The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-17
WOMAN FINED FOR
HER OPEN SKIRT
Wearer of La Mode Gown
Fares Hard in Police
Court.
DRESS DECLARED INDECENT
Mayor Ainslic and Chief of
Police Testify Against
Woman's Costume.

Justice Crutchhcld's courtroom look
cd like the Longchamps race course
with the fashion manilSins in full pa
rade, yesterday morning while the One
John and Gilbert x. Pollock argued
the modesty of the latest DEGREES of the
poilte world in the shape of slashed
shirt worn by Blossom Browning, n
handsome young woman, In Broad
street Tuesday morning. Aided and
allotted by Mayor Ainslie and Chief of
Police Werner. tho justice fined the
wearer OF the slit skirt S25 and costs
stockings, I'm the public streets.
Great was the disappointment OF
scores OF inQuisitive people who flock
eel to tho City Hall early yesterday
morning In hopes of seeing the woman,
the Partisan gown which caused such
a connection, and the action OF the
One John. for tho horrid police shut
down on passes and excluded all but
persons who had business in Police
Court yesterday morning. AS 1T hap
pened. there were forty cases on the
docket, one OF them being an alleged
violation of the segregation ordinance
which drew 200 witnesses, and an alb
normally large asseInblage heard the
proceedings OF the slit skirt affair. Only
thirty nine passes to the courtroom
were issued, and while there were $40
persons who were present, most occu
pied their seats by virtue OF being Wit
ncsses in other cases scheduled for
trial.
Mayor Witness.
Interest was added to the case by the
fact that the only witnesses were the
Mayor and the chief of police. The
Partisan gown. which had been con-
fscated as evidence by Major Werner
following Blossom Brownng's arrest.
was exhibited for the cdifcation Of the
court The slit up the side OF the skirt
measured two feet while the entire
gown could be rolled into bundle
no larger than loaf OF bread. 1t was
proposed by Gilbert X. Pollock, counsel
for the woman. that the gown be worn
in court to illustrate It's fine points
as n creation of fashion. but the sug
gestion was shocking TO Crutchtcld
after he had seen the slashcd gown
unrolled.
AS her defense, Blossom Browning
contended that the gown as const-
tuted when she donned IT yesterday
morning was equipped with only
reasonable and thoroughly docorous
slash up the side, such as hundred
dresses on Broad Street of clear
morning contain, but in stepping onto
the street curbing q disastrous rip
had occurred and slit extended up the
skirt until 1t reached the shocking
length so painful to the city fathers.
Major Werner, with the detection
faculties that have Wadc him famous,
examined the gown and avowed that
the only rip apparent was only two
inches long and had been made be-
tween the time the woman was chased
from the street and the time the dress
was claimed by the police.
Expert Testimony.
Major based his deductions on the
fact that for two feet up the side of
the skirt the slit was faced on the
undcrsde. AS any good dressmaker
Will affirm. said the chief. only slit
pulposely cut would have been faced
in such q careful manner. If the slit
had been only rip OF seam, as
the woman declared, the seam would
not have been faced on both sides, ac-
cording to the head of the Police De-
partment.
blossom Browning. wearing
startling blue gown of skintight
closencss, with two-foot opening up
the left side, made her appearance In
Broad street about / o'clock Tuesday
morning and collected following OF
men and boys that ended in her ar