Evening journal., 1908-10-09
GIRLS TELL COURT
OF THEIR ROW
Joseph O'ROurke Charged
With Assault and Battery,
But Case is Dismissed
TROUBLE AMONG WORKERS
IN MOROCCO FACTORY


There was one in a neat htting brown
suit with additional adornment of puffs
and braids. There was another in blue,
fttingly decorated with the latest ad-
justments and raven black hair and
connding smile. And there were sew
raj others. each one Of whom was tall
er or shorter or prettier or thinner or
younger than any of the others. They
occupid four rows Of seats in City
Court this morning And to Deputy
Judge Joslyn they all looked alike.
Joseph O'Rourke, the man in the
case, was arraigned on a charge of
assault and battery. The prosecuting
witness was Miss Margaret Rudder, the
one in brown. The star witness was
Miss Margaret Mousley. the one in
blue. who recited her story with dra-
matte force.
Miss Rudder and Miss Mousley have
not been the best of friends and the
feeling between the two reached q high
point Wednesday last Miss Rudder
who has an appearance Of being very
gentel in disposition. was alleged 10
have sworn that she would get even
with Miss Mousley for the latter hav-
ing testified at a previous case that
was brought before a Magistrate in
which Joseph ORourke was also in
volved.
Well. Miss Mousley said she heard
that Miss Rudder was going to await
an opportunity to pull her hair good
and hard, and that on Wednesday she
asked Mr. O'Rourke II he would be
so kind as to offer the protection Of
his good right arm against the bevy
Of pretty girls that she had heard Miss
Rudder had modified to carry on hos
l tilities. Mr.. ORourke said he would
be pleased. SO he escorted Miss Nous
ley to work that day and when the
enemy was encountered, nothing more
i serious happened than a passage at
badinage
Worked in Leather Factory.
All the young women work in the
New Castle Leather Works in the
lglazinR department Miss Mouslcy was
just putting on her apron, she said
when Miss Rudder, frustrated a few
hours before when at the head of her
force the strenuous looking ORourke
by the side Of pretty Miss Mousley had
driven all thoughts of hair pulling from
Miss Rudders mind. came over and
: seeing the coast clear tweaked some
, of Miss Mousley's marcel curls Then
the battle was on according to witnesses
who were at the scene.
Miss Florence Crow, rather tall and
pointedly dressed in a neat princess
blue with a Peter Pan collar. after
having been duly sworn and said Il
do" ma calm, steady, musically clear
voice. testified that she saw Miss
Mousley and Miss Rudder come out
from around a machine in such close
proximity to each other that II was
G hard matter. unless you had been
very. very well acquainted with the
, young women in question. to distin-
guish which was Miss Mousley and
which was Miss Rudder Miss Grow
4 testified that at the height of the bat
tie. the gallant Mr.. O'Rourke dashed
from another room and hurried 10 sep
arate the combatants. Miss Grow tes-
tined that Mr. ORourke pulled Miss
Rudder away from Miss Mousley and
roughly threw her across the floor
where she landed against a horse" not
a real live horse, but a wooden one that
was close by
Miss Maude Golden. plainly but neatly
dressed in some kind Of clinging compost
ton. was next called to testify She tolt
practically the same story as the previous
witness.
There was a host OF other witnesses bu
, they we're not called Then Mr. ORourk'
was allowed 10 call his Witnesses. Mis-
Mousley was the hrst She told her story
very dramatically. Yes, there had beci
ill-feeling between her and Miss Rudder
And Miss Rudder had said she would 60
even. What else could Miss Mousley hav,
done under the circumstances but ask
for protection from Mr. o'Rourke She
, told the court how the small army oi
young women under the command Of miss
Rudder had waited for her that morn
,. ing 10 tear her up" and how u it hadn't
been for Mr. but the court wanted Z
/, hear Of the real fight.
Wen. when all was said. IL there were
any marks on Miss Rudder II was beoaus'
Miss Mousley had protected herself, act
, ing in self defense previous 20 the ar
rival OF Mr.. O'Rourke in the glazing room
Miss Rudder. she said. had certainly start
ed the fight But Mr. O'Rourke she said
certainly did not throw Miss Rudde
across the boor. He just stepped in ant
separated the two in as enue but forcibl
manner
There were other witnesses who sal,
that Mr.. o'Rourke had not treated Mis-
Rudder in the manner It was alleged
Mr.. ORourke told his story. The cour
scratched it's head as the court will a
times when it is puzzled. Then. breaking
the silence. the court said: Il dismiss tn
case"
The forces OF Miss Rudder went out on
door. and Miss Mousley surrounded by he
admirers. including, Mr. O'Rourke, wen
down the stairs at the other end into tn
4 police Office and out to the straet.