The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-03
TESTIMONY OF MRS. HERMANN.
She Gave Nearly All the Money She
Earned TO the Infamous Police.
This system Hill and Tsmmssv Would
Continu~. While Morton and strong
stand for Honest Government
shameful Democratic Methods.

Ieared her reFei.iions. and was brought
back from Chicago. being stopped by legal
proceedings ct Jersey City for time, was
on the stand before the Lexow COM
mittee today. She said she opened
disorderly houses in New York in iss2,
ana had twenty odd girls then. She had
l1-year-old niece with her, whom the
girls father asked her 10 care for because
he did not wish her 10 fall into
the hands OF his wife. with whom
he was at outs. She guarded the girl
from contamination By keeping her from
her husband. After awhile, however.
the girls mother got hold of her and put
her IN disorderly house. where she was
ruined. Mrs. Hermann threatened 10
make trouble for the mother, but Can't.
Naughty told her she should not take the
girl away from her mother; that the
woman was paying for protection.
Mrs. Hermann offered to pay the amount
II the captain would take the girl
away. The captain threatened her with
tive years imprisonment If she did not let
the girl alone. Mrs. Hermann said she
would shoot the girl rather than see her
lead lite of shame. She had the girls
mothers house raided. and when the case
came up the captain had her lawyer and
herself charged with conspiracy.
She paid from SIS to sio0 per month for
police protection in each of the several
houses " hich she conducted. The police
man would stand in front of her house till
given money TO go away.
In response to question, Mrs. Her.
mann admitted that there was one police
man whom she wanted TO protect, and no
amount of questioning would elicit his
name, but she blushed when Gofi asked IL
she kissed Pretty Boy Cooney when she
went away.
lyon know there is a bench warrant out
for you for contempt in going away after
you were served with sGbpena2" asked
Mr.. Gof
"Yes. sir"
"You know how to purge yourself of
contempt2"
Yes. SIR"
You are not afraid that. If a certain
political party gets into power. you Will
be sent to states prison p
81 am not afraid"
Now, when you were arrested, the
policeman--to you to hire cerrain
lawyer"
"Yes. sir; Officer Zimmerman told me TO
take Stiner or he would send me to states
prison. employed Stiner and paid him
$3.50 for the first time ana $l75 for the Sec
ond time. The policeman swore he did
not know l was the madame, and l was
released"
Ibid you have to pay the detectives7''
"Yes: it cost from $50 to $500 to fl 4 it
with the detectives after was arrested. 4"
"How about the captain feeling sore?"
"Well, the captain wanted $1,000 but
said 81. 900 was enough, aud so paid ii on
June 5. did this for the privilege of
opening my house after | had been ar
rested
"Who was in command of the precinct
when you paid 81. oOof"
Capt Brogan."
How did yoa come TO forfeit your
baIl?"
Lawyer Price advised me 20 skip,
saying the police captain had told
him | should forfeit my bail, as
would be sent TO prison. | went to
Europe. giving my bondsmen SLIGO
When | returned I was arrested by
Detective Armstrong on bench warrant.
] offered him $1,000, and he said he must
Consult his partner before deciding to let
me go. He afterward said he could not. I"
money!"
Yes, paid ont over 81. 900 month
'.You paid the police court lawyers and
prisonkeepers
twenty-five thousand dollars. Now
haven't 500 in the world. Lawyer Price
got lot of money out of me. When I was
brought before Recorder Smythe on the
charge of keeping a disorderIy house, Law
yer Price said that for 500 he could get me
OIL"
brutal treatment she had received from
the police. saying: Whenever / was
brought into the court the lawyers want ted
several hundred dollars. saying they had
TO divide il with the police"
..Did you ever see DIR. Parkhurstr"
Yes"
.sDid the police warn you?
"Yes. | was sent away by the police. 4"
"Was a purse raised ?"
Yes; the police raised ~, 700 70 send me
away"
"who gave yoa the money 2"
"A man / never saw before.
'sWhat did you ask him ?"
'.If Capt. Hanghty contributed 10 The
nurse. When he said Yes I asked him
II Capt. Ryan was ia Il. and he said Yes.
He also said that Capt. Brogan and a
rolieenan had contributed"
"How did you come TO leave New
York;"
why, one night the man whom have
mentioned came 10 my house and se went
out and met tSelys men
Were they connected with the police p
Yes, sir."
ssWho Rere they p
.sob. Mr. 01off. ] CANNOT tell you"
s.You xanted to open q house in the
Tenderloln district once y"
YES"
..TAe initiation fee there was 81 .ooo7"
Il believe 80.
When YOU wers in Chicago you met
number Of former keepers OF disorderiy
houses In this eity
~Yes. sir
They A.ked vou hos the LsxeS COM
ussses was getting along
s.Yes."
Mr.. tsof tried TO have tie stiffness men
ton the name Of the police captain shon
she Is ende&yoring 10 shield.
Il won's DO il II yoa xii RE, said the
xltness.
.'Yoa sald TO me when we iiFst met that
YOU xere sorry, said AE. isod
# ana no@," laughed the @iiness Ihe
investigator then adjourned for tie day.