The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-06-07
BlACKENING HER NAME.
She Was Indisereet, to Say the
Least, and the Defence
Took Full Advantage.
QUEER TRIP FROM ROUNDOUT.
Lawyer Speer Charged with Urg.
ing a Witness 10 Injure
the Girls Character.

Justice Kimmerly's court room, in the
Fourth Precinct Station House. was
crowded this morning with half hun
dred curiosity seekers and persons di-
recJly or indirectly connected with the
Vile-Relyea scandal. Counsellor W. H.
Speer appeared for the defendant, John j.
Vile, and Norman L. Rowe for the plain
tiff, Miss Ada Relyea. Corporation At
torney Robert Hudspeth watched the pro-
ceedings for the city.
AS soon MS the jury had been drawn.
the plaintiff was placed upon the stand
The girl is between twenty and twenty
one years of age. She was dressed in a
neat dark skirt. light waist, dark cape
and jaunty little nat. Her face demon
strateu clearly that the ordeal she was
about to pass through had caused her
much suffering. 1t was tear stained and
haggard.
In answering the questions put to her
by the Court she did so in an exceedingly
modest manner.
Vile. the defendant. occupied a chair in
the prisoners pen. He presented natty
appearance. Rugged in tight fitting
black suit. dark necktie. patent leather
Shoes and possessing an exceedingly
ruddy complexion. he showed no symp-
toms of humiliation.
In the lobby sat number of his
''cronies" among whom were George
them were members Of the Fisk Section
No. 2. Cadets of Temperance. Hig..
fne' The Fisk Dramatic Club. They
all sat giggling like a. party of
school boys in need of q spanking. They
Al. -aA ran
thing the notoriety Of being implicated
in such a case. John Dingwall, young
married man, who was summoned as
witness. failed to put in an appearance.
Vtle's friends were on hand to prave the
girls lack of chastity. In this scheme.
however, the witnesses were unsuccess-
full. The evidence produced. however. is
of most sensational character and im-
plicates several young men whose char
acters were supposed to be above re-
proach.
A most sensational scene occurred
mony that Counsellor w. H: Speer had
summoned one Mrs. E. Sammis
as witness for the defence. and urged
her IN her testimony to blacken MISS
Relyea's character as much as possible.
MISS RELYEA's STORY.
When permitted to testify Miss Relyea
referred to her admission as member of
Fisk Section, Cadets of Temperance. her
meeting with Vile and subsequent down
fall.
In the cross-examination the fact was
brought out that having became ac-
ouainted with married man named
George II. Barker she arranged trip to
Kingston and finally came home with
him on the Rcndout night boat. The evil
dence showed that Barker and Miss
Relyea occupied the same stateroom.
Although undressed, the plaintiff main
- nm n
frequent attempts TO accomplish her
ruin. After this she made frequent visits
TO Coney Island with Barker. Again 1t
was shown that Charles q. Belts, q mar
ried man, had remained in her home
four hours. His presence was
ment that he was there to see
her father. George Benson, another
gay young gentleman called on the young
lady and dishevelled her attire. and did
many other things to which the young
lady objected. Frank Higgins endeavored
to b.acken the girls character. he was
sat down upon at once.
The plaintiff maintained that Benson,
Hlggings and Belts had not been Intimate
with her.
In the same examination the fact was
brought out that $40 had been given her
by Vile, which was used to pay midwife
named Mrs. Decker. in West Forty-Sixth
street, New York, for illegal treatment,
which, however. was unsuccessful.
The names OF several persons not pres
ent were dragged into the case.
FAVORABLE TO THE GIRL
Mrs. E. Sammls testified to The girls
good character, and then Counsellor
Speer produced as evidence letter writ
fen by Miss Relvea to Vile, in which she
stated that it panied her to write him ana
in which she asked him to help her. She
refers to several speeches made TO Miss
NJ tar hU VILE in rQfarnncHs TO
her condition, ana the probable paternity
of the child. mi,
The letter was most pathetic one. The
Young girl concluding 1t by saying that
She hoped God would permit her and her
child to die if he (Vile) would not love
her. She intimated that if the child lived
she would leave town and keep far from
him, desiring only his friendship.
A MISERABLE DEFENCE.
Counsellor Speer made an exceedingly
weak defence. basing his whole case upon
the plaintiffs trip with George Barker
improper actions of young Bruson, Hlg-
gins and other young men, said to De
members or ex-menibers of Fisk Section.
RoWE's sCATHING SPEECH.
Counsellor Rowe. in summing up his
case, hauled Speer over the coal and nan
dlen him without gloves in general.
Counsellor Rowe sailed into Benson.
Higgins and the score OF Cadets of TEN.
perance and other young men OF the La
fayette aud Hill Section who go about, as
the Counsellor said, running young
ladies. These young scopndrels. soour-
ing. sneaking, skulking about seeking to
ruln and seduce young girls" said he,
ssforsake them and leave them TO go fur
ther and further into the mire. and then
stand ever ready and willing to come into
- court room, glance about, see their vic.
Tins. and then with that sneering way of
theirs say that girl is bad that girl is I'M
moralP ,,,.
made her bad?" asked Mr.. Rowe " Who
made her immoral? say Brown, Barker
and Vile"
In this manner the counsellor con-
timed administering most scathlnR
rebukes to the young men who dld not
look as jaunty as at the opening OF the
"In my opinion" continued Counsel
Tor Rowe, 'here is gang OF young men
who fixed their eyes upon this girl ana Se-
termined upon her ruin. Sucn eases are
of frequent occurrence.
Gangs locate glrl like this and one AZ