THE SOCIAL EVIL.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 588, 28 November 1871, Page 2

THE SOCIAL EVIL.

A filßl BECOVEBS DAMAGES FBOM THE KEEPER or A BAGNIO FOE FALBB IMPRISONMENT. The case of Cora Lee v. Henry Reiter came up yesterday for trial in the Fifteenth Disjaaofc Court before Judge Dwindle. The a 3 was brought to recover the sum of 5,000 Jy,.. d'mages for faUe imprisonment. There- m.% of tlie Chronicle will remember the suit br«^-|"-j*|* by Henry Reitfr in 'the Police Court ap-TH^t Cora Lee, : in which be accuses her of wfljp» theft of four dresses from a bouse, No. 18p35 Sacramento afreet. Tbe facts "developedWl. that time were substantially as follows: Cclb Lee was formerly an inmate of a public house, in New York city.- The defendant, who is the proprietor of the Bay brewery of Seventhstreet, has a wife, who, with an eye to'''the' acquisition of filthy lucre, some years sinceopened a lucrative, but not very .chaate establishment, on Sacramento-street. *■ Statistics on the subject will show that the inmates of establishments such as Madame .Reiter keeps are not remarkable for longevity. It became necessary therefore for a further consignment of frail humanity, and the East was ran-

sacked. The search resulted in the finding of Cora Lee, a young inexperienced girl, in a bawdy house, in Massachusetts. Arrangement. were made and Cora, with a companion, started for this coast, with the understanding that they were to wait in a concert saloon in San Francisco. In the course of the trial it was developed that girls are brought over, their earnings taken, to a dollar, and no allowance made, other than for expences. The defendant, wishing to change this one-sided arrangement, left the house of,the procuress wliile°the family were at supper, taking with her a dress which was given her as a Christmai present, ihe Judge dismissed the charge sf theft, after bearing the prosecution only. In the trial yesterday, Madame Keiter ir« placed on tbe stand as a witness. She testified that she was keeping a lady's boarding-house at 835 Sacramento-street. She was getting 30dol. per week for board. She didn't know what her boarders did for a living; that wa» none of her business. The girl didn't have a second change to her back when she came. She had lent her a couple of dresses. Caspar Ellmer was sworn. He was a coolf. Counsel—Oh, you are a lady-boarding-house cook ?

Ellmer—Yes, sir. The cook saw Cora Lee run out of the house with a couple of dresses on her arm. Henry Reiter was sworn. He was a brewer. He believed his wife kept lady boarders. He never inquired into their character. He never interfered with hii wife's domestic arrangements. His wife was a very good business woman. He attended tp his own business, and she attended to hers. He had entered a complaint against Cora Lee for having stolen his wife's dresses. Counsel - How do you know she stole them ? Reiter—Because I know it. Counsel—But you said you attended to your own business'and your wife to hers. The witness looked somewhat uncomfortable. He, however, swore positively that his wife had not sold the dresses, or he would have known it. Cora Lee was then called upon the stand. _ Her appearauce while on the stand was in her favour. She is 25 years of age, look. youthful and fresh, notwithstanding her wayward life. She has a Grecian cast of countenance, and would be very attractive in & better sphere. Her story is like thousand, who have go'ue'before her. She was enticed away from her home in Boston, in July, 1869, and has been drifting hither and thither ever since. She canie to California in No^mjjer, i 1870. "'; *'" On being sworn she deposed to having lived a short time in a " ladies boarding%>use" in New York. She had heard ofthe concert saloon business here and had sent out her card de visite. It was sati8 factory, and be followed it. She was three months in Eriteri house. Every dollar had been given to thi " ibadame.' 1 Counsel for Plaintiff.-How much money did you give her ? Cora Lee.—From 100 dol. to 125 dol.every In cross-examining her the counsel for tbe defendant asked her if she was positive to having owned the dresses. She* answered—" Yes; they were given ms as a Christmas present." , [ . Counsel—Wby did you go to Mrs. Reiter i I room, then, and take them from that placer I Cora Lee-I did Jjot j I took them from my

own room. _ tt.ii. Counsel—What is your occupation? that is, how do-let me see—yoii are what they call » gay woman, are you not ? ,' j ~ Cora Lee-I suppose that's what they call

Tbe cause was then closed, and the counsel, W. W. Turner, opened his argument. #J attacked the position and character o. mm in very strong terms. Reiter was describea »i doing the outside business of a bawdy house. The counsel said, were |the Henry Eeiteii driven disgraced, from the f«ce of society there then would be no Cora Lees. -"« charged the defendant with perjury, an a « false to every principle of honor and tmtm --Reiter^ looked very uneasy^»^Tg about in his chair, wiping the cold sweat ttia, poured down his face. Unableat eneth to endure the tide of. invective against him, no leaned over and muttered something to Mi cornsel, Owens turned sharp y around and told him he had better go out of the^ou« room. He followed the suggestion^ and pass d out, into the Judge s-chambers, a F The Court took a recess at 1 o clock, when an incident occurred showing, tMi » Ibitrary character of the . d«ena"L. While W. E. Turner, associate conn Jel, was passing over into Mgf^JJ street, Henry Keiter rushed up to-bim, wj fists Inched, uttering violent jmpreca^ Turner passed his hand down into his poc*e for a law book, intending, of course, to r» tbe riot act. When Keiter s epped baoK, thinking Turner was going to pull ffi^ oD ioi. At this moment Mme. Reiter cam*i upon the scene, with parasol uplifted to aid W husband. Charles Beard, Deputy Shenff, also appeared, and Reiter JvajJ|£SS-S "J custody, followed by his »fu spouse. A charge of assault and battery W«gJ and Tbe case was taken tip at 2..-o-cip?^ » give to the jury at 4. These gentlemen then ?eti.ed,and Jafter a Halffour's .JjgJ'g returned with a verdict for the P^^S $1,500 damages. A stay of ten;;day. Wk granted. * U'■' -; ...: A' 1