The record-union., 1894-09-19
ALEXANDER WHEATLEY EXAMINED.
A Novel Law Point Raised by the
Defense.
The Court Being In Doubt, Takes the
Case Under Advisement
for Short Time.

The case Of Alexander Wheatley,
charged with placing his wife in house
of ill-fame. was taken up again in the
Police Court yesterday
Mrs. Wheatley was put on the stand
and testified that her occupation was that
of hair-dresser. She acknowledged that
she had some other source of income, but
her attorneys, E. C. Hart and w. A. An
derson, succeeded in heading off further
admissions.
Officer Talbot testified as to the charac-
tar of the house in which she lived, and
that her husband hung around the vicin-
ity of the house. He knew the character
OF the house from being on the beat a long
time.
Officer Rutherford testified to the char
acter of the house in which Mrs. Wheat
ley lived. So far as he knew. no other
woman lived there.
Henry Alter testified that he had been
working for the city, as special officer
without any salary, tor the past two
weeks. Was familiar with the L-street
beat. The house where Mrs. Wheatley
uyed was house of ilI-fame.
Officer Fisher gave similar testimony.
Officer Bagley testified that Mrs. Wheat
ley called him in on his way home one
night and made certain proposition to
him, saying that business had been very
dull that day. That was the day before
he arrested her for vagrancy.
Officer Higgins had seen her call men
into her house at all hours OF the day and
night.
Mrs. Wheatley, recalled, said that her
husband did not want her to live where
she did, and asked her to come and live
with him. He had never had any money
ksAN b., L,
dld. lie had never in any way encour-
aged her to live in that way. He never
slept in the house.
Officer Rutherford testified that he saw
Wheatley at different times go into the
house after man went away and remain
a few minutes. The night before he ar
rested Wheatley he saw him 60 to the
house and step inside. He saw Mrs.
Wheatley give him some money and he
went away. 1t was about IL O'Clock.
ID. LaZZarini said he rented the prem
ises to Mrs. Wheatley. Wheatley rented
rooms over witness saloon, but Mrs.
Wheatley did not sleep there. He col
lected SD per week rent from her.
h. Z. Hart said that the evidence failed
to bear out the charges, and he therefore
asked for dismissal of the case. 1t has
attracted considerable attention from the
people and press. The crime is a great
one, and If be were guilty he should be
charged. In case Of this kind people
are naturally prejudiced against person
so charged. and would probably be con-
vlcted on slight testimony. Ii the evil
dence is not sufficiently strong to hold
him beyond a reasonable doubt, it would
be dangerous thing for him to be tried.
lie should not be held. He had not con-
sented to her being there.
Acting City Attorney Humphreys read
the statute and reviewed the evidence,
and said that ne considered the case fully
made out. He asked that the motion to
dismiss be denied.
w. A. Anderson argued that the evil
dence of two of the prosecuting witnesses
had clearly proved defendants innocence
and want of consent. There is not the
slightest evidence on which to hold him.
he read authorities to prove that house
with one inmate only is not house OF
lIl-fame.
The court stated that he was consider
ably In doubt as 10 whether the facts Just
ified him in holding the defendant to an
swer, and, also, if he should be held even
II the facts were fully proven; he there
fore would take the case under advise
ment and decide it the last of the week.