Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Story
September 15, 1837
Morning Herald
New York, New York County, New York
What is this article about?
In a New York trial, a young English woman is convicted of stealing six bonnets from clerk Claudius Dorr's store after he invites her to a back room for drinks amid her distress over lost money. Justice Bloodgood handles a similar encounter properly. Jury recommends mercy.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Now what does Mr. Claudius Dorr do in this matter. Why he feels so much overcome at the sight of so much beauty in so much distress that he actually asked her politely to step into the back room and take a seat until his nerves should recover from the shock.
This was very feeling on the part of Mr. Dorr, but very unwise; and we hope that no young clerk will hereafter follow his example.
Q.—She went into the office or back room?
A.—Yes.
Q.—She sat down ?
A.—Yes.
Q.—You sat with her?
A.—I did.
Q.—Did you sit on a sofa ?
A.—We did.
A most trying situation this for any young clerk or handsome young woman—they sat down on the sofa—his arm round her waist—her soft hand locked in his—they look into each other's eyes—they drink in delight until they suddenly feel thirsty ; and then they drink a little wine or brandy.
Q.—What did you do after you sat on the sofa ?
A.—I treated her to a little something to drink.
Amiable and feeling young man ; but mistaken so far that this, instead of tranquilizing their nervous system. only excited and disarranged it.
Q.—What did you do next?
A.—We—we—I—we—we—
And we will draw a veil over what followed.
Q.—Well, after that?
A.—After that we walked through an alley to Beaver street, and we parted.
"Parting is such sweet sorrow.
They could have said good night till it were morrow."
How different from this young clerk's conduct was the behaviour of Justice Bloodgood; and how desirable it would be were none but police magistrates to fall in with pretty young English girls, who have just landed—who have brothers living in Greenwich street, and who have lost thirty sovereigns, or even one sovereign.
Mr. Bloodgood also stated that he saw this pretty young girl the same evening; and she even spoke to him, and asked him to direct her to Chambers street— this too was at the dark corner of Prince and Crosby streets. But he didn't take her into no store and into no back room—he didn't sit with her on a sofa, nor give her any thing to drink; nor put his arms round her waist as the young clerk did. But in his "peculiar" way he said soothingly, "my dear young woman, you're a long ways from Chambers street; but if you goes down Prince to Broadway, and down Broadway to the Park—ven you gets to the Park you gets to Chambers street."
She however overshot the mark and got down to 54 Exchange street, where she said Mr. Dorr gave her the six bonnets for certain considerations, which will be better understood than expressed.
Mr. D. denied this—" for," said he. "if I had laid myself under any obligations to this young lady, I could easily have given her a lace veil, or a cambric handkerchief, or any little trifle that she might have taken a fancy to—but the idea of giving her six Leghorn bonnets worth $150, it is too preposterous—too ridiculous."
So thought the Jury, and so think we of the whole affair. We can't see how she could steal the bonnets whilst Dorr was standing by; but the Jury saw the case clearly, it should seem; for they found her guilty of grand larceny, and recommended her to mercy.
So now let all young and pretty girls be careful how they enter stores down town, and let all young clerks be careful how they take pretty girls into back rooms, sit with them on sofas, treat them to wine, &c., &c., &c.
This was very feeling on the part of Mr. Dorr, but very unwise; and we hope that no young clerk will hereafter follow his example.
Q.—She went into the office or back room?
A.—Yes.
Q.—She sat down ?
A.—Yes.
Q.—You sat with her?
A.—I did.
Q.—Did you sit on a sofa ?
A.—We did.
A most trying situation this for any young clerk or handsome young woman—they sat down on the sofa—his arm round her waist—her soft hand locked in his—they look into each other's eyes—they drink in delight until they suddenly feel thirsty ; and then they drink a little wine or brandy.
Q.—What did you do after you sat on the sofa ?
A.—I treated her to a little something to drink.
Amiable and feeling young man ; but mistaken so far that this, instead of tranquilizing their nervous system. only excited and disarranged it.
Q.—What did you do next?
A.—We—we—I—we—we—
And we will draw a veil over what followed.
Q.—Well, after that?
A.—After that we walked through an alley to Beaver street, and we parted.
"Parting is such sweet sorrow.
They could have said good night till it were morrow."
How different from this young clerk's conduct was the behaviour of Justice Bloodgood; and how desirable it would be were none but police magistrates to fall in with pretty young English girls, who have just landed—who have brothers living in Greenwich street, and who have lost thirty sovereigns, or even one sovereign.
Mr. Bloodgood also stated that he saw this pretty young girl the same evening; and she even spoke to him, and asked him to direct her to Chambers street— this too was at the dark corner of Prince and Crosby streets. But he didn't take her into no store and into no back room—he didn't sit with her on a sofa, nor give her any thing to drink; nor put his arms round her waist as the young clerk did. But in his "peculiar" way he said soothingly, "my dear young woman, you're a long ways from Chambers street; but if you goes down Prince to Broadway, and down Broadway to the Park—ven you gets to the Park you gets to Chambers street."
She however overshot the mark and got down to 54 Exchange street, where she said Mr. Dorr gave her the six bonnets for certain considerations, which will be better understood than expressed.
Mr. D. denied this—" for," said he. "if I had laid myself under any obligations to this young lady, I could easily have given her a lace veil, or a cambric handkerchief, or any little trifle that she might have taken a fancy to—but the idea of giving her six Leghorn bonnets worth $150, it is too preposterous—too ridiculous."
So thought the Jury, and so think we of the whole affair. We can't see how she could steal the bonnets whilst Dorr was standing by; but the Jury saw the case clearly, it should seem; for they found her guilty of grand larceny, and recommended her to mercy.
So now let all young and pretty girls be careful how they enter stores down town, and let all young clerks be careful how they take pretty girls into back rooms, sit with them on sofas, treat them to wine, &c., &c., &c.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime Story
Deception Fraud
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Crime Punishment
Deception
Social Manners
What keywords are associated?
Grand Larceny
Bonnets Theft
Young Clerk
Pretty Girl
Court Trial
Seduction Attempt
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Claudius Dorr
Pretty Young English Girl
Justice Bloodgood
Where did it happen?
New York (Beaver Street, Prince And Crosby Streets, Chambers Street, 54 Exchange Street, Greenwich Street)
Story Details
Key Persons
Mr. Claudius Dorr
Pretty Young English Girl
Justice Bloodgood
Location
New York (Beaver Street, Prince And Crosby Streets, Chambers Street, 54 Exchange Street, Greenwich Street)
Story Details
A pretty young English woman, who lost thirty sovereigns, enters a store where clerk Mr. Claudius Dorr invites her to a back room, they sit on a sofa, drink, and later she is accused of stealing six Leghorn bonnets. In contrast, Justice Bloodgood directs her properly without impropriety. The jury finds her guilty of grand larceny and recommends mercy. Dorr denies giving her the bonnets.