The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-13
Mrs. COnnOrS Says ii Was
For Use of BOarderS.
NEVER SOLD TO OFFICERS
Policemen Testify They Bought
Drinks in the Place.
SOME SPICY TESTIMONY GIVEN.

The first criminal case tri~S III the
Common Pleas division of the Supreme
Court today was that of State VS..
Hanorah Connors. indicted for keeping a
common nuisance. The witnesses for the
state were police officers and they testi-
up in the cellar OF ner boarding house on
Valley strest near Tuxedo avenue where
she sold liquor TO persons Of idle. intem-
perate and dissolute character. and the
biggest part of her business was done on
Sundays.
Officers Ditz and Kearns testified tina {
under instructions from their superiors at
the Sixth station they had gone to de-
fendant's place 10 buy liquor. There was
q third party with them on the occasion
of their visit to whom they had been in
troduced by one Of the sergcants. and
the three bought whisky and ale there.
Another officer who visited the place
was Patrolman Jones' de went with one
of the other two officers and the stranger.
Attorney Cosgrove was worry anxious to
find out the name Of this stranger. None
Of the officers remem bered the name and
why he did not ask the stranger his
name. The unexpected reply was lie
was too full" Then MIR. Cosgrove
star ted In to chastise the officer on using
the city's money to get n man that was
full, fuller, but Attorney General Tanner
"a IuA Rapmnrtb aA
the objection.
The officer then claimed the man was
not drunk. only in such condition that
further conversation would not probably
prove of any great benefit.
All Of the officers were interrogated as
to the number Of boarders Mrs. Connors
had, but none Of them seemed we'll in
formed on that point. Sergt. Morse was
sure all the men be saw coming out OF
the place were not boarders there, for he
knew them personally. and asserted that
they resided on Smiths Hill. He ad-
mitted. however that the place was a
factory boarding house and near Charles
Fletcher IS mills.
Sergt Rowe testified that one OF the
men who complained to him about the
defendants maintaining q nuisance was
Hugh Manning. On cross-examination
the sergeant said to Mr.. Cosorove that the
Mr.. Manning referred TO by him was in
the hotel business aud that his full name
was Hugh II. Manning. and how the
complaint came TO be made was, Manning
met him on the street after man named
Burns had been prosecuted for maintain
ing q nuisance and said: 1t was little
haru that this woman could sell liquor
and Burns be prosecuted. "
SIxTY.SIX CUSTOMERS IN AN
HOUR.
Officer Arnold testified that he stood on
Amherst street and counted 66 persons
go into Mrs. Connors' place within an
hour, sud 63 come out within the same
period OF time
Last Sunday evening Lieut.. Dairy said
Mrs. Connors told him she had been sell
ing liquor for the past four years and no
one had ever told her IL was necessary for
her to stop the practice, but now that she
know it was wrong she would give IL up.
Other officers testified to seeing persons
waiting around tho boarding house at
$3.50 in the morning waiting for the door
to open and some people were there very
late Sunday nights. Mrs. Connors tes-
titled that sbe had three children and In
order To support them as we'll as herself,
she had kept for tho last eight years II
large factory boarding house for the ac-
cammodation of mill operatives Of the
section referred TO in the testimony Of the
states witnesses. She said no ono but
friends of her boarders ever visited the
house, ana that she bought a barrel of
ale week to which many of her boarders
had free access. they preferring to use 1t
In place Of tea, coffee or milk.
In reply TO questions put to her by At
torney General Tanner Mrs. Connors said
she had never sold liquor TO any officer
and that tEe boarders tended To the
lamps that we're down stairs where the
ale barrel was kept The number OF her
boar ders was as high sometimes as 35.
and she never kne~ of 60 men being in
her house at one time. Several boarders
corrobornted Mrs Connors' statements.
Willard Is. Tanner. attorney general,
for the state. and q. ii. Page, ST., and
L. +. CosgrJvo for the defendant