The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-04
VAUDEVILLE ETHICS.
Mrs. Stiefel Tells Mr.. Grouse
Something About Song
and Dance.


Mrs. Kate stiefel, of No. 10 Linden
avenue, Greenville, partner in the Murphy
and Fields Company. specially song and
dance artists, told Vice Chancellor Stew
ems this morning her version of the do
mestic troubles Which have led to her
husband, Isaac, suing her for divorce.
The trial began yesterday, when Isaac
accused his wife of deserving him and
committing criminal acts of infdelity
with her ex~-theatrical partner. Frank
Schwartz, or Murphy, and two carriers
in a butchers store in New York.
All these allegations Mrs. Stiefel stout
ly denied this morning, and explained her
business relations with Murphy by saying
that her husband having neglected to
provide for herself and her children she
entered the profession as a song and
dance artist and assumed the names of
Fields. At no time, she said had she
ever posed as Mrs. Murphy, and certainly
never was other than a business partner
and a friend of Frank Murphy. All the
stories of intimacy with the Butchers
Brach and Buckley were inventions of
her husband, who was anxious to get
rid of her.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Otto Grouse,
sic utAieu lhat she ever was discovered
by her husband coming out Of a saloon
on Avenue A, New York city. She de-
manded from her husband that he should
provide for her as she was in very
Strengthened circumstances.
You whole purpose was to hound him
for money!" asked Mr.. Grouse.
Mrs. Stiefel denied this. She had sent
TO hlm often for money to support his
child, but often sent for him on other
matters.
Il told him if he didn't give me money
to ? me ! would tell his family
that We were married. she added.
Stlefel had denied to his family that he
was married to the defendant.
Mr.. Grouse then became curious as to
the details OF the life and ethics of a
defendant to tell where the Murphy and
Fields combination performed.
Il never played in a concert hail. I call
continuous performance houses theatres.
| played in Keith's and Proctor's, but
never in Roster & Balls. l have heard
OF that place. L only played in places
where any lady may go,
Who taught you to spar?" asked the
curious Mr.. Grouse, who. naturally knew
nothing about song and dance affairs.
murphy taught me to spar, although
I never wore tights on the stage. I
picture taken in tights"
What was your act?" asked the
as5ute lawyer, employing a stage techni-
pHd a SOltS duQ Qdnc6 ana MurOly
was the Dutch comedian. Then we had
a three-round sparring bout replied
Mrs Stiefel, displaying a very shapely
pair of white arms.
Did you tell your husband you were
going as Trilby'?"
II never said such a thing" hotly re-
piled the witness.
II beg our pardon" courteously re-
so"
Continuing, Mrs. stiefel said her nus
band among other lies he had
rold about her, said that she offered to
$500. Counsel offered a letter from Mrs.
Stiefel to her husband abiding to some
arrangement and ending that letter by
saying that if her husband didn't hurry
up the negotiations she would raise her
price. On this letter Mr.. Grouse exc
cuted some skillful cross-examination.
but the defendant insisted that her hus-
band made the suggestion first.
Going back to the song and dance bust
ness Mrs. Stiefel said that as Murphy
and Fields she and Murphy played in
Foye Hail, Jersey City, some years ago.
Then she gave a history of her trials as
a boarding house keeper in the Tender
loin District, she had a boarder named
Eachel Clarke, who paid her S. a week.
rms lady was separated from her hlls-
band and they did pa-ssementerie work.
do you know anything about This
place called the Tenderloin District"
innocently asked Mr.. Grouse; but the
liCi liCdQ. MI ATOuSG
here asked that the witnesses should be
excluded, because the testimony is so
interesting"
Resuming the boarding house history
the defendant said that she had also a
boarder named Riley, who is now in
Europe under the name of Herr Dorman.
This gentleman played the races and
placed bets on commission, she said. for
wealthy men like Steinway, the piano
maker. Mrs. Stiefel said she had PLAYED
in the Metropolitan Hall in Greenville
and refused to go to the Bon Ton in this
city because of the publicity of the di-
vorce.
Then Mrs. Stiefel devoted some time to
Philip Buckley and Adam Brach, butch-
ers in Vanderbeek's store on Vesev
street. who yesterday gained such I'M
enviable notoriety in swearing that thew
had been intimate with her.
Il tried to find the wife of this fellow
Buckley, whom / heard of trying to ruin
me by telling dreadful things about me.
he is a coward and 1 wanted to tell
his wife what he was doing,'
Mr.. Grouse then began to test Mrs
StlefeFs knowledge of the Cortlandf
street saloons and whether she had visit
ed them; but the Vice Chancellor ont
this line of Characterization by saving
1t had nothing to do with the issue.
A recess was taken at one O'Clock