The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-20
DEATH STOPPED PROCESS.
Defendant in Damage Suit Died Be
fore She Was Served.

fore She Was served.
The service of process in the suit of
Mary. e. Hellinger against Mamie Ste
yenson, filed a few days ago in the City
Court was prevented by the death Of the
defendant last Tuesday The action is
for damages for false imprisonment. al
legged to have been suffered at the inst-
cation and false complaint Of the Stephen
son woman
Mary +. Hellinger, the plaintiff, is
palmist and fortune teller by occupation.
The defendant Mamie Stevenson, was a
mulatto woman Of the half world In Sa-
vannah she was widely known, ana it is
said that during her life she had accumu-
lated personal property, in the shape of
Jewels ana other ornaments and valua
bles that rendered her Independently well
to 60.
The petition in the action for damages
recites that Dec. is, the plaintiff went by
invitation to the Stevenson womans
house, and while there, was arrested by
city detectives and charged with stealing
a diamond sunburst. She denied her guilt,
bur Notwithstanding her denial and pro
test, was taken to the station house and
locked up. She was there searched by
negro woman. The search revealed no
trace of the suuburst she was charged
with having stolen.
After being kept two days at the sta
ton house without being carried before
the Recorder or being allowed a pre!imi-
nary hearing, she was committed TO Jail
on warrant for larceny sworn out
against her by Mamie Stevenson. In jail
she was put in a ward set apart for the
detention of negro women, and in their
company was compelled to suffer their
conduct, without any means of protecting
herself. She became ill under the con-
slant succession of humiliations. She was
kept in Jail until Jan. 6, when she was re-
leased for the lack of evidence to found an
indictment upon. The plaintiff claims that
the wrong to her was perpetrated through
the instrumentaHty of the Stevenson wo-
man, and that she is entitled to damages
in the sum of SIS 900.
Before service of process upon the Stew
enson woman could be perfected she
died. On the day after her death Col
Jordan f. Brooks, county administra tor
was granted temporary letters of admins
tration upon her estate, by Judge Ferrill
In the Court of Ordinary. It is said that
this appointment was made at the re-
quest of the plaintiff in the damage suit,
and it is understood that her attorneys
contemplate reviving the action against
her legal representative.
The action, under the law died with the
woman. 1t will be necessary to revive it
against the administrator of her estate
Prompt action was taken, therefore, that
in case the suit should be revived and
judgment ultimately obtained there would
be something left to answer it, For this
reason Col. Brooks appointment was
sought and obtained. The plaintiff in the
damage suit is represented by Messrs.
James f. Evans and L. NJ Norwood.
In the petition 1t is charged that while
the woman was in jail search warrant
was sworn out by the Stevenson woman
and that armed with this officers visited
her home and searched her trunk and 9TH
er property, in an effort TO find the dia-
mond sunburst alleged to have been stolen.
No trace of 1t was found and the woman
says there was never any real reason 10
believe that she was guilty.