New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-04
MONKEYHOUSE PLOT.
CHARGED BY BOY
Says Sleuth Induced Him
to Plead Guilty, Although
He Was Innocent.
CHOIR SINGER
SEEKS RELEASE
influential Friends Aid His Ap.
peal to General Sessions from
Cell on Island.

That a country boy, ignorant Of
city ways, arrested Oh charge Of mis-
behavior in the monkey house in
Central Park, was Induced By the ar
resting policeman to plead guilty to
escape from confinement and prevent
his parents and friends from knowing
of his plight, was charged in General
Sessions yesterday when Raymond
Parsons, a member Of the choir Of
Calvary Baptist Church. pettioned for
the right to appeal from the three
months sentence he is now serving.
In his appeal presented to the court
by Henry Wellington Wack and John
B. Marshall, who are serving without
compensation, Parsons asserted that
he is the victim of fraud or the part Of
Christopher j. Ellsworth, member Of
the monkey house squad.
Parsons's story is best told in the
affidavit filed. Unlike most aiiidavlts,
it is in fact a human document. With
it afiidavits from his employer and
prominent members of Calvary Church
are filed. It was their anxiety to
learn what had become of Parsons
that led 20 his being discovered IN
jail.
Was Innocent. lie Says.
81 am twenty-five years old" says
Parsons in the affidavit, "and on June
90 last visited Central Park and most
of the animal cages and places before
going to the monkey house.
the place was quite crowded; | did
not remain long because the air was
foul and oppressive. | did not OBJ
serve any one in particular. was
watching the Monkeys and not the
people. As was going out a man
took hold Of my arm and said he
wished to speak TO me outside
"When we got outside ne showed his
badge. told me ne was an officer and
asked me TO go with him 20 the station
house. Strange as il may seem, | had
no idea at that time chat / was under
arrest or that any charge was to be
made against me. When we arrived al
the station house the officer told me |
was suspected OF annoying girls in the
monkey house. ! told him IN the most
emphatic manner that / was innocent
and he told me / could say what | had
to say in court.
81 was then taken to the prison at
East Fifty-seyenth Street. This officer
came and talked to me At the cell door
two or three times before | was ar
raigned. | was so shocked at the
charge and predicament / was in that
my senses almost LEFT me. was entirely
innocent of any wrongdoing; ! had
never been arrested before in my life
and | never had had any experience Of
any kind with criminal courts or police
practices or methods.
Feared the Disgrace.
81 could only think of the terrible
disgrace which would cause me the
loss o. my friends. my business posi-
tion and my position in the church
and in the choir Of which ! am a mem
ber and most Of all the grief and sor-
row Of my parents should the news
get to them. ! mentioned these things
to the officer and he told me / need
have no fear Of losing my position or
suffering any disgrac If ! would take
his advice, which was to plead guilty.
He said the magistrate would IN
doubtedly suspend sentence and that
| would be allowed to 90 home at once.
"When | was arraigled before the
magistrate this officer talked to the
magistrate. but where ] stood | could
not hear one word he said. The
magistrate then turned to me and
asked me what | had TO say, and with
nothing in my mind but to take the
officers advice and get on, Of my
trouble | said, Your Honor, ! am
guilty | was sentenced 20 three
months in the workhouse."