The record-union., 1892-06-11
ELLA ROSS MUSIC LESSONS.
Why She Rented One of Manuel Du-
bois' Cribs.
A Jury that Ignored the Sworn Testi-
mony of Reputable Men-A
Blow at Decency.

The case of Manuel Dubois. charged
with renting a house Tor immoral pur-
poses, was tried before Judge Cravens in
the Pollce Court yesterday and a Jury
composed of P. Curtis, e. A. Bower,
Joseph Thieben, W. S. Lee, J. Riley. C.
}. Fredericks, J. Lodge, L. Bell, G.. w.
Nelson, G.. Politz, George Locke and Fl.
A. Petralle. Major Anderson conducted
the defense.
Ofncers Ahern and Wilson testified to
having made the arrest. Dubois, accord
ing to their testimony, had just been paid
% by woman named Ella Ross. Ahern
saw the money handed TO Dubois and
stepping up took 1t from him and placed
hlm under arrest. The transaction was
also witnessed by Wilson.
The Ross woman said at the time that
$3 of the 50 she had borrowed of Dubois
and the remaining 81 was fol rent of the
building, 208 IL street. She was very
! stubborn IN giving her testimony. She
sWorc She paid 81 per day rent and occu-
pl5u Tue mousse Tor the purpose of taking
| music lessons on the piano and guitar
She had had trouble with her head and
couldn't remember anything, scarcely.
Duflng her examination by City Attor-
| ney Hart Major Anderson interposed OBJ
jectl0ns TO his hearts content, regardless
OF their being as constantly overruled.
COnVlctlon depended upon the prosecu-
tlon's establishing the fact that the house
was used for certain immoral purposes.
ana although the officers testified to the
pace having an established and undenia-
! Die reputation OF the worst kind the
woman would not admit the evident
truth. In fact, she positively testified to
| open and apparent falsehood.
The case was submitted with no testi-
| mony offered by the defense.
City Attorney Hart read Section 3l6 of
tne Penal Gode to the jury, and Major
anderson followed with Il yi@orors ar1n-
ment. He went back to the primal re-
! cords OF the human race, and argued that
| the evils which Section $40 of the Penal
| Code tried to mitigate had, and ALWAYS
would, prevail. Where would be the end
II a man could not rent houses to tenants
! without PERMISSION from the police? If
| the law was put into general effect, he
thought there would be an evacuation of
| many houses. lie saw no reason WHY
| one man should be arraigned and made
the victim, and hundreds escape. BE-
sldes, the prosecution had failed to es-
tabllsh anything, and the Major made
| some points and considerable noise.
Mr.. Hart was thoroughly aroused. and
at the close of the Majors argument he
made an able and forcible appeal. He
! held it was not the iury's province to
| question the wisdom Of the law. nor the
! history of the ancients, but that it was
their duty to consider the evidence and
render verdict in accordance therewith
and the instructions Of the court.
! He questioned if any member of the
jury would submit to having a neighbor
open such house or maintain one In his
| vicinity, and held it did not make any
| difference how much tax a man paid.
| Whether he was large property-hoIder
or small one, he must comply with the
law. He said it had been most CON
clusively shown that the house was rented
for the purposes charged, and for no
other, and that if this TACT had not been
proven TO the jury no fact could be proven
to them.
Despite the evidence, the Jury soon
rendered verdict Of acquittal
Dubois will now continue, as he has
done for years, in defiance of law. to rent
cribs to these shameless women for the
vilest of purposes. The police will. how
ever, not relax their efforts to break nm
the lawless and disgraceful business. and
possibly jury may yet be found that
Will accept the testimony of sworn police
officers in preference to that of women
who have no morals and hence no regard
for truth.