The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-02-04
BTOadbFin'S New York Letter.
Iecial to the CARBON ADVOCATE.

Special TO the CARBON ADVOCATE.
There is a bright side TO humanity which
makes one reconciled to this world with all
Of It's glarlng eYils and all of It's ups and
downs. II is now almost two years since
Crowley was sent to States Prison
for an assault on a young girl in liquor
saloon attached to low dancing hall on
the south side of town. The circumstances
were peculiar. In the first place a very
pertinent question would be, What was a
pure young girl doing at such a place in
withla lot of young toughs-whywas
she not at home with her widowed mother?
Crowley had been having the day
Off and during the afternoon had met sew
eral of his friends and had drank heavily
He came upon his post late, and went to the
saloon where the dance was going on, and
walking into the hall saw the young girl
in question and invited her down stairs to
take drink. She accepted the invitation
and while in the saloon the lights were
turned off by the bar-keeper and the assault
was attempted. The girls companions,
missing her from the room, rushed down
stairs to the saloon and found .he doors
locked; they raised an out-cry, when Ser
geant Crowley, realizing his position, rush.
ed out by a side-door into the street. The
saloon door was opened and the girl walked
off with her friends. Sunday passed and
she said not word, but on the following
Monday or Tuesday she mentioned the fact
to one of her companions; she told some
body else, and at last some enemies of
Crowley carried it up before the Police
Commissioners, and eventually it reached
the Office of the District Attorney. The
World took the matter in hand. Crowley
was painted as a burly ruffian, whose special
business it was to ruin young girls, and
the gir. herself was painted as a young
angel of purity and innocence, who was
only waiting for her wings to sprout in Or
der to fly away from this wicked world.
The trial was brief; public indignation was
worked up to white heat, and the result
was that Sergeant Crowley was railroaded
off to Sing-Sing for fifteen years. Public
sympathy was invoked for the innocent
young girl; it was represented that she was
prosecuted by the entire police force, who
were determined to revenge the downfall of
their comrade. At last a charitable lady
took her into her family to live with her
children. 1t was not very long before she
began to miss things, and eventually she
turned her out of her house. 1t then tran
spired that she was constantly advertising
in the papers under the name of charming
widow; and besides this, long before she
met Crowley, she claimed to haye been
married to young tough in the neighbor-
hood, who did not however, feel proud
enough to acknowledge her as his wife. In
short, after all the facts became known,
while it was apparent that Sergeant Crow
ley had been guilty of grave offence, it be-
came question if the loss of his shield and
couple of months in the penitentiary
would not have settled the account. In the
meantime, however, the principal sufferers
were Sergeant Crowley's wife and children.
struggle for her little ones, but sickness
came, and with it want and suffering, and
at last she sank into dire poverty. But your
city is full of noble charities, you say; why
did she not apply to them? She did, but
they could not see their way clear to help
her. The priest and the Levite passed her
by. At last an angel Samaritan chanced
by the way. She was only a wo man but a
woman that was worth thousand ordin-
ary men. She started out single-handed
and alone. Did she go to the churches?
No. She went to the Actors. Charity is
not their profession, but it is more frequent
y their practice than that of any other pro-
fession, lay or clerical, ON the face of the
globe. Mrs. Porges, the good woman who
took the matter in hand, enlisted the sym
pathies of Harry Miner the manager of the
Peoples Theatre. He gave the house; the
actors gave their services, and the result
was that this week Mayor Hewitt, as trus.
tee, received $1,000 for Mrs. Crowley
benefit. Yes, this is not such bad world
after all. cannot help saying God bless
the woman who worked for the worse than
widowed sufferer and her children, God
bless the manager and the actors who Sc
cheerfully responded to her call, and to the
thousands of poor people who gave from
their little store to help the needy and the
suffering.
I n a 10 Of
week which caused profound sensation,
for the reason that all the details were of
such a character as to shock the entire
community. A Mrs. Parmelee, of Brook
lyn, died suddenly in house of question
able repute in this city week ago. She
was lady of wealth, of good family con-
nections, and had children who were young
men and women. One of her daughters
had accompanied her over to this city
from Brooklyn; she parted from her at
Macy's store, and in one hour from that
time the woman lay corpse in the house
in question. How did she come to be in
such placer everybody asked. She had
been helped into the house by man who
Immediately ran out for doctor and was
never seen after. OF course the most evil
construction was placed upon her presence
there, AMI all sorts of stories flew from
mouth to mouth to blacken the dead wo-
mans character. II now looks as though
the circumstance Of her presnce in this
house is to be accounted for. A gentleman
walking behind her in West Twenty Eight
street heard her exclaim, "My God, Pm 81
sickp' Another gentleman behind hin
rushed forward to assist her, and helpeC
her into the nearest house, and then sent
boy for doctor. Then possibly realizin;
from the neighborhood the position il
which be was placed, and not knowing th
lady, he left her. This is charitable a
well as a reasonable view of the unfortu
nate affair, and sincerely trust that tn
tastimOnV of this latest witness may remov