Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-28
HISSTEERAGE sWEETHEARTs
A Trial II oses-44Ae Sentence 1.Dos-
ed Upon the Gay
... Lethario.
Special Correspondence o. The Evening Star.


Steamer iPennland, August II, 1897.
If the voyage of, the Pennland, which
sailed for Liverpool on August Z. and was
participated In by several Neutrality-suspicious.
dncluding Mr.. and Mrs Mckee Borden,
Miss L. B. Hunter, Miss Carrie Niernsee,
Major Howard Edmonds, Mr.. Harry Tow
ers and VIM r. Gear had been character
lied by NO misfortune this letter would
not have been written. But as the clouds
obscure the sun, SO the event to be mar
rated marred the beauty of the voyage and
darkened the brightness Of the occasion.
. Alasl Love obeys no laws, nor did Harry
Towers. He became nautically devoted to
one Katrina Hofnagel q blonde steerage
passenger. whose iaxen locks and bright
blue eyes at once set poor Harry's heart
on fire. He wooed. he conquered, and Har-
rvs kisses and bouquets were equaled only
by his loving ditties. A storm was brew
Ing, however and soon on the horizon of
Katrina's happiness there appeared a darn
cloud In the person of an italian peanut
girl. The passionate blood which circulat-
ed at fourteen knots an hour in Katrina s
veins stirred her jealousy and changed her
consuming love into mortal hatred. Had
she been like most Washington women.
who proverbially enjoy perfect control of
tongue and temper, no serious trouble
would have ensued but, unfortunately one
stars in delicious broken Dutch the winds
waited her means with the words on them
like message on telephone wire-to
the ears OF the captain on the bridge, and
thus proclaimed her Ieart-broken condf-
ton.
Placed Under Arrest.
Our Harry was at once placed under ar
rest. the captain. suspecting Irritation,
which is meyer allowed on board ship.
Even the innate modesty which had hith-
erto governed all OF Katrina's actions was
overruled in her desire to have Justice
melted out to this sorry villain. who had
stolen her heart and then played shuttle
board with It. A. trial was ordered, the
case appearing before our celebrated Wash
ington jurist, Howard Edmonds, who, in
his ever-merciful kindness, decided that
the defendant should appear before jury
composed Of twelve members Of the gentle
sex
Before q Female Jury.
Unfortunately for the defendant, how
ever. the evidence showed that he had
spoken slightingiy of. the ladies in the
cabin. declaring that none among them
approached Katrina in sonorousness of
voice or perfection Of figure, These were
the chief qualities In her which led him to
sneak off SO often to the steerage to enjoy
Katrina's conpanionship near the ships
companion. This fact was slightly detri-
mental to his cause, even with female
jury, and, indeed, proved fatal to his case.
He was ably defended by hts counsel,
Messrs George A.ioRobinson of Mobile,
Ala. and C. D.: Gi5christ of Evansville,
Ind, but wasrDroRptly convicted. in ae-
eordance with a previous arrangement. tine
half-and-haf for the judge.
The witnesses for the defendant, Mr..
John Ashford and Mn. c. NJ. Calhoun, were
searchingly cross-eXamined by the able
counsel for the prosecution, Rev. R. j.
Thomson Of Green s. Farm, Conn; and Mr..
F. Mel. Burbank of Baltimore. In re-
turning the verdictath forewoman, Miss
j.. B. Hunter emphasized in scathing
terms the prisoners heartlessness and evil
dent want Of good taste in his selec ton.
The Sentence
The prisoner was then sentenced to meet
the deck steward In mortal" combat. In its
performance the Passengers, were. treated
to rare display OF pafgilistic anatomy
and skill With bicycle-pump inflated limbs
and knotty muscles Of extrapprdinarily rapid
growth, which broke out jim, spots hither
and thither, the lost glory of the. defendant
was ultimately restored. and with proper
manifestation pfopride he stood like full
rugged ship. facing down-turned sea of
faces. confident that though he had broken
Katrfna's heart. he, had also succeeded in
breaking the nasal appendage of fhe genial
steward OF the deck. r. /. G..