The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-09-10
A Woman Arrested at Tay
lor's Hotel by a Bull
doing New Yorker.
VERY COMPROMISING POSITION
Mrs. Bernard's Divorce and Her
Queer Acquaintance With
Young Leonard Of
Bayonne.

court Saturday afternoon to answer
| charge of adultery, occasioned consider
able surprise at Police Headquarters,
and subsequently developed a sensational
story. The woman gave her name as
Leah Bernard. She refused to say where
she lived. She also stoutly refused to
| say whether or not she was married.
| Her companion described himself as John
| Doe of First street, Hoboken. Subse-
quent developments have disclosed the
| fact that the woman is Mrs John Ber-
nard, wife of a wealthy New York con-
| tractor, while her companion is Harry
| Leonard of Bayonne. Their arrest was
on warrant issued at the Instance OF
| William Phelan, a detective of No. l2S
Broadway, New York, and his only mo-
| tive for causing the arrests, according
| to a statement made to Justice Geiger by
himself, was to purify the morals of Jer-
sey City His alleged Parkhurstfan story
was not believed, however, and he is
suspected of having been employed by
the woman's husband to shadow her
sCANDALoUS PROCEEDINGS
| Whatever Phelan's motive was he
! shadowed the woman all day Friday, and
on Friday evening as she entered the
| Bon Ton in company with Leonard, Phel-
| an was right behind her. At the conclu-
| sion of the performance the couple went
| to Taylor's Hotel They had an elaborate
supper and then Leonard engaged a
| ROOM presumably for the night, register
| ing as Archie Hall and wife. Immediate
| ly after they had been assigned to room
| No 50, Phelan rushed to Police Head
quarters. He encountered Justice Gelger,
| who was there preparing bail bond for
an unfortunate prisoner. It was then
half-past eleven O'Clock. Phelan held a
| consultation with Geiger, and in short
| order the dingy court room of the JUS
| tiee was opened for business.
| "A warrant was issued for the arrest OF
| Leah Bernard and John Doe. Constable
| Barrett was found and accompanied
Phelan to Taylors Hotel They were
Mrs. Hail." They demanded admission,
| but We're refused. They then burst open
the door, The woman was in bed un-
| dressed and her companion was also
slightly attired.
| He grappled with Phelan and struck
| him in the face. He alleges that Phelan
then struck him on the head with cane;
stunning him. He was overpowered and
| compelled to accompany the detective
| and constable. The woman in the mean
| time had refused to dress herself. After
| some persuasion she consented to accom-
| pany the officers, and q preliminary ex-
| animation was held by Geiger,. notwith-
standing the fact that it was then about
| two O'Clock Saturday morning.
| DOGBERRY BUSINESS.
| Leonard, OF Doe as he then represent
ed himself to be, declared that he was
| charged. Leah Bernard refused to say
| whether she was married or not, and the
| Court committed her to the County Jail.
| She refused point blank to walk, nor
| would she ride on a trolley car She in
| sisted upon having a cab. One was pro-
| cured and she was conveyed to the Jail.
Arriving there she refused to pay the
cabman, and as a result Constable Bar
rett was compelled to pay him. Saturday
| afternoon she was arraigned before Gel
| ger. Reporters were refused admission
4 n 10 N
went so far as to stop the examination
| until reporters We're well out of the way.
| At the examination no evidence of any
| character to warrant the womans being
| held was produced. Detective Phelan
declared that Jersey City's morals had
| to be protected, but Justice Qeiger re-
| fused to accept that as motive for the
arrest. He paroled the woman In the
| custody of Counsellor Linn, whom she
| had retained to defend her. Half an hour
after this disposition of the case had been
| made, Mr.. Linn appeared at the office
| and declafed that he would not take the
responsibility. of producing the woman
was re-committed to the County Jail
| for an examination this afternoon.
| HOW THEY MET.
| Leonard when interviewed by a re-
porter yesterday, declared that his meet
| ing with Mrs. Bernard was brought about
| in a peculiar. way He was keeping a
! home in Bayonne for friend. An ac-
| auaintance a few weeks ago asked him
| about the dog and concluded by remark
| ing that it belonged to wealthy lady,
| Mrs. Bernard of New York who was
| at one time an actress, and that she was
| advertising for it.
! Leonard became interested and, finding
| that Mrs. Bernard lived at No. 253 West
| Thirty-ninth street, New York. he com
| municated with her. She visited him
| and identified the dog as hers. Subse-
| Nassau street, New York, visited Leonard
| with her and all three went sailing in
| Newark Bay. A strong breeze was blow
| ing, and the boat was capsized. Leon
| ard says he saved Mrs. Bernard's life.
She has since been showing. her graft
| tude in many ways. He alleges that
! Mrs. Bernard told him that a few days
| before learning that he had her dog She
| had engaged Detective Pheian to look
She had also taken Phalen into her
| confidence and told him that she was
| living on $40 a week alimony, as the re-
| suit of lawsuit against her by her
husband through Coudert Brothers Her
1 attorneys, she said were Howe and Hum
| mel Justice Geiger has issued. sub
poena for the WomanS husband to APP
bear against her today. If he fails to do
| so she will be discharged
| SOME ODD FACTS.
ar1n aall of I,eonard i & Leonard with offfces
| on Broadway New York He is q
brother of Miss Leonard of Bayonne,
| whose name was mentioned In connec-
| ton with that of Willie Day, the we'll
! known amateur runner. who committed
/ Mrs. Bernard clains that Detective
/ Phelan had q desk in Leonard q Leon
| ards office. and she row believes Leon
| ard was in a scheme to entrap her.
1 PROCEEDINGS TODAY.
/ The hearing began this afternoon in
! the rooms of the Young Mems Republican
Club, on Gregory street, before Justice
| Geiger. Considerable surprise was dis
played when Constable O'Grady was di-
rected to call John Bernard, the husband
of the accused woman
| Bernard appeared attired in a pepper
and salt suit of clothes. He at once took
/ a stand beside Detective Phalen and
| awaited developments
Phalen was the first witness called. He
testified to having seen Mrs. Bernard
! in company with Leonard on a ferryboat.
icab. He then recited the other incidents
| of the arrest. He is one of the checklist
men who has ever appeared In a Jersey
| City court of any character.
He attempted at first to fntimidate
| Justice Geger, but was promptly called
| down by Mrs. Bernard's counsel.
| When subJeced to cross examination
1 he positively refused to answer questions.
/ He declared he had testified and would
/ not repeat his statements, He was ac-
! cused of having made false statements
| and becoming excited again, refused to,
/ answer and insisted that the lawyer
1 retract the accusations.
i Justice Geiger was a mere tool in the
i hands of the sparring men. He made
/ nonsensical rulings, all Of which were
/ against the prisoner. s-----7es -.