Danger! A True History of a Great City's Wiles and Temptations

volved-Manager Hemmings charged by

e of George Hemmings, became acquainted with a member of the fairer sex who had scarcely passed "sweet sixteen," and was accredited with a bount

cause the pair separated, and for a number of years saw nothing of each other. Meantime, many changes had occurred in the circumstances of both. Eliza had been trans

had migrated from the "City of Brotherly Love" to "Gotham," and

om he recognized his former inamorata, Miss Garrett. A grand recapitulation of the pleasantries of by-gone days ensued, and the damsel informed her "once dear George" that she was now Mrs. Be

on and take up his abode at the residence of Mrs. Bethune as general superintendent of

e relationship between Hemmings and the lady seems to have been of the most intimate character. She gave him a pair of diamond ear-rings to pledge for four hundred dollars, which money was a portion of an amount which was to be called into requisition for the necessary engagements and other expenses incurred at the opening of a theatre in Pitt

iamond ear-rings, and she was seized with confusion and dismay. To disclose the truth would be to incur Bethune's jealousy, natural indignation and too probable violence, and so the convenient idea seems to have occurred to her that by accusing Hemmings of the theft of the jewelry, she would achieve a two-fold success; namely, the one of concealing h

of the court every seat was filled by eager and expectant spectators, and when the prisoner was called to the

Hon. Robert C. Hutchings, afterwards

tablish a clear case of larceny against the defendant, who then stood indicted for having, on the 19th of October, 1868, at the city of New

nformed of the larceny she had sought out Hemmings and ascertained that he had fled to Pittsburgh. On inquiry, she had also traced the missing jewelry to a pawn-office kept by Mr. Barnard, at No. 404 Third avenue, where the articles were pledged by

rigid cross-examination by Mr. Howe,

you married

o Judge Russel): Am I compe

e already ruled that these ki

t this witness is not the wife of Mr. Bethune; and I contend

sel: I ru

e ruling of the court, and will

our husband? (Se

question inadmissible,

est George Hemmings for grand larceny; I went there with Mr. and Mrs. Bethune; I took Hemmings into custody at the Pittsburgh Theatre; he made a violent resistance, and scuffled with me; I was necessitated to handcuff him

said: I know the prisoner at the bar; he pledged me with two diamond ear-rings on

quently pawned articles of jewelry with me;

his book in order that the jury might see the dates, the production of whi

ion by Mr. Howe, that Hemmings had pledged with him a watch belonging to Mrs. Bethune on

ngs were her property, and that s

nd she was asked by Mr. Howe how long she

e: About tw

you first become a

mployed in the United States Mint, and

bsequently come on t

esitatingl

on terms of peculia

t (sensation in the co

ion that he was taken to live in the s

ook him in out of charity, as he was poor

tay at the Washington Ho

nd informed Mrs. Bethune that s

m when he was employed at A. T

did; but I got h

aughter). Now, Mrs. Bethune, through who

Mr. Griswold, a gentle

e time you had Hemmings in your

e: I did. (

t been to the Whitney

ss need not answer that question,

tly been to the Chanler House

on ove

visits from Hemmings in East

I bound to answ

le that question, and

mbard street, Philadelphia, kept by a Miss G

(indignantl

duce Hemmings to any person

uctantly): Yes, I

u given Hemmings your jewelry to

ave him permission to p

he has never pledged any of your j

has, but not with my

whilst he was liv

thune:

ou not have him arr

he cried, and I forg

! will you swear that you did not give Hemmings your watch to pledge on t

ngs; I did not pay her in the Chanler House, in Hemmings' presence; I paid her on the street, the reason Hemmings went to Saratoga with me, was to take care of Mr. Bethune's horses (immoderate laughter); I will swear that

name when you became a

une: Eliz

, and Mr. Howe, for the defense, called

this city; I have seen the prisoner before. In Octo

were you doin

attending a lady th

ld you know t

nedy: I

dam, will you oblige me by sta

amidst breathless silence Mr. Howe, addressin

is. (Flutter in

many times did

y: Eight o

Hemmings in th

: He was. (

s. Bethune had been at the Whitney House and the Washington Hotel with Hemmings, but Judge Russel de

se and addressed

nd vile-when the guard which we naturally and intuitively throw around it is dispelled, and, instead of the beauteous statue of monumental alabaster, we see a black, f?tid, loathsome thing before us, from which we shrink with indignation and horror, knowing it is that which drags our young men down to degradation, disgrace and death-I say, in entering upon this prisoner's defense, such is the distinction between pure and hallowed and virtuous women (against whom none dare point) and her who forgets herself-forgets the holy ties due to her sex, and her own self-respect: and who assumes the place of wife to a man without that sanction which God has instituted and commanded, and who, entrapping others, comes

protector, without the man Bethune (who is with her now as her husband, and who professed to be so then), proceeded alone to Pittsburgh, and is subsequently followed by Mr. Bethune. That is the first era, the first of October. We next find Mrs. Bethune detailing to you that these ear-rings were taken (how she does not know), but only what she was told by a little girl whom we have not seen. So her story runs. It is pretty for the present; but I hope to destroy the poetry of it very shortly. That this man stole, not on the first of October, but on the 19th of October, and subsequently corrected to-day, by the lady of treacherous memory, to the date of the 20th. At all events, it is perfectly clear, now, according to her last amended allegation, that on

the crashing foot is coming upon it, and drew the horns within the shell which covered it; and, yesterday, corrected the date. She changed the date and put it back from November to October. I congratulate her upon the change! For all the trickery and malice which were embodied in it, only enured to the prisoner's benefit. It was here sworn, to-day, that on the 17th of November last, her watch and chain (her watch and chain, gentlemen) not Mr. Lynch's, but Eliza Bethune's, was pledged in New York at Mr. Barnard's, the identical pawnbroker with whom the earrings were pledged. By whom? By Mrs. Bethune? Oh no! gentlemen! but by Hemmings, the man here. If he accomplished this ubiquitous feat, like the ghost in Hamlet, to be in two places at one time, he is one of the most wonderful performers of the modern day. (Laughter.) He could not be in Barnard's pawn-shop in New York pledging Mrs. Bethune's watch on the 17th of November, a month after the larceny, and be, as she would have you believe, with Kate Fisher performing in Pittsburgh. Why, look at that contradiction! I invoke that book (pointing to the pawnbroker's record), as in other temples I appeal to the Holy one, for my protection. In your hand

to induce her to take this kind and charitable interest in him? I, gentlemen, am not so charitable as she professed to be; neither do I think you will be, gentlemen. I apprehend that the motive which actuated the taking in, the clothing and the obtaining a situation at Stewart's, was another motive altogether (immoderate laughter). What it was, I will leave you to conjecture. Look a little further. Hemmings is no relation to her, and yet we find her taking him to Saratoga! In what capacity? Why, she tells you, to attend Bethune's horses at Saratoga (laughter). Yes, gentlemen, and this hostler, this stable boy, in the same breath, is introduced by this lady as what-a lover! oh, no, she dare not do that-but

ounded and vigorous, and, some women might say, good-looking young man, had migrated from the city of New York to spend some ti

pared for him, wound that spotted piece of cambric around his knee to stop the blood flowing from the wound he had received in a drunken brawl. Upon Othello seeing that, he states, that not being jealous, he "was perplexed in the extreme," and the sequel was the murder about which we have so often heard. I say, gentlemen, if ever there was the play of Othello reduced to private life and reacted, it is here. These ear-rings are the handkerchief, a

n the defense), that he panned them with him, telling him at the time that they belonged to Mrs. Bethune. Would a thief who stole your property or mine go to a place where he was known, that is if he stole them with the intention of keeping them? There was no larceny here, no dishonest motive about the transaction. Would he go to the pawnbroker to whom he was known and say, "Here is some property; it is not mine, it is Mrs. Bethune's?" On the contrary, you know, gentlemen-you must know-that there are a thousand other pawnbroker's establishments in New York City; and if this had been a felonious taking of these ear-rings, Hemmings could have gone to Simpson's

ngs; and, necessarily, she had no resort but to turn round and say: "It is not very pleasant to tell my husband (or the man who stands in that capacity) that I have given those ear-rings to a lover! I cannot, without offending you, tell you the true cause of this affair, but I must, in order to save myself, say, O, this George stole them, and he is in Pittsburgh with Kate Fisher." This is two months after the occurrence! And then, on the first of December, a requisition is gotten out, and the more marvelous part of it is, that she goes on alone in the first instance while Mr. Bethune followed subsequently. Now see what occurred in Pittsburgh. She told you she did not know whether he was arrested or not. She "believed" there was a form gone through of getting out some papers. She "be

is man's innocence, especially the fact which cannot be denied, that this lady, she is not like C?sar's wife

ation known to society, demands, in imperious tones, that instead of denying the wife of your bosom, you stand forward as her champion and say, "Thank God, she is my wife and I am proud of it!" That is what you or I would have answered. But the gauzy curtain that was covered over this foul tableau, has been lifted up, and you see it in all it hideous deformity. As I have before stated, you have seen, gentlemen, the flimsy evidence upon which is attempted to predicate a conviction for grand larceny. I am confident that in spite of all

hem that if they were satisfied that the prisoner Hemmings had taken these ear-rings from Mrs. Bethune, and had pledged them without her consent, then they should convict; but if they had any we

er of an hour's absence returned into co

d, and he quitted the court amidst

isher, which was heard at Essex Market Police Court. The N

in more than half the number of the persons present, the remainder being compelled to stand around against the walls and in the nooks of the doors, etc. Among those present were W. B. Freligh, manager of the Bowery Theatre; John Jones, the treasurer; Clark, the stage manager; D

vidently intended to make a show. Kate Fisher was quietly dressed in black, and was very modest in her demeanor; attracting no attention, exce

of Centreville, Long Island, against Kate Fisher, for the larcen

, and her daughter told her that Miss Fisher had taken it. Acting on this information, she sent for Kate Fisher on the afternoon of that day. Mrs. Bethune then asked her where her watch was. Kate Fisher was very much intoxicated at the time, but understood all that was said to her. She answere

ce to be exhausted. His case was a revival of one which had already been settled at the General Sessions, and bore on its very face the evidence of a malicious prosecution to injure the character and spotless reputation of a lady whose profession brought her constantly before the publi

each witness should go on in regular order as each witness appeared

is Eliza

ou ma

w

Beth

his fi

not your

n the magistrate said the question

thune. His first name I

uestioning, she

and's name wa

ame of your p

not your

here i

represen

his fi

firing the answer was elicit

o George Bethune, the o

d to by

is a proper question,

He has been my husban

ever marr

. Objection

ady. I have answered

fused, almost in a defiant manner, he rose from the bench, and declared the case di