The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-17
A GIFT THAT
WAS NOT A
GIFT
Court Hears All About
Bridesmaids Dress and
Dismisses Case.

Fourteen yards of blue silk, a we'd
ding and a dressmaker, all hopeiessly
mixed up together, took up twenty
minutes of Judge Howell's time In the
Third Precinct Police Court this morn
ing, and in the end the case was dis
missed. If it is ever brought up again
it Will be in a civil court.
In the meantime Captain Christie Is
holding fourteen yards of blue silk,
value 81, and Miss Rose Duffy, OF 4
Glover street, is out one dress, or else
James Brax, of Jersey City, is ahead
of the game by that much.
Brax decided to get married recent
ly, and his choice fell on Miss Lizzie
Stare, then living at 522 Market street,
of this city. The date of the wedding
was set for December 8, 1907, and the
affair came off according to schedule,
and brought with it complications that
came to light when the case was
brought into court this morning.
According to Miss Duffy she was
singled out to act as bridesmaid, but
felt that the expense of q suitable
raiment was not for her. Brax, how
ever. in the joy of his approaching
nuptials, said hat would be settled, as
he would furnish the dress. He lived
up to his contract, but after The cere-
mony asked for its return, a request
which was granted. on the s~upposltion
that the material for a new n waS
to be Forthcoming from the bridegroom
Here again Brax made good" and
went with Miss Duffy to Miss Esther
Emar, q dressmaker, of 542 Market
street, to have 1t made. After the
bridesmaid had departed he went bach
to the establishment, secured the SILK,
and held both that and the original
garment, much to Miss Duffy's chagr1n,
so she hailed him to court.
That was where the plot thickened.
She explained that the material was 70
inches wide instead of the u she had
supposed, but the court could not see
what bearing that had on the main
question.
Nov go ahead with your story"
directed the judge. and each of the five,
for by that time Mrs. Brax, mother of
the bridegroom, had appeared, started
in to tell their version, all talking at
once.
1.-THE dress was all dirty" began Mrs.
Brax.
II got it at Siegel-C ooper's," declared
Miss Duffy.
1T want you to let my daughter go,
judge from Mrs. Brax, elder.
did I ever give you that dress?"
inquired Mr.. Brax
THE goods were on my table," as
serted the dressmaker.
The gaveI pounded several times be-
fore any of the combatants would heed.
"Of course, it's much easier to hear
when all of you talk at once" re-
marked the Judge. but I'd like to know
what you're talking about. Where are
the goods, captain? Is that all there
is?" he asked, as a small bundle was
handed to him, which he ~unwrapped
and inspected. Then he turned to
Brax.
Ibid you tell Miss Duffy hat You
would get her the dress?" he inquired.
Brax admitted it.
"And she returned it and later you
took the silk so that you had both?"
Brax admitted that, too.
We'll. will you give the dress back?'
the court hopefully, as things
began to seem clearer. No more than
three had been talking at the same
time for five minutes. and 1t was al
most impossible to understand what
they said.
mo, SIR declared Brax, hastily.
al right. Case dismissed. Go to q
civil court. Captain, take care Of the
goods" And the five filed out.