COW-HIDING- BY A LADY IN CHURCH.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 171, 22 April 1864, Page 5 (Supplement)

COW-HIDING- BY A LADY IN CHURCH.

A startling occurrence took place in the Parkstreet Methodist Episcopal Church in Cincinnatti, on Sunday, December 12th, a lady member of the Church, Miss Penelope, cow-hid-ing and peppering to a male member of the same congregation, a Mr. M. E. Barnitz, as a punishment for the conduct he has pursued towards her for two years back. It appears that on more than one occasion lie made insulting aud improper proposals to her, and had followed her to and from Sunday School for that purpose. Finally, she refused to meet in class with him, and explained the reason to the class leader’s mother. The class-leader took the matter up, a trial took place before a committee of three members of the Church, and the result was that, instead of anything being done to Barnitz, Miss'Jacob was suspendcd.from class privileges for three weeks. Afterwards, at a meeting of Sunday school teachers, on the information of Mr. Barnitz that she had attempted to ruin his character by circulating falsehoods, Miss Jacob was expelled from the society as a teacher. Having been subjected to various other annoyances at the hands of Barnitz she brought an action against him, laying the damages at SIO,OOO. But the satisfaction and justice which Miss Jacob expected to receive in the court of law being slow, she at length decided to take the law in her own hands, and in as public a manner as Mr. Barnitz had traduced her name, she proposed to summarily deal with him. The Cincinnatti Enquirer thus details how r she proceeded : —“Accordingly, on Thursday Miss Jacob went to a saddlery establishment in Main-street, and purchased a cow hide. On her way home she purchased a quarter of a pound of Cayenne pepper. Without imparting to any one her purpose, she got up on Sunday morning as usual, took her breakfast, and then dressed for Church. She arrived at the chapel before the services were commenced, and took a seat immediately opposite to Mr. and Mrs. Barnitz. Mr. Barnitz, who is the leader of the singing in the Church, observed Miss Jacob take a seat opposite him, and eye him closely. His eyes dropped, and he immediately appeared agitated. He did not sing, the task being assigned to Mr. Hidden. When the second hymn was being sung, all the congregation were on their feet except Miss Jacob and Mr. Barnitz. The two remained seated. The first oncjto kneel was Barnitz, covering his face with his hands. As soon as the minister had commenced his prayer, Miss Jacob deliberately pulled the gloves from her hands, and then untying the whip which was under her cloak, drew it out, and walking over to where Mr. Barnitz was kneeling dealt five or six heavy blows across his head, face, and hands, each stroke sounding distinctly in every part of the house. The minister ceased prayer, the congregation rose to their feet, and Barnitz, still on his knees, rose up, and seizing the cow-hide, wrenched it from her hand, and attempted to strike her, but was prevented by a Mr. Canning, who grappled his arms. Miss Jacob then seized him by the hair of his head with her left hand, and with her right washed his face all over with Cayenne pepper, exclaiming “ Mack Barnitz, your are a black hearted cowardly villain, and this is for your lying.” At this instant some person put his hand over her mouth, when she took another handful of pepper, and throwing it at him, the crowd, which were wont to press on her, soon beat a hasty ;retreat. A Mr. Eennick caught her round the waist and pulled her towards the door. Miss Jacob, seeing Mr. Eennick, recognised in him one of her persecutors, and turning upon him, also washed his face with pepper. Before quiet was restored and the service could go on, more than half the congregation had left tho church. We may hero state that it is the purpose of Miss Jacob to prosecute the suit at law for damages.— Cincinnatti Paper.