A Drunk Man, Two Women, and a $170 Lawsuit Against a Tacoma Saloon

F. E. Ellison, through his attorney Harry H. Johnston, has commenced an action in the superior court against Dave Blake, as proprietor of the Globe saloon and hotel, on the alley between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, demanding the return of $170, which he alleges was stolen from his person while he was a guest of the hotel on August 9. The complaint states that Ellison went into the saloon about 7:30 in the evening and partook of the liquid refreshments which the place affords.

Later, it is asserted, two women inmates of the place, “French Nellie” and “Carmen” by name, who were employed by the defendant as bartenders, took the complainant in hand and relieved him of his purse, containing $170 or thereabouts. The complaint further alleges that the theft was committed while the complainant was under the influence of liquor, and that the bartender, one Harry Marks, was a witness to the affair.

The action is brought on the theory that a proprietor of a saloon or hotel is responsible for any loss sustained by a guest owing to the misconduct of his employees.

In connection with the suit against Blake, a story has come to light which clearly reveals the methods employed by the underworld denizens. It appears that “French Nellie” and “Carmen,” who are charged with relieving Ellison of his money, attempted to lay the offense to a companion in the Globe hotel, one Miss Ella Armstrong, whereupon the latter swore to an affidavit which gives all the details of the alleged robbery.

In her affidavit, sworn to before J. W. Degnan, justice of the peace, the Armstrong woman deposes and says:

“That on the 9th day of August she was an inmate of the Globe hotel, and that one F. E. Ellison came to her on the said day and exhibited an amount of money, which consisted of eight $20 gold pieces and about $60 in change.

“That later on the said day she saw the said Ellison in the Globe saloon in company with ‘French Nellie’ and another woman by the name of ‘Carmen.’ Ellison was very drunk at the time and the two women pushed him into a box and were roughly handling him. When he ran out the two women were trying to make him pay 75 cents for a drink. Deponent saw the French woman attempt to put her hands in the said Ellison’s pockets, and heard her say to the bartender that the said Ellison had plenty of money, whereupon the bartender told the woman to let Ellison alone, saying, ‘Take him down to your crib if you want to do anything like that.’

“Then deponent went to her room, and later the Carmen woman and ‘French Nellie’ came to their crib and the deponent saw them place money under the carpet in their room. The money was no sooner concealed under the carpet than a man arrived and the three took the money from its hiding place and went into another room.

“On the following day the deponent went to Portland, and on her return here she learned that ‘French Nellie’ and ‘Carmen’ had been accusing her of stealing the money from Ellison. They hurriedly left the Globe hotel before she could see them, and deponent later learned that the two women went to Portland.”