The herald., 1896-12-19
HELD BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
The Defense in a Parkhurst Case Objects
to Publicity
Tame Testimony as Compared With
Other Trials-A Visit to the Home
Of the Friendless."

Another of the Parkhurst cases was
taken up yesterday in Justice Morrison S
department of the police court, being the
trial Of Ella Rorick, proprietress of a
house of ill-fame on Commercial street,
upon the same charge as the former
mplaints-conducting retail liquor
business without license. The usual
motley crowd thronged the courtroom
to suffocation when the case was called,
at $3.50 o'clock, all agog to hear the ex-
pected salacious details of the visit Of
the Summing committee to the Home
for the Friendless," as the house is ia
cetiously called.
They were doomed to disappointment,
for the first move made by Hugh j.
Crawford, who appeared for the defense.
was to make a motion that the case be
heard behind closed doors. Mr.. Thomas
gladly acquiesced in the request, and
Justice Morrison granted it with alac-
rity. The bailiff Immediately cleared
the room, and the atmosphere at once
took change for the better. 0The first
witness called. and the only one exam
ined during the afternoon, was DR.. Nc
Lean.
He stated that on the mornings of No
vemer 26 and 81 last ne had visited the
house, in company with other members
of the committee, Ross, Decker. Ryder
and Ball. 1t took some minutes for Mr..
Thomas to straighten the witness out in
regard to his dates, the doctor seeming
confused as to the incidents of the two
visits On the first occasion he and the
other three named had gone to the house
and were ushered into the left-hand
front parlor by the Rorick woman. There
was only one other woman that they
saw, she being introduced as sister of
the landlady. Ross ordered bottle of
beer. which was brought in and served
by Ella Rorick, who also received the
money for it.
Then all adjourned to another room
and the doctor treated. There were two
men sitting in this parlor, strangers, one
of whom was called Pete" with an I'M
pronounceable last name, to whom the
Summers" were introduced. After the
doctor had set them up. Ella proposed
to treat, but was not allowed to, Pete
coming to the rescue and buying beer for
the crowd. During all this time only an
ordinary general conversation was car
ried on, and there was no sitting on laps
or other unusual actions. Just before
leaving Ryder asked for and got half
cents for, although at first the sister,
who gave him the liquor, refused to ac-
cept pay for it.
The next evening, Thanksgiving, the
committee was out again, and about
o'clock in the morning arrived at the
Rorick place. The crowd had separated,
and only DR.. Mclean and Ross remained
together.
They were made welcome by the host
acc nd pd int IN n nnly rnn nc
she said the front parlor was occupied
A new girl was seen on this occasion,
being introduced as Elias niece. While
the doctor and Ross sat in the rear room
they saw the niece" go to the sideboard
or refrigerator standing in an adjoining
room, take out a couple of bottles and
pour beer out into glasses on tray
which she then carried past them into
the front parlOr.
A minute later they were invited to
go into the room and found there drink
ing beer Decker Ryder and Ball. whom
they did not know were in the house. AS
they entered Decker said: Hello, come
in," then turning to Ella Rorick, or
dered more beer for his friends, which he
paid for When this was disposed of
Ryder ordered another round, which was
furnished and was the last taken that
night, as soon after they all took their
the recital of his tale and the cross ex-
animation was taken up by Attorney
Crawford.
He was not nearly as severe in his
questioning as Mr.. Rush had been in
previous trials, yet at times bore down
heavily on the reverend gentleman, who
persisted in trying to answer argumen-
tatively instead of giving direct replies.
The doctor was first forced to acknowl-
edge that he did not know what the
liquid was that was carried past him
into the front room, although it looked
like beer. At this point Mr.. Crawford
entered decided objection to the doc
tors giving testimony and refreshing
his memory from notes which were not
originals, taken at the time of the occur
renee, but mere copies of or excerpts
from the same. The point was well
taken and that portion of his testimony
was rendered null and void.
At some length the witness recounted
the conversation had with Elias "sis-
ter" who represented herself as an ac-
tress just on from Chicago. She told
him she had formerly sung on the stage
and would favor him vita a song, which
she did. The madame herself was very
drunk and only "stood around" The
question of whether or not the doctor or
any of his crowd were drunk also aris-
ing, Rev. Mclean denied any such I'M
putation or that he had ever been under