Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-11
HERDMAN HOTEL
FIGURES IN ASSAULT
Miss Catherine Mcmillan Says
She Had Drinks in Place Be-
fore BeingsAttacked.

tore BeingsAttackeo.
Hefdman's Hotel, the home of Miss
Hazel Herdman. the slayer of Mrs.
Harriet Manning, figured prominent
~ In Quarter Sessions Court today
| before Judge william P. Martin. Ii
was at this hotel, located on the
Pofnpton turnpike, that Miss Cath
crime Mcmillan, formerly 8 waitress
at the Montclalr Hotel. had several
drinks just before she was assaulted
on lonely wooded path between
Herdman's Hotel and the Montelair
Hotel on the night OF August ~ last.
| On trial for this assault today are
Harry Gallagher, son of Harry Gal
| lagher. chief of police of Montclair;
Harry Nichols. Joseph Gardner and
Charles Rodemann, ali living in Mont
clair and Verona. These four men
were arrested q week after the date
of the alleged assault, but of the four
men Rodefnann Is the only one so far
positively Identified by Miss MeMil-
Ian. Gallagher, Nichols and Gardner
were arrested on information being
given that they were in company of
legged assault.
Besides the assault and battery
charge another one charging the COM
mission of statutory offense has
been lodged against the four men.
A goodly array of legal talent is
opposed TO Assistant Prosecutor Will
bur A. Mott in the case. Former
Judge Thomas A. Davis represents
Gallagher, former Assistant Prose-
cutor Frederick r. Lehlbach, Card
iler, James r. McDerfnit, Nichols, and
Walter P. Blackman, Rodemann.
On direct examination Miss Mo-
MILAN told of accompanying Rode
mann to the Herdman Hotel on the
night in question and at having had
several drinks with him and another
couple, Frank Carson and Miss
Frances Bushnell. She also testified
that she had taken a number of
drinks in Montclair earlier in the
afternoon.
After remaining at the Herdman
Hotel for an hour, she said the party
Of four started homeward. Miss Bush
nell and Carson followed the Ponp-
ton turnpike, while she and Rode
hNii tCoA q Cffcfe Sub tihCt5h ttiS
woods.
When they reached a dark spot in
the woods three other men jumped
out, and, according to the story of
Miss Mcmillan, threw her to the
ground and assaulted her.
Harry Mayne. manager of Charles
/. Manning's Mountainside garage,
was witness about noon He testi-
fed to hearing screams in the woods
back OF the Herdman Hotel the night
in question.
Miss Mcmillan was locked up in the
county jail last night as material
feared, the officials say, she would
not return to testify today, Judging
by her attitude yesterday
Miss Mcmillan is a rather pretty
we'll educated young woman of about
twenty-five years. She gave her tes-
timony in O. low voice and at times
was disposed TO argue with the law
yers as to the scope of her answers.
In her direct examination she stated
that she could not identify any of the
four defendants, except Rodemann,
whom she had gone to the Herdman
Hotel with. Even when asked to pick
him out in the courtroom she hesi-
tated and finally picked him out say
ing: II think he is the man." AS
sistant Prosecutor Mott tried hard to
get the girl to make her Identification
positive. Her testimony was Of rather
negative sort all through.
On cross-examination at the hands
Of former Judge Davis, the girl was
made to admit that she had been in
discreet with other men, and that on
the day of the alleged assault she had
had four or five cocktails at Mont
clair saloon in the afternoon and
quite a lot of ale at Herdman's inn
mediately preceding the assault.
She denied that she was intoxicated,
demurely explaining to the court and
lawyers that II can stand quite lot
of drink, even of cocktails or whiskey
highballs."
Miss Mcmillan was on the witness
stand the greater part of the morn
Ing and WAS given severe grilling by
the four lawyers engaged in the de-
Tense. Her story did not help the case
of the State to any, material defense.
The first real help to the States
case came when Frank Carson took
the witness stand. He told of leaving
Herdman's Hotel with the Bushnell
girl and of taking her to the Mont
clair Hotel by way of Pompton turn
pike after seeing Rodmann and the
Mcmillan girl turn into the woods to
take the Short cut" When Miss Nc
MILAN did not reach the hotel. after
twenty minutes waiting, Carson
started through the "short CUT to
look for her.
He said when she heard him coming
she called for help and he found her
with four men around her in a clump
of woods Her clothes were dshey-
eled, he said.
Carson identified Rodemann and
Harry Gallagher as two of the men
there. but said IL was too dark to SEQ
who the others were Carson Is named
in the complaint made 10 the Verona
police as one of the assailants of the
Mcmillan girl but the girl denied that
he was present when the assault took
place.
Owing to the fact that all four law
yers for the defense take hand in
the cross-examination of each witness
1t is not expected that the case will
be finished before Friday. as tomor-
row, Lincoln's Birthday. Is court
holiday.