Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-21
SPECIAL NOTICES.
The Mary Yobst Case.


| To the Editor of The star:4 y
son, it is pontediy inviiioqs to another From the
fobst for malicious mischief in tearing and cutting
some silk waists Of my daughter parts Of costumes
grieved to have injured, our community might Ice
led to believe that the prosecution was in the ma
ture of persecution; that the damage charged was
greatly exaggerated and that were all as fero-
sions as ogres IN desire to iniurea poor innocent,
harmless girl We thought and stiii think that we
ore the injured party.
The facts of the ease are these -
Some time In the last week of December my
e that Ros ss Waist to e in the morning and
able manner ! asked her to les it. 1t
have b, ACCIDENT, and to console her.
said that would get her another Some days after
out calling with friend from Chicago this friend
and went to n. house about o'clock In the even
Ing and as my daughter, Rose had been a school
mate of his little boy he asked particularly to see
her, and sent upstairs for her. When she came
ed and that sh. did not wear a certain costume in
which had quite expected her appear. After my
the sleeves Of the silk waist Of this costume had
been injured in about the place as that of the
cutting by scissors. could be seen There is
| nothing SO uncomfortable as mystery, and we felt
very much disturbed We at once began to CON
slider who came the second floor and WAS in the
habit of Coins to the closet where this waist was
that the first waist had been injured She removed
the second waist from the closet where that one
far into The back behind some other eothn ei0s
going over the subject. and reasoning by e1 ctlson
inasmuch as the cook never came to the second
floor, considered that the only person WHO could
have done the damage was a girl who was mostly
on the second floor, and whose duties took her fire.
quently to where the waist was. a girl named Mary
Yobst, and stated the matter. My dYruchter
Rose; however would rot listen to this. saying that
she had been particularly good to Mary, and that
Mary could have had no motive to do her harm, or
to wish to distress her In fact, l may say. as
many people in our community know my Daughter.
Rose, is of most gentle and sympathetic disposi-
had to 60 out This Was between r'."s and "s
clock in the evening. When ] returned to dinner
that She t. done the harm It appoars i tSa saer
went out. my wife, WHO sick in bed called
tom the last waist. Ne one, then for n moment
remembered the damage done to the first waist
Mary strenuously denied having torn the waist and
left the room denying the charge. When this con-
versation between my wife and Mary took place nv
daughter Rose was not in the house. having gone to
a drug store, il the neighhorhocd for some medi-
,ine Upon he -etnrn. and going into the library
Mary and the cook being in the dining room Mary
at once called my daughter, Rose. into the dining
room IN and said in ;he presence of the cook:
Miss Rose. done that to Your dress and am
sorry. wouldn't tell your mother, because L was
afraid of Der; but will tell yoa i was not trying
perhaps Of the ladies will appreciate the
force Of the last sentence. 1t is beyond mans
Ny daughter said to her:
sad T lHs Mar ,sn i possible that YOU did thas
me harm ana spoil my clothes? / never did YOU
any harm and have always been good to YOU
Il don't know
The cook then told my daughter Rose that Mary
the first waist, and upon being asked why She did
IL replied that she had done it ont of meanness
Nhen cam" nome, as above stated and the whole
matter was narrated to me L said that the first
thing to be done WIS to send for Marys mother and
tell her Her mother did not come and the next
day, as we feared to have Mary In the house mar
ticularly to htrust her with the care of my little
Grandson as the same spirit which would have ac-
tuated her 70 what we believed her 10 have done
might move her to injure the little boy my dauai-
ter who employed her, told her go home and tell
ner mother 10 me tosour house. Then her mother
came haf nat with Mary. Thereupon my wife gave
All this time there tine sense of perpIpxity and
desire to ascertain why Mary had done what she
Mary she asked the cook if she had told about
her having torn the first waist, Aid, if not not to
The mother brought Mary back with her and some
other other woman Mary then denied that she had in
Jured the waists. and even said that she had not
said that she had done The women who came
win Mary used abusive langrfage, and my wife
sald mar there mad been no intention TO prosecute
her: That she had sent fos her mother in Kindness
as she desired that her mother should almonish her
anu point out to her the WfckedusSs of her conduct
with view TO saving her from perhaps worse acts
in the same line and to preventing Depreciation of
TINS Kind upon other unsspectins people in this
some other community: but that ms she now denied
baDd anu tb her r ofh @ T9ab not take The matter in
information was filed. ana. jury trial being de-
manled: the case came to trial Yesterday
The Star says hat the allegation was that the
garments had been cot into small pieces. and
Tnat aepr.sai'hS such an exasgeration, rather
h LheTe was M 10 5e6 siea ion The Post with The
lar statement, which then proceeds to the effect
that the story Of the defendant eveited interest AMI
sen old "a se d M vs. ne{ pretty r s ONLY ths s
and little brothers and sisters: that her wages
her hehl clean fn;i neat and that the girl though
acquitted fears that the accusation may prevent
all very sweet toward the girl but it is unkind and
unjust TO those WHOM she confessed To have mali
family are not dependent upon her; but it
g r to go INTO Tbs as i is in no sense in point
to malicious mischief damage that could not
be repaired The girl is, undoubtedly. pretty,
| the jury: but We don't like even pretty rlftH
girls to destroy things in our home. 1t is well
garments was only in the sleeves but as a matter
of fact as &c goods of the kind could be obtained
with which 10 effect repair, the damage is ire
parable. and the entire costumes spoiled. STILL
there was no yindictiTeness in her prosecution We
always been considered to be. good citizens and
we only desire what is right and just. Nothing
fering under Injustice. As evidence that there
was no, vinlictiyeness toward Mary Yobst ] may
defendants counsel Mr.. Bradley who defended her
with greet "biity that, II the jury pronounced her
made very light. even be suspended. At the
trial. it was fully shown that the girl bad
cook and the cook by herself, also; but she
the stand and, while admitting the confession. said
that she had confessed because she was afraid of
the police, II shown thereafter, that nothing
had been said TO her about police. arrest,
thing of the kind. She said that my daughter,
Rose: had threatened her all the afternoon My
daughter. Rose. could threaten no one, and, as
matter of fact, the damage the waist was not dis
covered until after clock that afternoon My
daughter had ton with her the subject
before she went out and it immediately upon her
return from the drug store that the girl called her
and Voluntarily made the statement that she did
| the mischief. Much said at the trial of the
absence Of any apparent motive; but, while mis-
| chief is often without apparent motive, suggest
that motive may have been feeling of destructive
spite. envr, toward better clothes than the girl
could posses; | that there was no spite
against my daI ghtrr. We have believed that it was
due to ourselves and to the community In which We
| live to proceed in the way did Now, how would
others like to endure what have been through in
| this matter? Very respectfully.
r. q. DYRENFORTH,
It, 1903 Rhode Island