Year: 1874

The New York Times of Friday relates
the following Mr. A B. Morris is a


lawyer, and his place of residence is


Watertown, n. Y. He came TO this city


about ten days ago, on his way to the


South, and having some business to


transact here, put up at the Park hotel


On the day before yesterday he made an


agreement with friend to 90 to the
Union Square theatre to see the play Of


Led Astray," little thinking at the time,


as be says, that before seeing the fiction


he would be most egregiously led astray


himself. But so he was, as the result


will show. Mr.. Morris had agreed with


his friend to meet him at the corner of


Broadway and Canal streets at $50 clock,


from whence they were to 90 to the


theatre together. Mr.. Morris arrived at


the place of meeting rather early, and


while waiting for his friend amused him


self by watching the passers by Presently


he was accosted by young woman, who


was very neatly though poorly dressed


and of a most respectable appearance.


She began by saying, "Are you ready to


90 with me now, sir 2" and then iu


apparent confusion begged his pardon for


speaking to him She said she had taken


him for gentleman she had seen 10 the


Dollar Store She then went on to tell


him that she was in great trouble and


distress. Il have dying mother and a


sister in the last stages Of consumption +"
she said "and | am Unable to pay the


rent Of our room, and the landlord


threatens to turn US out this very night


if do not pay" Here" said Mr.


Morris, "she began to cry, aud great tears
ran down her checks there was on hum


bug there, for [ saw them" II asked


her how much she owed, aud she told


hiR 81 "But | don't want you TO give


me the money here, sir, she said" |


want you to sec for yourself that am


not deceiviog you. | never asked for
charity before, but when the pauic came


| was discharged, with several other girls
from the Dollar Store, and since then


have been unable to get any work. |
live only a few blocks away from here,
and if you can spare the tine, would
like to have you see my mother aud sister,
and the condition which we are in +"
"And. like FOOL" said Mr.. Morris, Il
looked at my wacth, and seeing that |
had yet half an hour to spare, | went
with her. We went east from Canal
street, aud turned into side street, and
after while we came TO house and
assembled two or three steps, aud entered
a narrow hallway. There the woman
opened door on the right aud asked he
20 walk in and wait until she could advise
her mother that some one was coming to
see her. The room was warm and com
Portable FIRE was burning in the CRATE,
and at the farther end there was lounge
In front Of the fire, and nearer to it than
the lounge, was cottage bedstead /"
YOu will have to sit on the bed, sir"
said the woman, las there are no chairs
[ will take off my shawl and go at once
to mother" Il had been warming mr.
hands at the fire" continued Mr. Morris,
on the bed, about two feet from the foot
the woman standing in front of We with
her shawl in her hands Hardly had |
seated myself when she sprang upon me
like tig:ess, throwing the shawl over
my head At the same moment | felt
my feet grasped by some one under the
bed then felt that | had to struggle
for my life. | had $500 in money in my
pocket book, draft for $3.50, and $500
watch in my vest pocket. | could not
see, as my head was completely envelopcd
in the shawl, but [ felt strong pull at
my watch chain, and afterward | felt
haad in my pocket where my money was
made a tremendous effort and succeeded
in throwing the woman over the foot Of
the bed. then sprang up aud freed my
feet rushed to the further corner of the
room. There the woman again attacked
NE, but | knocked her Down, and then,
taking a large pearl handled, silver
knife from my pocket, | swore
hat if anybody attacked me again |
would put a bullet through him. The
darkness of the room DO doubt prevented
hem from seeing that the formidable
revolver was only packet knife, and that
vas what saved me, suppose. / then
vent to the door, and to nay astonishment
ound it locked, bolted and barred.
irew the bolt aud took bown the bar,
1ut could not unlock the door. as the key
vas gone. Fiuaily, broke eif the catch
IF the lock with he bar, aud found my
elf at liberty. rushed out through the |
lall into the street, and did not stop until |
found policeman. Then reaction
,ame on, and | felt utterly weak and |
,rostrate. aud no wonder, for | am firmly |
persuaded that | had only escaped death
~ nere chance, and besides, the |
desperate struggle | had just passed |
through had weakened me considerably |


aiterward went over the ground with |
but was unable to identity the |
,lace, although | did my best to do so. l |
Im sure, though" said he, lit is in either
Elm or Center street. Being stranger
n the city | had not noticed the locality |
Shen | went with the woman, aud | was
90 much aeitated TO do so at the time of |
ny escape. After it was all over /
nv nockets and foup,l that I i