Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-12-17
(DaiIy Times, Dec. Is, 1893

N~@NS1 @~~~e ~O3 w.
Mrs. David Moss, alias "Mrs. G. A.
Harris" who is alleged to have taken
certain small articles from the store of
Julius Meyers Sons Monday morning,
was found guilty of petit larceny in the
Police Court yesterday morning and
sentenced to fifteen days in Jail.
An appeal was taken through her
counsel. Mr.. Nj. f. Mzury, and the case
went on TO the Hastings Court, Mrs
Moss being released on 500 bail, with
Mr.. Samuel brauer as security.
When the case was called Mr.. Wilton
Cosby, the Il oor-walker at the Meyers
establishment, stated that he saw Mrs
Moss take several articles from the
counters and place them under her
cape, and that then he went up to her
and told her what he had observed.
She went with him TO the Office and nc
knowledged that she bad taken the
things and asked forgiveness. explain
ing that she did not know what she
was doing.
GOULD NOT FORGIVE HER.
Mr.. Cosby declared that he could not
forgive her. and called Mr.. Meyers
who sent for an officer and had Mrs
Moss arrested and carried to the Sec
ond station.
The officer who arrested Mrs. Moss
also stated that she acknowledged hav-
ing take II the things, but at the time
she was very much excited aud dis
tressed.
Mrs. Moss said, when placed on the
stand, that she went to the store far
the purpose OF buying piece of velvet
and that as she entered the door. q Ia
bic with kid gloves thereon attracted
| her attention. She looked at the
gloves and passed on to another table
with linen mats on liz and was looking
at the mats when Mr.. Cosby accosted
/ her and accused her of taking things
that did not belong to her. ana then
she observed that pair of the gloves
that she had been examining had
caught on pin in her cape and was
still hanging there. This she said, had
caused Mr.. Cosby to believe that she
was shopliting, when no such idea had
ever entered her head.
| She became excited and thought OF
the disgrace that would fell upon her
self and ker family, even at the suspi-
cion, and in her distressed conditic n
| she gave an assumed name, thinking
that she would be given time in which
to explein and to send for her friends,
She was not allowed to explain, how
ever, she said, and what she said sub
sequently to tho officers and others
she did not know.
PROCLAIMED HER NNocHNcH.
81 did not take anything that did not
belong to me-" said Mrs. Moss, land
had it not been for those gloves hang.
lung to my cape / would not have beer
here now"
By the side of Mrs. Moss sat her aged
mother and nearby stood the grievei
husband, and the whole party was il
tears while the large crowd that hat
deeply affected. The Justice, himself
his throat when he passed the sentenc
upon the unfortunate white woman.
AS the words fell from his lips tn
party directly interested, embracing
MRS. Moss, her husband and her moth
er, burst into sobs that echoed and re
echoed throughout the room and sen
forth the wall of three, or two at least
broken hearts, and the faces OF all i
the courtroom reflected sincere regret
Mrs Moss is a comely-looking youn
4, woman and the scene was most touch
, ing as she in company with her hus
band, mother and lawyer entered TIL
: private office of Justice CrutchfielC
, wrapt in deepest grief, and the doc
closed behind them,
After consultation with counsel Mrs
} Moss decided to take an appeal q
stated above, and the case went on t
, the Hustirg s Court.