Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-09-02
Am INTERESTING CASE
ON TRIAL IN POLICE COURT, YESTERDAY
EVENING.
Mrs. Mary Il. Radclif Arrested on a Charge Of
Disturbing the Just Peace and Quiet Of South
Chaplins Street. Last Thursday Even
ing-SOms Interesting Details

Yesterday morning the REGISTER
briefly chronlcled the arrest OF Mrs.
Mary NJ. Radcliff. on charge Of disor-
derly conduct.
Yesterday morning, and again last
evening-upon two seperate occasions
at the latter time-there were proceed
ings OF quite an interesting nature, In
Police Court, and then the matter went
over, in an unfinished state, until to-
morrow morning. After the hearing
Henry Colts, brother Of Mrs. Rad
cliff, threatened to do the prosecut-
ing witness bodily harm, and was him
self arrested on police warrant, while
the defendant in the first case was
locked up to await the further order OF
the Court, but later gave bail and was
released.
When the case against Mrs. Ratcl!ff
was called in Court, yesterday morning,
Col. w. w. Arnett, counsel for the de-
Tease, asked for a postponement until
last evening, and also handed In q list
OF three witnesses to be summoned for
the defense. The subpenas were given
to officers, but when an officer, duly
armed with such a document, called at
the residence OF Mrs. Wilson, on Four
tenth street, whose daughter, Bertha,
was summoned, the mother stated that
her daughter would not be present, and
that.she would send the girl out OF the
city and keep her away, rather than
have her appear in the Court.
When Court convened at seven o'clock
last evening, Bertha Wilson was &C.
cordingly absent, and after some dis
cussion between counsel and ths Mayor,
as to the advisability OF going ahead,
another adjournment was taken until
nine o'clock, and rule was issued for
the attendance Of the missing girl. Dur
ing the confab between the counsel, be-
fore the adjournment, Mr.. John Will
son, OF counsel for the prosecution, In
tlmated rather broadly that the witness
was absent with the knowledge and
consent Of the defense, an intimation
which the defense, through Col. Arnett,
warmly resented.
At nine o'clock the interested parties
again assembled, the attendance OF
spectators being very large in
view of the popular expecta-
ton thgD there would be
developme IS c, highly sensational
and altogether interesting nature, pos
sibly involving a number Of other peo-
pie. The witness Bertha Wilson was
still absent, the officer who attempted
TO serve the rule bringing back the re-
Lort that the girl was not at home, and
was probably out Of the State, her
mother being determined that she
should not testify in the cause. This
announcement led to renewal OF the
previous discussion as to whether or not
the case ought TO go on, Col. Arnett
making q strong ples for his right to
further continuance, and claim
ing that the absent witness
was most important one for
the defense, inasmuch as she had been
present at the time the alleged disturb
ance was committed and would testify
that there was no disturbance at all.
Counsel on the other side took the lib
erty of suggesting that the witness
would not testify to anything of the
sort, and insisting that the case ought
to be tried forthwith, adding that II the
defense was so very anxious to have
the witness present they had q remedy
in that they might issue a rule for the
mother, who seemed to DO interior
ing with the process OF the
Court, bring her to the City
Hall, and lock her up until she would
consent to allow her daughter to ap-
pear and testify. Col. Arnett on the
other hand. thought that was a
matter exclusively for the Court, and
with which the defense had nothing at
all to do, he suggesting that the defense
wanted the daughter in Court, and not
the mother. Finally, the Mayor de-
cided to go ahead with the evidence, as
far as it would go, and upon that un-
Outstanding the taking OF testimony
was commenced.
The evidence Of the complainant was
to the effect that last Thursday even
lag. about half-past eight, the accused
and Bertha Wilson appeared on the
sidewalk in front OF complainants
residence, attracted the attention Of oc-
cupauts of the house In en- effort to Sc
cure the attention OF son of defend
ant who sat at an upper window and that
finally, hen the father and son went
out, the one to drive the woman away
and The other to secure the services OF
an officer, the women had followed the
son up treet for several squares, had
applied epithets to him, etc. 1t was
further stated by both father and son
that the Radcliff woman had frequently
visited the neighborhood Of the house,
making herself Objectionable, and that
she had prosecuted and followed NOM
bers OF the family, and particularly the
son, until the thing had become un-
bearable, aud that steps had TO be
taken 10 put o stop to the annoyance.
On the other side Of the case, Mrs.
Radcliff testified that on the evening In
question she was on the way tosa dress
maker, and seeing the son OF complain
ing witness, whom she had known well
for several years, she had attracted his
attention, when be put on his hat and
came out and walked several squares
with her aud her companion. 81 called
him to come out and play" She said she
did not enter upon the premises because
she had been warned by Lieut.. Terrill
that II she did, she could
be arrested. When she saw the
son start out, defendant said
she moved up the sidewalk little way,
leaving her companion, Bertha, stand
ing at the gate. Bertha told the son
that Mrs. Radcliff wanted to see him,
when he saidS TELL the dirty adyen-