The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-18

fore Alderman w. >. Mlllar yesterday
afternoon on charge of having know
ingly rented houses for immoral pur-
poses in the Eighth ward. The COM
plainant in the case was Richard T.
McHugh, a nephew of Mrs. Hands first
husband. The nature of the case and
the fact that the defendant is well
known woman attracted large crowd
of curious spectators.
Ex-Judge Fl. A. Knapp appeared for
Mrs Hand and Attorney NJ. p. Cawley
for McHugh. Alderman Millar's de-
cision was that the commonwealth had
not made out "a prima facie case and
Mrs. Hand was discharged.
The specific charge attempted by the
prosecution was that the defendant,
through her attorney, had rented the
house in the rear of the Pacific hotel on
Penn avenue to q Mrs. Coburn. and the
house in the rear Of the Globe hotel on
Wyoming avenue to May Totten and
had received the rentals with the
knowledge that the tenants conducted
resorts of i'll repute.
The prosecution called to the stand
McHugh, the plaintiff; Chief of Police
Robling, Lieutenant Of Police Davis,
Patrolmen Day and McMullen, County
gan and Miss Mary Kiesel, agent and
eX-nurse, respectively, Of the Associated
Charities: Common Councilman John
Flauaghan, former tenant of Mrs.
Hand at the Globe hotel; Frank Bur-
~ows. proprietor of the Pacific hotel
owned ly Mrs Hand, and II. d. Rocka-
feller, proprietor of the restaurant on
Penn avenue which bears his name and
iS ONyopd nv MrS
OFFICERS TESTIFY.
Chief Robling, Lieutenant Davis and
the patrolmen testified that the char
aCter of the two houses was had and
for Yeas had not been otherwise eX-
cepting when they were vacant. They
had no knowledge that Mrs. Hand
knew of the character oe the tenants
or the places they kept Similar tes-
timony was offered by County Detec-
tive leyshon concerning the Coburn
woman's place. Miss Kiesal, Associat-
ed Charity eX-nurse and assistant to
Mrs. Duggan, offered like evidence, but
none of them could swear that Mrs.
Hand shared their knowledge.
McHugh, the plaintiff, testified that
he personally had told his aunt that
her tenants We're immoral people and
ran immoral establishments. He ad-
mitted on cross-eXamination that bit
ter feeling existed between the defend
ant and himself, that he had never
liked her nor she him and that he had
| no knowledge that she had failed to
serve notice on tenants after complaint
had been made against them.
Mrs. Duggan corroborated the testi-
mony of the preceding witnesses as to
the character of the houses.
Councilman Flanaghan was called by
the prosecution, but his testimony
damaged their case and was a cor
| responding help to the defense. He
was present as a spectator and had
been referred to by McHugh as having
| complained to Mrs. Hand of her ten
| ants in the rear of the Globe hotel, of
| which he was proprietor. Mr.. Flana-
| CHAN testified that he had not COM
| planned of the rear house or its ten
| ants because ii was nearly all the time
| vacant. He did urge Mrs. Hand to rent
| it for her own protection as it was a
| resort and sleeping place for tTamps,
| thieves and street gamins who had
| done the property damage to the
| amount of hundreds of dollars and an
| noyed him. The evidence of Frank
| Burrows, proprietor of the Pacific hotel,
| was immaterial.
| DEFENSE OFFERED.
Ex-Judge Knapp's opening of the
case for Mrs. Hand illustrated very
clearly the position established for the
defendant in the subsequent testimony
by herself and her agent. Mrs. Hand
said Judge Knapp, made no denial OF
her knowledge of the bad character of
the two houses in question, but the
charge that she had rented them
through her agent with his or her
knowledge that they We're to be used
for immoral purposes or that she oil
he had failed to have the houses vacat-
ed when such knowledge came to them
these latter charges the defense re.
futed. II was admitted that Mr.. Nc.
Hugh, up to the time of his death, haC
had undesirable tenants. His wife
now Mrs. Hand, was doing all in hel
power to keep bad people out of hel
buildings.
Tho agent, Mr.. Stark, had served no
tice on tenants in every instance where
complaint had been made agains
them. The present action was sug
Gested by only the malice and ill-wil
of the prosecutor.
Mr.. Stark was called and said h,
rented all OF Mrs. Hands properties
which include many business places
When she engaged him two years ago
she informed him that he must get ric
of the undesirable tenants. who haC
for years rented houses from her hus
bano. She wanted the places occupied
by reputable people, and instructed
him TO cut the rent so per cent. i
necessary.
The houses occupied by Mrs. Coburl
nnd May Tottcn had formerly beel
leased to Lou Brown and Miss Harri
az SIC and $50 respectively. In tn
\ supposition that the two former wer
{ respectable the rents We're reduced T.
them nearly one-half Mr. Stark of
I fer"d the leases in support of his state
: ment. The two houses complaine,
J against were each vacant for about
} year after he became Mrs. Hand
} agent. He refused to obtain many ten
} ants because he did not consider then
\ of good character, The house in tn
\ rear of the Globe hotel had bee
( stripped of all its exposed plumbing
bath tubs and closet and other fix
lures curing the years vacancy, 1t
windows were broken, doors smashe
in and the interior converted. into
filthy sty by tramps. 1t was impos
sible TO keen them out.
MIR. STAHli's EXPLANATION.
J Mr. Stark explained Mrs. Duggan'
7 complaint to him by saying that he
comment was i'm relation to two girl
} she was looking for and who were sun