Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-12-16

THE BASKET FACTORY SCANDAL
The sensation created in New and Old
Alexandria by the statement of Alice
Finnel, the young woman who asserts
she was shameiully treated at the has
ket factory ut New Alexandria last
Wednesday, has almost been eclipsed
by last nights fire. \ detailed state
mcnt Of the alleged occurrence was
Published in Yesterdays GAZETTE.
since which time nothing really new
has been learned. The young woman
sticks 10 her original story, while Dir.
W T. Hendrickson, of this city, the
foreman, and Mr. Clarke the superin
tendent of the factory, aver that the
whole thing is Imaginary and has no
existence save in the brain of the girl.
Last night Mr.. Park Agnew and other
officers of the New Alexandria Com
pany held a sort of informal examine
ton into the case NEr. Clarke, Inc
superintendent, whose two young
daughters are employed in the fac
tory. testified that 10 bis knowledge
and belief the girls story WAS q pure
fabrication that the mdignity ofwhich
she complained could moi have been
visited upon her without coming TO his
knowledge, and, in short, that the
entire performance which Miss i'inneli
50 infinitely detailed WAS. While not inn
possible, exceedingly improbable. MIR.
Hendrickson. who was seriously COM
promised by the girls statement, gave
4 saccinct account of his alleged deal
jugs with Miss fiHneil. lie says the
Solag woman had been teascd by the
other female operatives ana had COLI
planned 10 him and that nc had taken
steps to prevent any ANNOYANCE to her
in nc future; that Miss Finneil finally
lt.it work Wednesday morning and for
some unacCoUntable reason came to
this city and told nm extraordinary
story of alleged indecent treatment.
The officers of the company. after hear
inc all the evidence, and no one OF
those employed in the factory having
corro5orated Miss Finnellis statement.
concluded the ciiaYgas were not sus-
tsiued and declared there gas nothing
in the case. Last night, previous othls
examination, Mir. Hendrickson, accom-
panied by Mr. Clarke, called on Miss
Finnell, during which an animated con-
versation took place, in which the
xoang woman positively refused to re
cant a single GDId she had uttered III
her charges. She grew lnucn excited,
and vehementv exclaimed, while adj
dressing the foreman, "Ne Is, YOU did :;
YOU know YOU did, &c, sc. The men
were finally forced from the house by
The ladv's male friends. The oili-
GERS Of the company say the matter
riij be still further investigated. In
such a osse ii IS hard TO determine
whose evidence is entitled TO most ere
denee. That the alleged performance
at the basket factory is exaggerated Is
believed bv many. while others entitled
10 equal respect believe the young
woman to5s the truth. While all nat
uraily are disposed TO espouse !pe cause
ola woman (an orphan especially, III Il
strange cityl there seems 10 be matters
appertaining to this disgracetul ALTAR
..tici, re.i:!;re sober examination, and
now that the excitement Is adayy. 10 and
reason is returning let Us remember, the
iuipnction. ''.4U6 GiterGm pdrtem II
is said hy some that siiss tinnell Will m
stitute suit against the company owning
the basket factory. Last night Police
men Arlington and Webster went over
10 New Alexandria and came back ON
rle car bringing TIE wor6men home IN
order to suppress any disorder when
might occur.