Daily Republican., 1889-11-21
THE IRMA CLUB.
A FURTHER HEARING LAST
NIGHT.
Tho Information Defectiye--Au the
Accused Discharged - McAIeer,
Owens ana yaudegrin Rear
rested and Held for Another
Trial

| NctHSdoty Who DTDCttutu WIN Al
O'Clock last evening before the MunicI.
pal Court. The court room was apain
densely packed, aud officers had TO be
stationed at the doors to prevent more
from coming In.
Alter the hearing OF one or two minor
cases elsewhere reported, the Irma Club
case was called. Me,srs. Lyman, Porter
and Ward. Esqs., appeared for tho de-
fendants. The number OF young men
charged with the outrage had been re-
duced by the discharge OF Henry Wahl
and U. IL. Collins a1i the morning ses
sion.
Those on trial last night were John
McAleer, Lewis Owens Horace G. Van.
degrilt, Samuel T. Warfeld and Harry
Lodge.
Caleb P. johnson, the first witness
called, said he was the owner of the
premises, No. 4l6 Market street. He
then exhibited lease for the third story
Of his building signed by Samuel Il.
Warheld Hnd Walter j. hurphy. The
lease named John McAleer and Lewis
owens as trustees, but they we're not
He identified Warneld as one of the
young men who signed the lease, The
lease bore date Of July 20, 1889. II
guarded against all improper conduct In
the rooms. The club vacated the room
on Monday last. Mr.. johnson acknowI
enged bis signature to the leaee, and Nc.
Aieer and Owens were TO come after ward
and sign the lease as trustees. Watfleld
came and paid the rent once II not more
| times.
Mr.. Lyman protested vigorously that
the lease had net been properly proven !,
but the court decided against him.
City Solicitor Turner then called Harry
Lndge to the stand, which dismissed the
charge against him.
Mr.. Lodge testified that he was a mem.
Der OF the Irma Social Club.
McAleer, WaraeId, Owens and Muir
phy. were once trustees but their time
expired before the raid. He did not
know when the club was organized, He
did not know how late the club room re-
mained open, for he always went home
AZ 10 O'Clock. Owens was president and
Vandegrift secretary at the last meeting
tho witness attended, but he did not
know who the Cfficers were when the
rail was made. The dues were 25 cents
per week, aud when member beca ne SO
IN arrears he was dropped from the roll.
All the members except Collins, he said,
were over ~ in arrears. The rules of
the club were written onee.
Frank Heaten testified that he was not
Q member OF the Irma Social Club, but
by invitation OF several Of the members
ne had visited the rooms. He had gone
there on the Sunday morning in quest
TO see Lewis Fox, who he knew was
thore at times
George Clarkin TESTIFIED TIM. no had
only been living in the city about six
months. lie had by Invitation visited
the club last August, but he was mot q
member oil 1t.
City Solicitor Turner exhibited q ball
ticket OF the Irma Social Club containing
the witness name on II as a committee
oil arr 'nsemente, and asked him how It
came there.
The witness replied that II was mt
there without his knowledgs or consent,
Worth, McAleer and Wsrfield had asked
him to join the club. He did not know
VINO were officers or members OF the club.
Charles w. Mcclure testified that he
was not member of the Irma Club, but
had often visited their rooms. Being
SHOWN the ball ticket he said he could
not tell how his name came to be on II.
Walter Murphy testified that he sas
not member Of the club. When asked
why he signed lease for the room of the
club he said that he met Warfield one
evening and accompanied him to Mr..
Johnson's residence. Warfield asked
him TO sign the lease and he did so with
out reading IL. Waifield once asked
him to join the club, out no refused to
do 60, as he did NOT want to belong to
any club.
Samuel 7. warfield was then called IN
the stand, the charge against him bayirg
been abandoBed. Warheld testified that
he was member OF the Irma Club, Van.
degrilt was the last secretary and Lewis
Owens the last president. McAleer and
Owens wero trustees when the lease was
signed. The club disbanded after the
RAID, but no meeting was held for that
purpose.
Carrie MeMahon was recalled and tes
titled that McAleer told her he was a
member OF the club and all he intro,
duced to her were members.
The city solicitor then rested his case.
when Willard Hall Porter, Esq., moved
smissal OF the charge, not only te-
cause the State had net proved a dIsor-
DERBY house, but because tho law does
nos specify such offence as a disorderly
house. Mr.. Porter read number of |
law references In Harrington's reports
and from English Law Practice iu sup
port Of his motion. He said that dis. |
orderly house under the law must be a |
tippling house. There was no evidence,
he said, to show that liquor was ever |
sold Ia the lrma Club room.
w. I. Lyman, Esq, made a strong
and iorclble address attacking the fled |
information, that part of it especially |
that states the parties were concerned in |
general interest. There was, he said, no
ordinance IN the city's book Of ordinances
making it possible for a man 10 be con.
cerned aud interested in keeping dis
orderly house. 1t had been proved that
the room at No. 4l0 Market street was
that OF private social club. Il
CITY Solicitor Turner in reply said that |
he had proved that the room copstituted
a disorderly house. He defended the
information which he had filed and said
it was made out correctly when 1t alleged
that the prisoners were concerned In in-
terest in keeping disorderly house.
Judge Ball ruled that the section of the
ordnance r ad defined what is tippling
and what is disorderly house. 1.-THE
Iact, said ibe Judge, that these young
men acted In disorderly manner has
been fully proven. The case is the worst
disorder that 1t has ever been my misfur
upe to listen to from that stand, Itisa
'ase that shou' d bring the blush OF shame
o every honest mans face to think that
mere are such young men growing up.
That the place Is one OF public enterta n
nent is proved by the fact that members
ook their friends there. L would not feel
hat | was doing my duty II did not so
lecide. think the Information is faulty
n charging the young men with being
Concerned and interested In keeping a
lisorderly house. am very reluctantly
compelled TO dismiss the case. The young
hen should be taught lesson"
City Solicitor Turner interposipg, had y