The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-09-07
Trials At
pOTTSVIALE
The Shenandoah Police Raids Brought
Before a Jury.
WEST AND SANDS CASES HEARD |
All the Accused PLEAD Innocence and Re.
spectability- West withdraws
Her Plea Of Guilty-A Number
Of witnesses Examined and
the Case Closed.

Pottsville, June 7.-It was sad but not
sweet story that crowd of people heard in
No court room last evening, whea several
Shenandoah women and two males were
placed on trial. The old battle of goUd
versus evil had been partly fought over
when court adjourned At $50 o'clock, until
this morning.
Viola Williams and Minnie Williams, two
buxom young women, and Ida West. a mod
est looking girl, were placed on trial before
Judge Bechtel, in No 2 court roOm charged
with fornicaton. Officer Martin Mullahey
of Shenandoah, appeared as the prosecutor
With them sat Alex Sands, Caroline West,
Adam Snyder and Lizzie Snyder each
charged with keeping bawdy house by the
same official. A three year old child reclned
in the arms of Mrs. West
Judge Bechtel appointed Messrs. James F.
Flanagan and Irwin Reed counsel for some of
the defendants. w. J. Whitehouse was en-
ployed by the others. NJ. NJ. Burke repre-
sented the prosecution. Officer Martin
O. Hara sat at the Commonwealth 5 table with
the prosecution.
Mabel Wessner was the first witness. She
said she is now prisoner at the Jail. and had
been an inmate of Mrs. Vests house from
the first week in June until July Gath Mrs
West had met her on White street and asked
her to come there. She went and was asked
to stay there all the time and she did so.
Miss Wessner said Mrs West told her the
business transacted there was that Of a bawdy
house. Mrs. Vests daughter acted In the
same manner that She the witness, did at
the house. Miss Wessner said she is a married
yvnuaan but had aana 20 tod f,o,,, ~,
Under cross. examination by Mr. White
house Mable said she came from schuylkir
Haven. She also admitted having written to
Lizzie Snyder, but at first denied that she
wrote that portion of the letter which said
that she was sorry for what she had done but
that she had sworn Mrs. West had kept
bawdy house because Officer Mullahey had
told her she would be freed if she did SO.
She then admitted writing the letter but
averred it was only repeating what Mrs. West
had written to her, and in denial thereof
There was no truth in it she said.
She confessed having said in the letter that
Officer Mullahey liked the women, too, !"
but laughingly declared that she "only said
it in my madness. - and had no reasons for
saying it,
The witness said she paid Mrs. West "a per
week board, and denied that Mrs. West
merely took her in out of charity, until an
alleged friend named Jack" should pay her
board.
Mr.. Burke then asked Miss Wessner about
the Snyder case. She declared that il was at
Snyder's she made her first deviation from
the path of virtue, Previous to this she had
been living out" The witness spent a
month at the house. Viola and Minnie Will
liams were inmates of the Snyder house.
To Mr.. Whitehouse's cross examination
Mabel replied that she gave evidence of her
own accord, but admitted that she expected
to be freed according to the promise held out
by officer Mullahey.
Mary Mahulsky stated that she was born
and raised at Shenandoah. She had never
visited the West house, but had been at the
Snyder house last Christmas, and then left,
not returning until three months, later. She
remained at the Snyder house until Julv
Goth, and admitted the immortality of the
practices in vogue there. She had seen Viola
| Williams and little farmer" in the Snyder
house. The other Williams girl was there.
| too
To Mr.. Whitehouse, on cross. examination.
| she denied that she was testifying under a
promise that she would be made free. and
she believed the officers arrested her because
it was their duty. The witness admitted
there was whiskey at the lookup" but she
didn't know where it came from. The Will
Jams girls had it. Witness said she was pres
ent when young man named Hopkins was
shot, but it was decent, respectable house,
and she did net do the shooting
Mabel Wessner was recalled and Mr..
Whitehouse asked her if she was kept in the
Lookup the same as the other prisoners. She
said she was lodged at hotel, where she paid
her board for the night, with money that
had been given her. Her evidence had been
taken in the council chamber, in the presence
of witnesses To Mr.. Burke she explained
that Officer Mullahey had given her money
in the 'Squire's office, in the presence OF
witnesses, to pay for her lodging, because the
officers did not think it proper that she
should be kept in the lookup with the other
prisoners, after having given such strong
evidence against them.
William Curley, the next witness, lives
near the West house and said men were in
the habit of calling there at all hours of the
night. He had made complaints to Officer
MullShey of the house.
| A. b. Lewis said he knew nothing about
the character of the West house, and had
heard very little of the other house.
At this mornings session Mr.. Lewis was
recalled aud stated the general reputation oi
the Snyder residence was that of bawdy
| house.
Philip Anderson, son-in-law Of Mrs. West
swore that the West home was that of an i'm.
moral place. He also gave damaging testi
mony against the Snyder house, at which he
had boarded for some time. Snyder, the
witness explained, didn't have much to say
in the place. He saw girls hand over money
to Mrs. Snyder and was aware that she in
dueed girls to come there.
On oross-examinstion he said he owned the
house and part of the furniture, and declared