New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-16
ADELE RICHIE SAYS
SHE WAS NOT PROFANE
North Pelham Jury Disagrees in
Her Case--MrS. tom"
Pierce Fined S..
BIG CROWD AT THE TRIALS
Actress Says She Merely De
nounced the Law Under
Which Her Friend Was
Arrested.

The actions against Mrs. Tom" Pierce
/ and Adele Ritchie. the one for driving
without a light and the other for inter
! fering with police officer in making an
arrest. were tried last night before Peter
Ceder. justice of the peace, and jury
in the presence of one of the largest
crowds ever assembled at a trial in
North Pelham. The courtroom was over
crowded and hot but the testimony was
so breezy that the spectators among
whom were many women. didn't mind
the weather a bit
The action against Mrs. Pierce for VIC
lating a village ordinance in driving
without a light was heard first. Judge
Ceder heard this case without the aid
Of the jury and said that he would an
nounce his decision later
The real interest was in the trial of
Adele Richie, named in the indictment
as Jane Richie, who was charged with
interfering with Patrolman John Lally
on the night Of August I. when he placed
Mrs Pierce under arrest The policeman
accused the actress of using profane
language and attempting to assault him
Sergeant Mcclure testified that when the
two women were arrested and taken to
the Pelham police headquarters. Miss
Richie said: We have been assaulted
by a couple Of highwayrnen who. I after
ward learned. were policemen I intend
10 Use my influence in this district TO
break these fellows II is their duty to
protect women and not insult them and
attempt to frighten them to DEATH
Counsel Moves Dismissal.
Judge Samuel 2 Swinburne, of New
Rochelle, counsel for Miss Richie. after
hearing the police narrative. moved to
dismiss the Indictment on the ground
that there had been no real resistance
Henry L Rupert representing the vii
lage of Pelham. protested, declaring Miss
Richie was guilty because she shook
her fist under the officers nose and
threatened to break him
Judge Ceder denied the motion to dis
miss. and then Miss Ritchie took the
stand She wore q blue gown and blue
hat, while Mrs Pierce was attired in
riding costume and black straw hat
Dramatically and with frequent gestures
toward the Judge and jury. she described
the occurrence Of the night of August
I had done two performances at Ham
nerstein,s. facing the most difficult and
critical audiences one can face in New
York, and I was very tired and nervous
when I arrived in Pelham on the mid
night train Ny friend. Mrs. Pierce.
was TO meet me with the trap. but she
was not there when the train arrived
and I paced the platform with my little
dog in my arms.
The night was still; q quietness al
most like death prevailed. when sudden
" the air vas rent with cries of Help,
Help"
Nv Cod I exclaimed. that is Mrs.
Pierce: somebody is holding her
Thinking that she was being robbed
by bandits. I called the station master
and told him TO look after my dog and
that I would look after her. Then I
rushed down the road crying, Alice
Alice. I am coming"
I saw the runabout all upset, and her
first words 10 me were. oh. I've been
held up but I saw that she was all
right and then rushed back to find my
dog.
She Denies Using Profanity.
Judge and gentlemen of the jury
exclaimed Miss Ritchie. I used no pro-
fame language. All I said was. What
are you doing?' They told me Mrs.
Pierce had violated the law and was
under arrest and then 1 said That is
the damnedest law l ever heard tell Of
That. gentlemen, was the first oath
I uttered. and you gentlemen would have
done the same thing under the Circum-
stances"
Before sending the case 70 the jury
Judge Ceder. VINO is known in Pelham
as the honest Swede," looked over his
glasses az Miss Richie and said:
There is no evidence Of any assault
and If there vas any resistance it was
SO faint that it could hardly have upset
two policemen I think everybody must
have been excited, including the police
Mrs Pierce was excited because she was
under arrest and Miss Richie was ex-
cited because she lost her dog It may
be that she used profane language, but
YOU can't convict her for that because
that Ism charged II the Indictment
IF this case had been left to me l
would have dismissed II long ago"
After this hint the jury retired for de-
liberation. They were out an hour and
fifteen minutes and failed to agree
After vainly trying TO get them to reach
decision Judge Ceder allowed them
10 go home az Il p. m
The Judge found Mrs Pierce guilty on
the charge Of driving without a light
and fined her So