just given an exhibition and wanted their pictures taken in the fancy costumes they had worn. have also taken picture of group of four young ladies from the Yale Business college in their school dresses have taken great many pictures of my friend Mrs Ronald, a very estimable young lady whom I have em- ployed to write for me during cer- tain times in the month. At one time when she was employed by me she sat for picture while at the desk writing and once again in her street costume. The story of my taking the picture of the Misses Darrow and Smith is like this: Mrs. Ronald spoke to me about taking the pictures of two young ladies who were employed in the office with her. I agreed to do it and one noon they came to nay room and consented to take the picture that day. They were very desirous of having some sort of a fancy pic- ture taken, but were at loss as to where to procure @ costume. There was in my room a gymnasium suit that had been used at the Yale gymnasium. With this and lace cur tain that was also in the room they rigged themselves up. There was nothing very i'm modest about the costume. No part of the body was exposed, and the skirt came to the knees. The girl posed in two positions, so you see there couldn't have been anything sprung on her very suddenly. The young lady on her return home told of the circum- stances to her mother, who did not approve of the act of her daughter, and on her fla ther's return from Brooklyn informed him of the picture that was taken. He came to see me about it. l at once ex- plained the matter to him just as it occurred and he went away satisfied, saying that his daughteriwas very headstrong young lady and he wished to know just exactly hSw the thing occurred" On Mr. Sherman's being asked in regard to the pictures of nude wo- men lying around his office he said: "There were no pictures of mine that exception could be taken to. There were number of pictures, masterpieces of French art. on the table and the ladies may have looked at them; I don't know. I was busy ar ranging my camera and did not take much notice of them. The first inti- nation I had of any such story going the rounds in this city was when arrived in town this evening. I had received telegram in the morning from the office stating that I was wanted at once to clear up some diff culty. Not stating what it was, supposed it was one of the instruments in the office had gotten out of order. came in answer to the telegram and learned of the story. I found that the police had visited my apart of7ce to find out if possible what crime had committed and was in- formed that they were trying to decide that themselves"
 Mrs. Ronald's story, which she told yes terday, is fully corroborated by Sergeant Sherman.
 MRS. RONALD AGAIN INTERVIEWED.
 When COURIER reporter called on Mrs. Stella Reynolds at her home on Gregory street late last evening she had retired, being worn out with excitement and sick head ache over her recent troubles, but she attired herself that the reporter might interview her. She was greatly excited, and with tears in her eyes repeated the story published in yes- terday's COURIER. When asked if she re- membered seeing at MT. Shermans any French art pictures of nude figures she de- cidedly replied that she did not, only some pictures of landscapes lying on the table. She also said: "As soon as MT. Sherman returns he will vindicate me and tell the truth just as I have done, and if the girls would do the same, why the truth would be known and would not be disgraced as am now" The reporter then told Mrs. Ronald what MT. Sherman had said about the French pictures and she was asked to think minute and see if there were any French art magazines that she saw. She did so and finally stated that she did remember seeing something of the