Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1919-12-27
PALISADE PARENTS IN EFFORT To
PROTECT DAUGHTER FROM STRANGE
INFATUATION ATTACKED IN N, Y,
Martin A. Purnell and Wife Visit Home of Robert Berg
mann's Parents, 326 East Goth Street, When Whole
Bergman Family Try to Influence Miss PurneIl
Against Parents and Fight Occurs.
CLAIM THEY WE'RE ATTACKED

Young Bergman, who is about TWEEN
ty-two, had not impressed Mr.. and
Mrs. Purnell, who formerly lived in
Texas, of which state Mrs. Purnell is
native. and ON one occasion when
dining in Palisade the young soldier
in uniform made scurrilous remarks
against President Wilson, saying he
would like to kill him, Mr.. Purnell told
Palisadian reporter Thursday eve
ming. Mr. Purnell also says that at
that time when pressed for a reason
for his hatred for the President said
he had brother in the war who had
his leg shot off at the knee and was
badly neglected, etc. 1t later turned
out that this was pure romance; that
Bergman had only a young brother
who was not in the army, and from
this Mr.. Purnell concluded that he had
better keep an eye on the young man,
which he did, learning that he was
addicted to gambling also. The whole
story, according to Mr.. and Mrs. Pur-
nell, is alive with interest, Martha all
the time vOwing loyalty to the Berg
mann boy and, CHANGING the disfavor
OF her mother, remaining in New York
tuesday night against the latters
open protest. When Mrs Purnell went
to bed that evening she did not believe
her daughter would dare remain with
the Bergmanns another aigbt $50 at =
O'Clock, Martha not returning, she
awakened her husband and the two
went over to New York and rang the
Bergman doorbell about 2 80 a. m.
They were duly admitted, and Mrs.
Purnell says she told Mrs. Bergman
she had come for Martha. The latter
protested; then later on the two sons
came in, and between the three they
tried to persuade Martha not TO 90
with her parents, according to the
statement of Mr. and Mrs. Purnell.
Finally Mrs. Purnell, firing of trying
to use persuasion, took hold of her
daughter with her arms about her
waist when Mrs. Bergman struck her
(Mrs. PurnelD singing blow on
the side of the face, repeating it twice
more. 1t was then the row began.
and on the way down from the third
floor, where the Bergmanns live, the
struggle continued. AT the second
noor, according to the Purnells, a wo-
man appeared from the fiat there and
reprimanded the Bergman boys; then
the son of the second floor tenant came
out and lit into the two Bergman
sons. During this part of the scrim-
mage Mr.. and Mrs. Purnel got Mar
th4 out of the house, and while watch
ing the trio fighting under the street
light she tainted when a policeman
appeared and took the whole party to
the East Eighty-eighth street precinct
The Purnells remained till they could
communicate with Mr.. Yurnell's BROTH
er, who gave $1,000 cash bail, and the
three parties to the contest came on
to Palisade.
q Mrs. Purnell did not like to tell her
story, and in doing so appeared to be
a very WOmanly mother and claimed
her only purpose was to protect her
daughter against a man she did not
consider worthy of her affections. I'm
stead of charges being preferred
against me-" said Mr.. PurneH. 81
should have charged assault against
the Bergmanns, for a more unprovoked
thing never took place We have a
perfect right to look after our daugh-
ter's welfare. The Bergmanns under
TOOK to force Martha to turn complete
~ against us. We have entertained
them at our own board here in Pail
sade, and they never impressed us as
being the kind of people we would like
our daughter to tie up with for life.
Their religion is not ours, and they
sought to proselyte Martha. I con-
slider we should have the complete
sympathy of all loyal mothers and IA
Tiers. Martha could not help herself
perhaps, with the strange infatuation
for the boy, Robert Bergman. This
is the part we regret
Miss Martha did not hesitate TO ad-
NIT her infatuation for young Berg
mann. Bergman, Sr, is clerk in
the New York post office somewhere
MISS Purnell is very pretty girl of
about eighteen and attended Engle-
wood High School until recently. Her
rather is engaged in the sale of oil
stocks in New York city.