New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-10
DIVERSIONS AT THE DINNER
TWO OF THE PERFORMERS TESTIFY AT
CHAPMAN'S TRIAL.
ANNABELLE wHITFoRDr AND HER sTEPFATHER
TELL OF THE IMPROPER REQUEST AL
LEGGED TO HAVE BEEN MADE TO HER,
WHICH LED TO THE COM


| WHICH LED TO THE COM
| PLANT TO THE TENDER
pERLoIN COMMANDER.
The third session Of the trial Of Captain Chapman
| was held yesterday behind closed doors only
| tbose nersons having some connection with the
case and various police officers and officials being
| admitted to the courtroom at Police Headquarters
| There were lot OF the nlorbdly CURIOUS WIN
| were sadly disappointed at this. They were on
hand carly in the morsing. ana at o:~ O'CLOCK nad
filled the room to the doors. only to be driven ou'
| by Acting Inspector Thompson. who said lie was
| acting under orders
As the prosecution had rested Its case on the
| preceding evening Captain Chapman counsei 'ooN
| up what was nominay the defence OF MS chen''
| but what was really an attack upon Herbert -.
| Seeey the giver OF the notorious dinner aho
his exceedingly unfortunate. friends together with
| Phipps the amusement caterer. who provided the
| vaudeville performers for the dinner Inc zap
tans counsel intend to ventilote every particle Oh
| evidence they have been able to secure regarding
the nature of the performances that took place al
the Seelcy dinner. and II the witnesses VINO testi-
| fed Yesterday are to be regarded as credible.
| those performances were not OF sort that DO
credit either to the performers themselves or 10
the men who arranged FOR them and saw them
This Is putting 1t mildly.
COLONEL JAMES'S OBJECTIONS.
Colonel James who has been nomirally repre-
sentng Chief Ccnn in the prosecution OF captain
Chapman. was full of objections yesterday regard
ing the cxtcn, and nature Of the evidence to be adj
mittcd Much of the testimony given by the
Women I.ottie Mortimer and Minnie Rcrwood. re-
lated 10 things that happened after Captain Chap
man had left 3herry's. and which. so far as the
testimony shows formed no part OF his reasons FOR
going there. To the admission Of this testimony
Colonel James constantly objected contending that
4 euttr
trial. namely whether Captain Chapman was justi-
fed In his action based upon the information In his
possession What said or done which Captain
Chapman did not know OF. and had not been told
Of had relation to the case, he said This point
was too much for Colonel Grant. for Commissioner
Parker had deserted him. but he thought IT over
moment and said finally that he did not pretend to
be LAWYER but that he should admit the testimony
on the ground that the truth was desirable. what
It might be.
The witnesses VINO gave testimony yesterday
were AnnabeIle Whltford upon whose stepfathers
complaint Captain Chapman made the raid; VIII
lam g. Moore. the stepfathcr spoken OF; Lottie
Mortimer and Minnie Renwood two Of the women
who performed for the edIfcation Of MT Seeieys
guests.
Mr.. Hart began the proceedings by moving Tor
the dsmisson OF the charges against captain
Chapman on the ground that the case had not been
made out. He contended that 1t had already bcen
shown that the Captain 10 Sherry's only under
| circumstances that made 1t his sworn duty to do
so Commissioner Grant denied the motion saying
that in his opinion the prosecution had so far MADE
out its case Then the defence called It's witnesses
Annabelle Whitford was the first witness OF yes
| terdays session. She testified that she was asked
b. Mr. Phipps I'm the Office of Mr.. Lehman to APP
near at the Seeey dinner clad In an improper cos
| tune thus contradcting the testimony given pre-
viousIy by Phpps. who denied having made any
such propositions to anybody
that cI,n ind N "
refused to accede to Mr.. Phpps's proposition and
went TO the Office Of her stepfather and told him
she had been insulted. Papa was real angry.
she said swectly HE swOre terrible and wanted
| TO go after Mr.. Phipps." The witness said Mr.
| Phipps had told her that 1t wouldn't make any
| difference what sort OF a costume she had oil as
| the men would all be too drunk to notice 1t any
| how
AGREED TO GIVE IT,, REGULAR DANCES
on cross-examination Colonel James asked the
witness what sort OF dances she did in public, and
| she described them as the butterfly. boreaiis and
| sun dances. detailing the costume she wore IN
| each She admitted that she had danced in d
place called The Grotto" at the Worlds Fair.
Later on she admitted having subsequently agreed
to do her regular dance at Sherrys for the Seeley
| dinner provided she received $40. She also admit
| ted having given her picture to Captain Chapman.
and added that the captain had sent her his. This.
| she said had all happened since the night OF the
| dinner. She never knew the captain pefore tnat
| William s. Moore. the stepfather of Miss Whit
| ford then appeared on the stand. He took up
| Miss Whitfords story a. the point where she had
| left II. detailing in spite Of Colonel Jamcss ef
| forts to stop him. how badly he felt and how his
feelings had been outraged at the bare thought Of
| his daughter being asked to do such an improper
| thing He said he went home on the night OF the
| dinner and found his daughter about TO go TO
Sherry's to do her OCULAR turn. in spite OF what
| she had told him about the request made OF her by
Phipps To this he said he refused his consent.
| and remained at nome until 1890 o'clock to pre-
| vent her going He averred with tears that he
| wouldn't have his daughter do thing Ike tina,
| for 81 900 900 minute. AT loo O'CLOCK ne sara
| he went Sherry's and finding MI Sherry away
| asked for his manager. Mr.. Flaraud. When tn,
| manager came he told him what he knew Of tbs
matter. To this. he declared Mr.. Flauiaud All
suorcd that that was none OF their business: that
| the gentlemen had hired the rooms and could dc
| what they liked.
MOORE GIVES WAY TO HIS EMOTIONS.
| lust here Mr. Moore's emotions ovcrcame MIN.
| Mr. Hart said feelingly: Calm yourself and the
witness took the necessary time to regain his
| composure Having accomplished this apparently
| dificuI, feat he said he next went to captain
| Chairman at the West Thirt!eth-st. police station
1 and told him all he knew OF the case.
| Colonel James In his cross -cxamination or Moore
| made him acknowledge that for year Miss WHIT
| ford had supported him by her dancing on puDllc
| stages He asked many questions on this point
| developing the fact that Moore had taught MISS
| Md mi her on the stage The Colonel seemed 10
| he somewha: sceptcal OF Mr.. Moores preensons
| to the position OF outraged father
| She gave her address No. 800 West Fifty-ninth-
|