The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-12-16
CONEY VS.. HARVEY.
The Old Scandal Revived in a Suit
for s25,O0O Damages.

The celebrated case OF Warren NJ.
Couey against William A. Harvey to re-
cover s25000 damages for the alienation
Of bis wife's affections was brought uD for
trial in the Supreme Court this
morning before Judge Knapp and
a jury. The trial began at
eleven o'clock, and when the jury was
being called Mrs. "Coney" and her most
recent husband whose name is Holmes,
seated themselves to the left of C0un-
sellor Beekman and Mr.. Harvey at the
same side Of counsePs table sat at the
right Of ex-Mayor Collins.
Mrs. Coney. or Holmes. was neatly
dressed In a green suit and wore black
coat coquettishly trimmed with black fur.
A small black hat adorned with peacock
blue velvet surmounted her dark brown
hair, and light veil partially
covered her pretty face and
hid on occasional blush
that fitted to her cheeks. Her new hus-
bands principal attraction appeared to
be a pair Of close cropped side whiskers
and a fine mustache. Mr.. Harney was
pale and attentive aud frequently con-
suited his counsel.
Counsellor Linn when he opened the
case said that Mr.. and Mrs. Coney were
married on April 2, 1885. Her Christian
name was Lenora. After being married
the couple went TO Grand street TO
board and later began housekeep-
there until 1887 and then moved to No
ZIG York street where they lived happily
until March 3, 1883 When on that day
Coney returned from his work, he found
his wife had deserted him aud that the
servant girl had gone away too. They
had taken Mrs. Coney's clothing.
Coney was called as the first witness.
He is a pleasant looking man Of thirty
four years. He testified that after his
wife deserted him he finally traced her to
Taylor's Hotel, where Harney visited
he Harney told him where
to see him. He wrote her
asking an interview, but it was not
given him. After that he traced her to
Philadelphia to n hotel, and there she
was frequently visited by Harney, who
also visited her at Brooklyn aud other
places. He learned that Harney had paid
for the pleasure of calling on Mrs. Conev
about $1,000 in all Until March 3, 1888.
his home mad been a happy one. He aud
his wife were devoted TO each other.
Cross-examined by ex-Mayor Collins,
Coney admitted that during the Febru
airy preceding the desertion of his wife he
had been i'll.
Counsel then read some of Harney's
testimony taken before the chancellor In
which lie denied having kissed or hugged
Mrs. Coney or having ever been unduly
intimate with her and that the $500 he
gave Mrs. ConeY when she left her hus-
band was loan to enable her to consult
lawyer. 1t asserted that Harney al
ways registered at the hotels where he
visited Mrs. Coney; that he was never
alone with Mrs. Coney, and Mrs. Mellow
ell, the servant, was always present
when he visited her. At the
Hotel Lafayette. at Philadel-
phia, Mrs. Coney and Mrs. Mcdowell
stopped one month. They had two rooms
at $50 week, after this they went to the
st. George, and from there to the Man
sion House. During this time, Harney
wrote Mrs Coney's mother asking her TO
come to the aid Of her daughter.
This evidence Coney saiI had been
given before tine Chancellor Counsellor
Collins then continued reading from the
testimony as to the continued visits of
Harney at the different hotels where Mrs.
Coney stopped with a view to show
they were never alone. After Mrs. Coney
left the Sheridan House to go again to
Philadelphia. Coney and his friend An
ness visited her and Gertie Mcdowell in
a friendly way. and soon afterward
the two women returned to New York
and stopped for week at the Fifth
avenue hotel. All these visits were be-
cause of disinterested friendship and pity
for her lonely condition.
Coney in answer to question said that
this testimony had been given before the
Chancellor.