Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-02-14

ionablc boarding house at No. 465 Fifth
avenue.
After the original battle between
these historic animals there was only a
harvest of dismantled plumage, pluck
ed out hair and broken furniture.
In the case of the Fifth avenue cpl
sode there seems to have been more
kinds of trouble at once than usually
fall to the lot Of even the most disor-
@anized household.
To begin with, there is an imposing
array of dramatis persona and five dis
tinct lawsuits.
Among the former are Mrs. Mitchell,
landladv of No. 4G3 Fifth avenue; Mrs
Sarah ID. Ashley, an elderly boarder;
DR.. Achille Edward Davis and DIR. Ben
Franklin Parrish, also boarders Jose
Sanchez, darl, hued Cuban, and Mrs.
Lillian Woodwork, former boarders.
Two of the suits are brought by the
elder boardera, Mrs. Sarah d. Ashley,
against Dr. Davis, one being q criminal
action for assault and the other civil
proceeding on the same grounds.
Mrs. Ashley's other suit is against DR..
Parrish for alleged SANDER. Ten thou
sand dollars damages are asked for in
the civil suit against DR.. Davis, while
DR.. Parrish is asked to pay only half
that amount.
The other two suits have been
brought by Lewis L. Woodwork, said
to be IN actor. One is against his wife,
and is for an absolute divorce on statu-
tory grounds, and the other is against
Jose Sanchez for alternating his wife's
affections. He places their value at
$4,000.
Mrs. Mitchell, the landlady of the
house of many wrangles, is q southern
woman of good family. she is greatly
prostratcd At the troubles which have
multiplied about her. Mrs. Lillian
Woodwork came to her house last sum-
mer, but all went we'll until Miss Ma
mic Hart took front room two flights
up in the house last November.
Drs. Parrish and Davis at that time
had rooms on the first floor and Jose
Sanchez had the large front room on the
second floor. Mrs. Mitchell had the
back rooms on the same floor with her
two boys. Up stairs in the rear Mrs.
Woodwork and Mrs. Ashley had sepa-
rate rooms. Miss Hart took the large
front room on the same floor.
From that time Mrs. Ashley knew no
peace. She was disturbed by noises in
both Miss Hart's room and in that of
Mrs. Woodwork far into the morning
until. on one occasion, driven to des-
peration, she went to Mrs. Woodworth's
door, and, after knocking, cried out:
Tell that man to come out"
"Go away" cried Mrs. Woodwork
in reply. "What do you mean by say
ing such thing 2"
Mrs. Ashley then planted herself in a
chair in the hall, turned up the gas and
waited.
After along vigil she was rewarded by
seeing man come out of the room, and
rushing to the head of the stairs, she
shouted -
Mrs. Mitchell, it was man ! Look
at him. 1t is DR.. Parrish !"
Mrs. Mitchell, commenting on this
scene, said to me =
II was surprised, of course, but |
didn't see why Mrs. Ashley should
treat . man rs if he were bat. As for
as me, don't pay much attention to
men. | knew there was some noise in
the boarders' rooms, but thought there
was no harm in their playing cards
there, even if it was late.
after that l noticed that the doctors
wore slouch hats and when they met
Mrs Ashly in the hall they would pull
the hats over their faces and hurry by
her.
"Oncc when they had driven the ten
ants out of two ofmy rooms, Mrs. Ash
ley found the doctors there and tried
to lock the door, but instead they
shut the door on her and left her lock-
ed in for several hours.
Finally, I told Sanchez and Mrs.
Woodwork to leave the house and
they did so. That was during the week
ending January %.
II spoke to Dr. Davis about his con-
duct and that of DR.. Parish and he said
to me: Mrs. Mitchell, you want to
keep congenial people in your house.
That's the way to pay Your rent
Mrs. Ashley is q very sweet little
woman, and looks older than she is on
account of her treatment By these peo-
pie. Her manners are so courtly that
we call her Mrs. Ashley The Elegant
Alter what has happened suppose the
best thing can do is to move, especial
ly as the plumbing here is in shock
ing condition.
Mrs. Ashley frequently interrupted
Mrs. Mitchell as she told her story
with "Oh, sweet lady, please don't talk
at all; remember this is all going be-
fore my friends
Mrs. Ashley appeared very weak and
hysterical as she told me that
the doctors had pinched her arm black
and blue and had culIed Mrs. Mitchell's
little boys.
She added that the people who pat
ronlzed the house were of the very best
class and that she had been shocked at
what had happened, but had not left
the house, as Mrs. Mitchell was dear
friend of hers.
Although all this happened in January il
has only recently come out, owing to the fact
that Mrs. Ashley began no action until a few
days ago, when, she alleged, DR.. Davis as
saulted her while She was ordering him out O
her room. into which he had int-nded on tn,