New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-19
Ex-Secret Service Man Tells
How He Bought Girls.
BELLE MOORE DEFENDANT
Court Orders Negress's Counsel
to Show Cause Why He Is
Not in Contempt.

George A. Miller was the only witness
Yesterday at the trial in General Sessions
of Belle Moore, the negress charged with
selling women for immoral purposes. She
is the first Of the alleged white slave
traders indicted by the Rockefeller grand
jury 10 be placed on trial An incident of
the opening day was an order by Judge
Grain directing Mr. Karin. OF counsel for
the defence, to show cause this morning
why he should not be declared in contempt
Miller is a former United States Secret
Service agent. who worked under the d.
rection of District Attorney Whitman to Sc
cure evidence of the so-called white
slave traffic.
He told in detail the story of his half
dozen visits to the apartment of Belle
Moore at No 348 West 41st street, some
times alone and sometimes accompanied by
a Radcliffe College girl, who posed as the
keeper of a disorderIy house in Seattle under
the name of Nine frankie Fuller. Miller
went under the name of Dick Morris" On
his last visit he was accompanied by a
friend of Mime. Fuller named Amy Jack
son, who is alleged to have witnessed the
payment by Miller of s120 to Belle Moore
for Alice Milton and Belle Woods, with the
to Nine. F'uller's" mythical disorderIy
house in Seattle.
The former Secret Service agent was
good witness and withstood well the Cruel
ling cross-examination Of Mr.. Karlin. The
proceedings were enlivened by tits between
the latter and Assistant District Attorney
Press, who frequently objected to what he
termed speeches in the form of ques-
tons by the defence's counsel.
District Attorney Whitman, who was
present throughout the day, also protested
against the lawyers form of questions
which sought to portray Miller in the light
Of a paid investigator recklessly spending
the three or four thousand dollars he &C
knowledged using during the ten weeks of
his investigation to make good even to
the extent of sacrificing the defendant.
1t was while he was referring to Belle
Moore as "a victim and to MiiIer's met
spread out for her. and of his campaign
in the TenderIoin.'' that Judge Grain, who
had admonished the lawyer several times
during the day, suddenly directed him to
show cause this morning why he should
not be held for contempt of court.
In his opening Mr.. Press said the prose
cution would show that on April 13, 1910,
Miller called and saw the two girls. Belle
Moore whereby she was to procure for
him two females, good looking. if posi-
Die under the age of eighteen years, not
Weighing more than one hundred pounds,
agreeing to- pay her we'll for her services
Mr.. Press spoke of various meetings be-
tween Miller and Belle Moore Finally
Miller called and saw the two girls. Belle
Moore asked SIS each for the girls. Miller.
= irf1ir to
from his companion, gave the $40 to Belle
Moore, and promised to send the balance
of $50 in the form of a money order. Belle
Moore looked out of the window TO see
that the coast was clear. and by her in
structions the girls followed Miller to
Ninth avenue and 42d street, where he
had taxicab waiting
Miller, in his testimony said that he
put UP at the Hotel Albany, posed as a
saloonkeeper from Seattle, in New York
to see the sights. He said he came
to know Belle Moore through a negro
doorman at the hotel named steve: also
ne came to know the proprietor of a
Tenderloin saloon, named Baron Wilkins.
and Alexander Anderson. who is under in
dlctment In his testimony he said An
derson, when introducing him to Belle
Moore, said: Leave Il to Belle Moore
She has been in the business nine wears T
broke her in myself
When Miller said he had seen a white
girl at the Moore apartment house named
Helen Hastings Mr.. ,Karlin made futile
efforts to have Miller state that she was
the eleven-year-old girl referred to by Dis
trict Attorney Whitman when Belle Moore
and Anderson were arrested Objections
by Mr.. Press were sustained by the court
Upon motion of Mr.. Karlin the wit
nesses for both sides were excluded from,
the courtroom. When Judge Grain gave
the order a fashionably dressed young
woman with eyeglasses. who, it was after
ward learned, was the Radcliffe CoIless
girl who worked with Miller. Defective
Thomas. of the District Attorneys bu-
reau. and another man whose name tho
District Attorney would not disclose. left
he room