Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-26
A CANT0 IN C0L0RS.
Mrs. Annie Wallace Held In 81 200 Bail for
Keeping a Disorderly House-Lifelike
Iucidenra of Aldermanic Life.


Keeping a Disorderly House-Lifelike
Incidents of Aldermanic Life.
Magistrate McKenna was visited last
evening by a strong delegation from the
colored settlement on Twentieth street. A
tall, lank and rawboned colored man, who
gave his name as Frank Washington, made
a complaint before the Alderman, charging
Annie Wallace, of No. 9 Twentieth street,
with the keeping of disorderly house.
This was the simple, unadorned complaint,
and certainly contained, in its terms, no
element of romance. When the parties in
terested strobe timidly into the magistrates
office, the romance instantly asserted itself,
with pugnacious R.
Mrs. Annie Wallace is a woman who will
make $50 pounds on any scale which Colonel
Fairbank has had the hardihood to con-
struct. She tramped pompously into the
Alderman's Office and settled upon feeble
stool by the fire. The stool trembled and
held its legs. She was followed by Mr..
Washington. his wife Martha, his daugh-
ter Fannie and female of callow age and
mild color who confessed the name of Vic
toria Regina.
Mr.. Washington said that his daughter
had been enJiced into Mrs. Wallace's place,
night after night. for the purpose of meeting
men. He went there few nights since and
took her away. He found Fannie badly
intoxicated, and was somewhat surprised
when Mrs. Wallace asked him to have a
drink. His surprise arose from his knowl-
edge of the fact that Mrs. Wallace did not
know whether or not he was thirsty. He
refused to drink and took his daughter
home.
Mrs. Washington testified that Mrs.
Wallace kept place where men and
women resorted and imbibed. Then the
girl in dispute was called, Fannie WASH
ington. While nowaday busybodys attempt
to show that the Washingtons are of Celtic
origin, there is no room for dispute that
Fannie is not. She is, however, pretty
colored girl, with round face. pretty doll
features, long lashes and curling hair
ripping about her little ears and low, broad
brow. She said that she was Just past II,
that she had been in Mrs. Wallace's house
and that she had met men there. Her
examination was very brief.
Magistrate McKenna asked Mrs. Wallace
if she had anything to say. She sat by the
fire and in rapid alteration warmed her fat
hands. She declared that she would not
answer lies, and pouted at the natural gas
cloak closer about her shoulders and showed
her gingham sunbonnet farther back upon
her Psyche knot.
The magistrate said that he would be
compelled TO hold her in 81 900 bail to the
Criminal Court. Mrs. Wallace cast quick
glance at the Alderman, and then regazed
at the fire without word. This aroused
Mrs. Washington, who sat against
the opposite wall, fanked by Fan
ME and Victoria. Mrs. Washington
arose, strobe to the center of the room,
cast withering glance at Mrs. Wallace's
sunbonnet and said, to the Alderman, "She
keeps rancho, judge, that's what she
keeps, her and her partner across the street.
there every night an they keep running
across the street from one door to the
other.'
Mrs. Wallace changed her hands. but did
not look around. "I'd be ashamed to call
myself Christian" she said to the fire.
place. 81 would. You can 60 and send. me
to the Court House, but you can't lie up
there like you can here. That's three lies
you've tole on me. It'll all come home to
you" Then she put her other big hand to
the warmth.
Mrs. Washington executed pirouette on
the floor, and reached for Mrs. Wallace's
gingham sunbonnet, but caught the Alder
mans eye and paused. Martin Derrick was
so excited by the incident that he fell off
the table in the corner, was picked up and
replaced. "It's fine lot of trash you have
drinking every night at your house."
snapped Mrs. Washington. ''It's as many
times I've drunk at your house" says Mrs.
Wallace. Ladies, ladies!'' the magistrate
exclaimed, "calm yourselves and be deco
rous." He thereupon ordered his constable
to convey Mrs. Wallace to the county jail,
and as man and woman passed out OF the
door, the Twentieth street contingent
against the far wall chorused gleeful and
laugh.