The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-05-30
REFUSED TO PAY.
American Ladies. Who Have Trouble
With Their Dressmaker,
Badly Treated.
Put in Dungeon and Held Until the
Claim of the Modiste Was -,
Settled.
Appeal OF the Brother of One of the Vie.
Tins to Secretary Blaine for Some
Redress.

WASHINGTON, May 2g.-GArdner Van
Nostrsnd, brother OF one OF the American
ladies arrested IN Mentone, France, at the
instance of a mIlliner, was at the depart
ment of state this morning. He made .
formal statement of the case. The papers
have been filed and the department Will
look into the case.
The New York Herald, of late date, re-
ferring to the above, says:
The ladies are Mrs DoTr, widow of Ho-
ratio Dorr, prominent Insurance man:
Miss Van Nostrand, a daughter of one of
BrOOklyn's wealthiest citizens, and Miss
Marvin, daughter OF partner in Marvin
Brothers, bankers. All belong To the Four
Hundred.
The trouble arose at Nice over the pur-
chase of some dresses from a dressmakeT
who tried to force them TO take unfinished
goods at the moment OF their departure and
refused 10 make over dress. After trying
every means of oulldCzing and brOwbeat-
ing to get the money the dressmaker, Mad
anne GOurien, had all the ladies arrested,
notwithstanding the dresses were but for
two OF them.
OF this outrage Mrs. Dorm tells the fol-
lowing story; I'VE came to Mentone and
occupied apartments al the hotel MentOne.
After dinner we were informed that some
one desired to see us. On going ont we
found a rough looking Frenchman with
piece of paper in bis hand. He Informed
US that he was ordered to arrest us. He
read a description of our persons from the
paper, but had only one of our names, that
of Miss Van Nostrand. Expostulation was
useless, but the hOtelkeeper, saying il
would only be matter of form, accom-
panied US to the bureau. The same person
who arrested US accompanied us To a mis-
erable building, in room of which, seated
by table, he assumed the magisterial
office, asked our names and demanded
everything from our pockets. even our
handkerchiefs and gloves.
''We sent for the American consul,
Leucy, who arrived with his secretary.
The consul was a FIencbmaa and the sec
retary, his brotheT-in-law, an Italian.
They said they did all they could, but the
man who arrested US decided that nothing
would do but we must all 90 10 a cell,
where we were locked up. The cell was q
regular dungeon, with a grated window
high in the wall and a smaller one in the
door. Along the side was a slanting
wooden shelf, about six feet wide,
leaving only standing room on the
floor Ii WAS a damp, filthy, evil-smelling
place Our feelings may well be mag
ined. The police officers then locked US up
and we had the pleasing consciousness that
there were two sentries patrOlling in front
OF the cell who occasionally looked through
the grating of the door. The consul left
US, promising 20 telegraph at once 10 Nice
and procure permission for our release un-
der surveillance in our rooms at the hotel.
About O'Clock in the morning we were
released under police surveillance and
taken to our rooms at the hotel, where We
were locked in. The policeman kept guard
at the door with the freedom of looking in
at US at his pleasure.
THE French authorities at Nice tele-
grsphed Miss Van Nostrand that the party
could be released upon payment of the bill;
otherwise they must remain IN durance,
not in the hotel, but in the dungeon. The
commissary at once decided against us,
giving Miss Van NOstrsnd five minutes 10
decide between paying the entire bill, with
---s---
course we paid, and as the matter now
stands we have been put in prison, insulted
beyond expression, compelled to pay 500
for garments which have not been de
Iivered to us-and all in the name of law"