The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-15
MISS MARY GUSTS
LEE PAYS SMALL FIN
She Did Not Appear, but For
feited Her Collateral.
THE CONDUCTOR COMM NDED
Several Witnesses Examined-The Git
liens of Alexandria Deeply Deplore
the Incident, ard Believed the
Violation Done Unwittingly.
fsnec,o1 p,,natch to The Times,

Especial Dispatch to The Ttmesl ,.
ALEXANDRIA, VA, June H.-4hiSs
Mary Gusts Lee. daughter OF Genera.
Robert E. Lee, did not answer to her
ramc when it was called in the Ponce
Court this morning before Mayor Geoise
L. Simpson, on the charge CT vlolaei,ts
the Jim Grow" law In operation on .he
Washington, Alexandria and MI. Vefhon
Railroad, between this city and WashihS-
ton. Instead she forfeifef 81 Cn''S' e.
which was the minimum fine proViueu
under the statute.
centine the collateral. stated that In DEL
ere,lce to the position OF the railroad com
pany he would go into the case. Accom-
insiy several witnesses were placeo oii nc
stand. officers Belts and Sherwood VINO
niade the arrest, and Conductor 1homas
Ciauncey who was in charge OF the 49,
,:ere the principal witnesses
OFFICERS TESTIFY.
The officers told of finding MISS Lee
co,te5 in the rear Of the car the part
reserved for negroes. On being tolo tnat
she must accompany them TO the statioii
house, she appeared somewhat inoiSnai''
saving she thought they might nave
avoided the humilia ton ,<and also express
inc the conviction that the conductor
oueht to be discharged. but making no
further protest against being taken INTO
custody.
Conductor Chauncey testified that he
approached Miss Lee shortly after the
tram left Washington, observing that s'ie
was in wrong seat, and asked her 70
move to the front of the car. she pro
tested. claiming that the removal OF ner
h1.yy baraace would work upon her an
unreasonable hardship. Later he went
to her again with the same request. but
she continued to refuse, he said, untll ne
was compelled to send e message Tor an
officer.
A COMPROMISE.
After hearing the evidence Mayor sllnp-
son remarked that the law In Questlon
was passed by the last state LEGISLATURE
as a sort of compromise measure At hrst
# vas Droposed to enact a law providing
for separate cars. but for reasons OF econ
onov the bill was restricted to providing
for separate seats for the races IN the
same cars. In pursuance to the law. ne
said, the electric company mad placed
placards in the cars for the information
| Of passengers. The law, he SAID, would
| be enforced inlpartially. 1t made no oil
! ference in his court whether the accused
! we're white or black, high or low. Who
| ever was guilty of an infraction would
b.. fined In the case in question. he said.
hs had exacted only the minimum
amount This was his custom with first
| offences He said the evidence showed
|
I within the bounds OF his duty. Had he
| done otherwise, the Mayor stated. he,
| himself, would have been anenable to the
/ law.
SYMPATHY.
Much sympathy has been expressed foI
Miss Lee. That such an unhappy event
should have occurred here is regarded
| with much regret In this city the name
OF her father has been especially honored
and revered, and she also has received
r:any expressions of the favor and es-
teen, CT the people of Alexandria.
The Jim Crow law has been in ope'
ration on the electric line between Wash
ington and this city about six weeks
At first some friction resulted from Its
enforcement and several arrests were
made but of late. with the exception OF
the stratlng incident Of last evening, il
| has been working very we'll.
Perhaps there are no people In the
United States who more deeply deplort
the arrest of Miss Les than do the citi
| zens of Alexandria. Most Of them firmly
believe. however, that Miss Lee was ir
the wrong, although they believed she VIC
lated the statute unMittingly.