New Britain herald., 1916-03-23
MALE JURY PASSES
 ON A WOMAN'S GOWN
Various Opinions Offered by Ladies for Their Publication

New fork, March 23.--Justicc Will liam C. Wilson, sitting in the Ninth District municipal court yesterday, recognized the clumsy inadequacy of masculine minds to decide when q dress fits and why, or when it doesn't, and why not, and, for the case before . lam at least His Honor regretted the fact that he could not have a jury of Homen But, after all, the male jury Geliberated only thirty-fvc minutes before deciding for the plaintiff in the suit. and q female jury might have disa greed
 The case was that of Anna c. Lar kin, modstc of 634 Fifth avenue, against Mrs. Edward Bownc Willets, Lr., of 375 Park avenue. and it was all about a $135 tailormadc suit which Mrs. Willcts ordered from Miss Larkin and then decided not to take. Mrs. Willets said she didn't take the suit because it didn't fit: Miss Larllin said she didn't take it because she saw another suit she liked somewhere else.
 The trial was one of "cxpert'' tcsti- mony. Seven women succeeded each
 
 qualified as an export in the matter of dresses--some of them having been In tho business of making expensive dresses. and others having hccn in the business of wearing them.
 Mrs. Bartbolomcw'S Opinion.
 Mrs. James Ripley Bartholomew of 10 East Forty-tifth strecet. a friend of Mrs. WiIlets. was called She had >teen to the modistes shop with, Mrs. Willets for one of the fittings of the dress.
 "T want to make statement" Mrs. Bartholomew announced as soon as she was seated. 'I saw that suit tried on Mrs. Willets and it was rotten
 Eugene F. Spiegelberg of 16o Broadway counsel for Miss Larkin, complained that Mrs. Bartholomed had not qualified as an expert. and that her opinion of what was "rotten" might differ from that of another woman. Mrs. Bartholomew smilingly informed the lawyer that she had purchased two or three tailor-made suits season for the last fifteen years, that most of them had come from London, and that she surely knew when a dress fitted and when it cid not. Justice Wilson admitted Il CT testimony Mrs. Douglas Fenwick. 3O1 West { Ninety-first street, the next witness. said the coat of the suit was biased" i and the collar "set askew." The jury men pretended that they understood.
 Mrs. c. Wilder Holmes of 375 Park Avenue, sister of Mrs. Willcts, also said the suit was a misfit.
 "It pulled on the shoulders. it was cut out too wide under the arms, and, of course. it didn't fit
 Mir. Spiegelberg objected again, and . the court agreed with him.
 You say, of course it didn't fft'" said the Justice, "but that's your con {, clusion. don't know anything about it." But I do," replied the witness pleasantly. How She Holds Herself Factor. Mir Spiegelbery wanted the witness to qualify as an expert, and Justice 1 Wilson asked her how many tailor made suits she had had. When she hesitated, MT. Spiegelberg said.
 Were not trying to lea1n your age, madam. You don't have to tell zus exactly how many. Just tell us in 
 The witness then agreed that fifty would answer the question, and went cn then to tell just where and why the suit in question hadn't fitted.
 On cross-examination MT. Spictol- berg exposed one of the secrets of feminine finesse.
 [" You know, don't you,' he said to the witness, that if a lady doesn't want to take a suit she can hold her self, when trying it on, so that the suit won't fit, no matter how it's cut?"
 "Yes. if she's not honest" answered the witness.
 Then MT. Spiegelberg became as cruel as caveman. 7 You consider that suit you have on is a good fit, don't you, Mrs. Holmes' he said
 No confessed the witness.
 Neither do l." agreed tho lawyer.
 "You are very kind" replied Mrs Holmes quietly-Very quietly-but