New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-10
PRICE THREE CENTS.
A WOMAN'S FATAL ERROR.
SENTENCED TO PRISON ALTHOUGH INNO.
CENT, FOR STEALING A PURSE.
SHE WAS AFRAID TO TELL HER NAME-PAne
DoNED ONLY TO FIND THAT HER HUsc
BAND, ONCE WEALTHY MAN,
HAD JUST DIED IN
HOSPITAL.

David A. Davis, once prosperous and wealthy
merchant of Newark, died at the Roosevelt Hos
pital on last Monday night Davis. after amass-
ing a fortune in the fancy and millinery goods
business in Market-st., Newark, about fifteen
years ago moved to this city and went to live in
handsome house in Fifty -ninth-st. He was a
wel-known sporting man, and after he came to
this city purchased number of running horses
and became familiar figure at all the race-tracks
in this section Of the country. lie was not suo-
cessful and slowly but surely lis fortune of nearly
$3.50 900 dwindled to nothing.
Reduced to poverty in 1886 he moved to Union
Hill and started in the fancy goods business again.
He was successful here, and while the store was
bringing in a good revenue Mrs. Davis. who was
diamond expert, secured employment with dia-
mond-dcalers in this city, and travelled through
Europe buying and selling the jewels. Their for
tune began to mend again, but the fascination OF
the race-track was greater than Daviss will power,
and he tried horses again, with the same result 40
in his previous venture. lie lost everything.
During his career as racing man his wife
also visited the track frequently. While
crossing the Hoboken Ferry one afternoon
last May she saw a number of women whom she
had seen at the races frequently. One of them.
she sad asked her to hold a pocketbook, and
went up that woman's pocket had been picked.
Considerable confusion followed, and in the ex-
ctement the woman who had given Mrs. DAVIS
the pocketbook and her companions disappeared
Mrs. Davis discovering this went to the woman
who had lost her purse, and showing her the one
that had been given her by the Woman asked IL
it was the missing pocketbook The woman re-
plied that it was and just at that moment Chief
Of Police Donovan, of lIobollen, appeared and ar
rested Mrs Davis. Acting under the advice or
a friend of her husband who was present, sne
said that her name Annie Allen, and posi-
lively refused to give her address. This told
AGAINST her in court and she was convicted and
sentenced to two years and six months IN the
state prison. Her husband was heart-Droken
over the affair, and took tier three niue daugn-
ters to the home of a friend IN brooklyn, "nere
they have since lived under tie impression 'ids
their mother was on business tour In EUROPE.
The eldest son, married man, was also kept Ia
| ignorance of the affair.
After Mrs. Davis had been sent 70 PRISON ner
husband began TO decline in health, ana IeW
weeks ago was taken To Roosevelt Hospital, wnere
he died last Monday night. Eighteen hours pc
fore his death his wife was liberated py tho
Court of Pardons. a special session OF which was
called by Governor Albeit. when he learned the
| particulars of the case. When Mrs. Davis ieIe
! the prison she was overloyed at the Nospeco oI
seeing her husband and childfcn. and boarded tne
| train with light heart. After leaving trenton:
a friend who had gone TO meet her broke the Sd"
rews 10 her, and sine fell in faint. nnmper
| of ladies went to her aid and soon revived her'
| hut not one Of them aware OF the clrcutn-
| stances of the case, and of the ordeal through
which she had Just passed. She arrived IN Brook
| lyn on Tuesday night and on WEDNESDAY az
tended the funeral Of her husband from the ho"o
| Of her uncle on Thirty -nnfh-st.
| OF the many horses owned by DAVIS onty one
remains in the family. that being Ten Strikc'
which is owned by Davs's eldest son in Brooklyn.