Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-01
HIS SCALP IS SAFE.
A Picture Peddler Almost Loses His
Blonde Hair at the Hands of
THE WOMEN HE HAD MADE ANGRY.
District Attorney Lyon Knows Of No Trusts
in His BailiWick.
NEWS PICKED UP IN THE TWIN CITIES

ing Company, is in Jail awaiting trial at
court. When taken before Magistrate
McKenna yesterday afternoon for hear
ing, he was met by an angry
crowd of men and women. Had
the latter been at liberty to do as they de-
sired Geagle would have been minus his
thin crop of blonde hair. Even in the
presence or justice the ladies could scarcely
be kept away from the man and it finally
required the efforts of three officers to stow
him away in the back room beyond the
reach of his irate prosecutors. Geagle had
aroused the ire of the ladies not only by de-
clining to give up their pictures, but by
suggesting that they hire out to a museum
as freaks, etc. Such remarks were more than
the average gentle one cared to bear
patiently and they wanted revenge.
ANYNUMBER OF INFoRMATIoNs.
The informations charging Geagle with
larceny by bailee were sworn out by the
following ladies: Mrs. Mary Wyne, of AL
Cabot way, Southside; Mary Devlin, of the
same place; Maggie Lawrence, Sophia
Ackerman and Katie Lawrence, of Munhall
station, on the Pittsburg, Virginia and
Charleston Railroad. All these per-
sons we're at the Alderman's Office yester-
day afternoon and appeared against Geagle.
But these were not the ones who came to
state their case. The Office was crowded
almost to sufocation, and there were per-
sons present from as far away as. Youngs-
town. A noticeable feature about the
crowd was that they bore appearances of be-
ing well-to-do. Nearly two-th1rds of them
in,
Attorney John B. Chapman represented
Geagle and Police Inspector McAleese as
sisted the prosecutors.
The first witness called was Mrs. Mary
Devlin. She said: 81 contracted with an
agent of the portrait company for an en-
larged picture to be given free after had
paid 25 cents for the frame. 1 gave the
agent a photograph. In a short time
I called on this gentleman (pointing out
Geagle) to secure my picture. He told me
to pick out the style of frame wanted, pay
half down and the picture would be forth
coming. I wanted to see the large picture
and he said it was in Chicago. 1 then
asked for my small one and he refused to
give it to me. / then said something about
a swindle and he said You are fit for a
museum and then stepped back and sneered
at me-"
Attorney Chapman cross-examined the
witness and elected about the same testi-
mony already given with the exception that
Geagle was not the person to whom she gave
the picture, and that Geagle would have
given it to her had she paid the same sum
he asked for, which was to be half the price
of the frame.
REFUSED TO RETURN PICTURES.
Mrs. Mary Wyne's testimony was almost
i IL +loto
that her interview with Geagle wound up
bv him saying, 'sYou can't have your
picture until you have selected the frame,
aud if you don't like that, get out" Mrs.
Wyne said she pleaded with him some time
for her small photograph, as it was like
ness of dead relative and priced very
highly by her Geagle, she said,
absolutely refused to return the picture,
treated her very discourteously and even
went so far as to swear at her and use all
kinds of vile names and insulting language.
Eliza Traney was sworn. She said a
young lady called on her on June 26 and
secured an order for two pictures Two
weeks later she was notified to call on
Geagle. In company with her husband she
went to his office, and on July 20 paid him
IS as part payment on the picture.
Maggie Lawrence said: 81 paid Geagle's
agent 81 80 and called on him for my
picture. He treated me very ungentle-
manly; ordered me out of his Office and
had to go without getting any satisfaction
in regard to my order"
Sophia Ackerman said she called for her
picture and Geagle wanted her to pay half
down for frame She said she could not
see the bargain in that light, and Geagle
said: "Well, I'll loan you my specks if you
can't see." She was in company with
H. L
looking up her order Geagle ordered her and
her friend to stop conversation in which
they were engaged. This, she said, caused
her to laugh at him, and he wound up the
interview by ordering them to leave.
Katie Lawrence and Mrs Holly also
gave testimony about the same as that given
BY others, and each stated that Geagle
ordered them to leave his Office.
This wound up the testimony and At
torney Chapman asked for the discharge of
his client on the grounds that no larceny by
bailee had been proven against Geagle.
DAILY LETTERS OF COMPLAINT
Inspector McA1eese said that might be
true, but he was fully convinced that
Geagle was fraud and swindler, and that
he had been trying to work up a case against
him for the past four months. During that
time he had daily received letters from
people in surrounding towns asking assist
ance in recovering photographs entrusted to
Geagle's care.
Alderman McKenna admitted that At
torney Chapman was about right as to the
larceny by bailee but thought he would be
justified in holding the defendant, so COM
mitted him for trial. The hearing took up
fully two hours time. All those who were
present at the beginning remained until it
ended. While the trial was in progress
number of persons called at the Office, could
not gain admission and were forced to stand
out on the pavement. 1t took but a few
minutes to collect a crowd of hundred peo-
pie. Very nearly all had receipts in their
hands and wanted their money back.
When the hearing was finished Geagle
was left standing at the Alderman's desk.
A woman who had been watching him very
during the whole hearing walked
up to him and said:
81 would give every cent have in the
world to get chance to pull every hair out
of your head"
This seemed to be signal for others to
60 at him, and about a dozen men and
women caught hold of him and threatened
to end his existence at once if he did not
pay up. Geagle said he was willing, but
hadn't a cent.
WARRED ON BY WOMEN.
The women all kept tugging at his cloth
ing and pulling him around. Those behind
his back wanted to look him square in the
ewes for once, and proceeded to turn him
around. Then those who had been standing
face to face objected, and things became so
lively for Geagle that it was decided to take
him into the Alderman's private office.
Detective Fitzgerald started to take him
away, but the women had their hold on him
and did not care about letting go until De-
Ii, ID IL.