A Bigamist Pleads Guilty

New York, 1895

It was a busy day in the court of sessions Tuesday. At 5 o'clock the grand Jury filed into the court and the foreman handed Judge Garretson a batch of indictments. William G. Bennett, the bigamist of Ozone Park, pleaded guilty and asked the mercy of the court.

Bennett is about 36 years old. He said that when he was quite young he married Mary Ballington in Albany. They did not live happily and after a year's separation he met his wife, and she promised to live with him again. He furnished a house and was ready to receive her, when she sent him a note telling him that she had obtained a divorce. He remained single for six years, when he married Evelina Howard of Ozone Park. Like the first marriage his second union was unhappy. His wife quarreled with him frequently. Judge Garretson told the prisoner that he would take his story into consideration.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 8, 1895, p. 8.

Contempt Worse Than Crime

1895

An Australian Judge and How He Maintained the Dignity of His Court.

The stories of early Australian judges are numerous and incredible. The following incident, which is vouched for as a fact, is of a judge who had a very lofty idea of his own legal capacity and was, at the same time, anxious to sustain the dignity of his court. A "shooting case" came before him. There was no direct evidence as to the perpetrator of the murder, but the individual arrested was well known and indeed confessed the deed.

When brought into court, the judge cautioned the prisoner that he must remember his rights as a free citizen, and that, above all things, he must not interrupt the proceedings of the court. After this friendly warning the judge proceeded to state that he (the prisoner) was accused of having on such a date shot the deceased.

Upon this the prisoner broke in, "Well, and so I did."

The judge was annoyed at the interruption.

"Hold your tongue, sir!" he exclaimed. "Haven't I told you not to commit yourself nor interrupt me? I shall commit you for contempt of court if you do so again!" he added sternly.

He then repeated the accusation, upon which the prisoner broke in:

"I have told ye afore that I killed" —

The judge's indignation was intense at this second interruption, and he demanded, "Mr. Sheriff, what is your evidence?"

I have nothing but circumstantial evidence, your honor, and the prisoner's own confession."

"Then," said the judge, "I discharge the prisoner on this accusation, but commit him for contempt of court." — Pittsburg Dispatch.

Its Equivalent

1895

The prisoner had been before the court so many times for vagrancy that the judge concluded to give him a dose he wouldn't forget.

"So," he said sternly as he looked down on the chronic, "you are here again?"

"Yes, yeronner," replied the prisoner humbly.

"Same old charge, I suppose?"

"Yes, yeronner."

"All right. I'll just fine you $100 and send you down."

The prisoner threw up his hands like a drowning man. "Geerusalem, yeronner!" he exclaimed. "Why don't you give me a life sentence and be done with it?" — Detroit Free Press.

Justice Hendrickson's Court

New York, 1895

Adam Pham, a tramp, was arraigned before Justice Hendrickson on Monday and sent to the county jail for 30 days.

Valentine Miller visited the hotel of John Kurz at Richmond Hill. He was intoxicated and the barkeeper put him out of the place. Then Miller broke one of the plate glass windows in the front door. He was arrested. Justice Hendrickson sent him to the county jail for 30 days.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Feb. 8, 1895, p. 12.

Kissed Her Lover in Court

New York, 1895

The scene was affecting in the court room Thursday afternoon when the jury returned a verdict of not guilty in the case of John Alt, a farmer of Bayside, who had been on trial for his life for three days for the killing of Warren Frost, a colored farmhand, near Obermeyer's hotel, Creedmoor, on July 29 last. Alt seemed dazed for a moment. In an instant his eyes filled with tears and he was embraced by Miss Della Wench, his sweetheart, who attended court faithfully and sat by her lover's side during his long suspense. Justice Bartlett immediately discharged Alt from custody. Henry A. Monfort, who defended Alt, occupied nearly two hours in addressing the jury. The defense admitted the killing and contended that the shooting was justifiable.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Jan. 25, 1895, p. 12.

He Got Half the Fine

1895

A man who had been on a hunting trip in the forests of northern Maine vouches for the entire truth of the following story, as he had it direct from the sheriff:

A man who lives in the Mount Katahdin region went into the office of a justice of the peace and inquired about the penalty for hunting deer with dogs, and very particularly as to whether one-half the fine did not go to the informer.

The justice consulted the game laws and assured him that it did.

"Very well," said the man. "I want to complain of myself and settle."

The justice could not back out, and so gave the transgressor "a clean bill of health" upon payment of one-half of the penalty.

It seems that the man got wind of the fact that a game warden had got the "drop" on him on his deer poachings with his dogs and was only waiting an opportunity to arrest him; hence his shrewd bit of diplomacy. — Portland (Me.) Argus.

Insisted Upon Going To Jail

New York, 1895

Pyles Accused Himself in Order to Spend Two Months in Prison.

John Pyles, a boy vagrant, was arraigned before Justice MacKenna at Whitestone on Friday by Police Captain Carll. The judge was about to impose the usual ten days' sentence when the lad objected.

"I'd like ter hev jes two months; no more en no less," he said.

Pyles then called the judge's attention to the fact that the last time he was in the village he had stolen $5 in money, a watch and chain, and other articles from Mrs. Charles McCall for whom he was working at that time.

He asked the court to send for Mrs. McCall and see if she would not make a charge against him. An officer was despatched to Mrs. McCall's house. She said it was true that Pyles had stolen the articles he named about a year ago, but she refused to make a charge against him.

When the judge heard this he said: "Well, Pyles, I charge you with the theft. Are you guilty or not guilty?"

"Guilty, yer Honor, guilty," shouted the lad.

"Sixty days in the county jail," said the judge. The lad left the court room with a smile of evident joy.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, N.Y., Jan. 11, 1895, p. 12.

The Surrogate's Court

New York, 1895

Wills Proved and Accountings Progressed — To-day's Calendar.

Surrogate Weller has rendered a decision refusing to admit to probate the will of Frederick W. Nolte, who died at Corona last spring leaving an estate valued at $15,000 to his widow. He had been married three times and was living with his third wife at the time of his death. He had children by his first and second wives, but none by the third.

The testimony in the case showed that two hours before his death his wife sent for a lawyer and witnesses and that a will was executed by which she was to receive everything. The children were cut off without a cent, although many witnesses testified that earlier on the day of his death Nolte had said he would not make a will, as his children were equally dear to him, and he wished them to share alike.

Surrogate Weller on Friday admitted to probate the wills of Theresa Rosner, Maria Rushmore, Willet Raynor, and Mathew Burke, A decree was entered in the administration case of Anna C. West.

To-day's calendar — Will cases of Jane Canning, Christina Haffner, George Bohlig and Ebenezer Kellum; accounting estates of Catharine Repper and James Sinclair; administration case Tunis Bergen; matter estate of John Mead.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, N.Y., Jan. 18, 1895, unknown page number.

Let Girls Drive, Says Judge

1920

DUBUQUE, Iowa. — Popular advice at popular prices — that is Justice of the Peace Buckley's slogan. "Teach the girls to drive and you can put both arms around them," he told two youthful speeders who said it happened because they had their arms around the girls. Then he charged $1 — and.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 3.

Lloyd and Fellow Reds Get Prison

1920

ALL TWENTY ARE CONVICTED OF REVOLT PLOT.

Penitentiary and Fines Meted Out to Millionaire Agitator and Comrades.

William Bross Lloyd and his nineteen fellow advocates of a "dictatorship of the proletariat" were found guilty of sedition in Chicago by a jury in Judge Oscar Hebel's court.

All were sentenced to imprisonment. Some received jail sentences. Others — including Lloyd — were sentenced to the penitentiary, some for one year and others for an indeterminate sentence of from one to five years.

In addition to prison terms, Lloyd and two others were fined $2,000 and two were fined $1,000 each.

The reading of the verdict found the defendants not unprepared. They had expected conviction, and when the first verdict was read finding Lloyd guilty, all made brave attempts to smile. Some succeeded. As each in his turn heard his fate, a look of nervousness appeared, hut soon thoughts of "martyrdom" apparently drove away the glooms. During the polling of the jury they seemed unconcerned.

The defendants and the penalties inflicted follow:

Prison Sentences and $2,000 Fine.

William Bross Lloyd, Winnetka millionaire, sergeant-at-arms in Communist Labor party convention, organizer, backer and leading spirit in the "movement."

Ludwig Lore, New York, editor of Class Struggle; helped draft constitution.

Arthur Proctor, Chicago, owner of Clarion book store, meeting place of radicals; member of county committee.

Prison Sentence and $1,000 Fine.

Max Deddacht, San Francisco, Cal.; member of the National executive and platform committee.

Jack Carney, Duluth, Minn.; member of National executive committee, editor and publisher of Truth.

Indeterminate Prison Sentences.

L. E. Katterfield, Dighton, Kan.; brains of organization, national organizer, practically prepared party's platform.

Edgar Owens, Moline, Ill.; State secretary; helped draft constitution.

L. K. England, Moline, Ill.; member of State committee.

Niels Kjar, Chicago; member of National executive committee and Cook County propaganda committee.

One Year in Penitentiary.

Samuel F. Hankin.

Morris A. Stollar, Chicago; member of county executive committee.

James A. Meissinger, Chicago; member county executive committee.

Charles Krumbein, Chicago; member of county executive committee.

Samuel Ash, Chicago, lawyer; one of organizers.

One Year in the County Jail.

Perry Shipman, Rock Island, Ill.; member of State committee.

Dr. Oscar J. Brown, De Kalb, Ill.; organizer, delegate to National convention and member of platform committee.

Edwin Firth, Indianapolis, Ind.; national delegate and organizer.

Dr. Karl F. Sandberg, Chicago; organizer and delegate to national convention.

Niels J. Christensen, delegate to national convention and member international relations committee.

John Vogel.

Plea of Prosecutor.

In his closing address Frank Comeford, special prosecutor, told the jurors that their verdict would answer the question in the first line of "The Star Spangled Banner."

"The people are waiting for your verdict," he said. "At another time the People waited to see if the flag of the United States had come down. They will wait tonight to see if you, the jury, hauls down the Stars and Stripes.

"If you find these defendants innocent in view of the uncontradicted testimony, then tear down the picture of Washington from this courtroom and put up the picture of Lenin; go to Springfield and tumble over the monument to Lincoln and in its place put Trotsky in marble; haul down the American flag from this courthouse and hoist the red flag; blot out from the memories of our children the National anthems and teach them to sing the 'Red International;' scrap our Constitution; clean Arlington of its headstone and build a new National cemetery; remove the dust of the anarchists from Waldheim and the dust of Czolgoscz from Buffalo; gather the dust of Benedict Arnold and build a new National cemetery."

The trial of Lloyd and his associates began May 10. Fifty-two court days were occupied in the selection of a jury.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 2.

Judge Fines "Dead Man" $15

1920

Soldier, Reported Killed in France, Hits Man With Auto.

ST. PAUL, Minnesota. — In the casualty list of August, 1918, appeared the item: "Killed in action, L. D. Caye." The same L. D. Caye, a contractor, appeared in police court, charged with running down with his automobile a street car switchman. His death in France was a clerical error.

Caye produced a citation of the War Department: "Died on the field of honor, L. D. Caye, August 9. 1918." Caye read from the citation and then offered it to the judge.

"Fifteen dollars" was the only emotion it awakened in the judge. Caye's emotions were deleted by the censor.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 1.

Note: It appears this incident happened in mid-July. I saw another reprinting (July 18) of an earlier article from the St. Paul Dispatch, essentially the same as above. And it gives the location of the accident, at Fifth and Wabasha streets.

Our Day On Earth

1916

Augusta registered its first Chinese voter this. year, Chin Bong, who runs a laundry there. He was born in Seattle 28 years ago and is married, his wife being at present in China. Previous to coming to Augusta he lived for sometime in Boston and was a voter there.

A. Leon Esty, who was in the automobile with James W. Rafter in the smash-up at the Gardiner railroad crossing of Nov. 2, 1913, has brought suit in the United States District Court of Vermont in the sum of $10,000 against the Maine Central Railroad. It will be remembered that Mr. Rafter won in his suit for damages and was awarded $15,464.99. It was claimed at the time that the gates were not properly operated at the approach of the train.

A grand record for faithful performance of duties was rounded out last Wednesday by Edward G. Wyman of Bangor, when he retired from active service at the First National Bank of that city, after 52 years of continuous service, of which 38 was as cashier. He was given an assistant and granted a long vacation, on salary. Few men anywhere has a longer or more honorable career to his credit.

—The Fryeburg Post, Fryeburg, Maine, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 1.

Ask Woman Lawyer Act As Prosecutor

1916

BARNES MURDER CASE STIRS SUFFRAGISTS.

Truth and Justice Are Sought When Woman Is Tried for Killing Husband.

When State's Attorney Hoyne returns to Chicago he will find a petition from representative women in Chicago requesting that he appoint a special woman prosecutor to try Mrs. Iva Williams Barnes for the killing of her husband.

This proposition, which Mr. Hoyne and his secretary, Edward Fleming, are said to have considered even before the women took up the question of the petition, might break the chain of "not guilty" verdicts that since 1907 has freed nearly twenty Chicago women accused of murder.

The late State's Attorney Wayman said it was impossible to convict a woman of murder in Cook County. Mr. Hoyne has secured but one conviction of a woman, and that was contested. There is a feeling that a subtle sympathy extends to a woman who is being prosecuted by a man. There is also a belief that with a woman prosecutor there would be more nearly an even attempt at justice.

So keenly is the situation felt, the delegates to the National Suffrage convention at Atlantic City, N. J., discussed the question in their recent session. Mrs. Catherine Waugh McCulloch, president of the Woman's Bar Association of Chicago, said there would be no difficulty in appointing a woman to prosecute Mrs. Barnes. Mrs. McCulloch is regarded highly in the legal profession.

She Would Seek Truth.

"It would be a woman prosecutor's duty to investigate the case thoroly and make every effort to establish the truth. I am anxious to know more of the facts in the case. If I got real interested, I might volunteer my services, tho I don't do criminal work," Mrs. McCulloch is quoted as saying.

"As president of the Woman's Bar Association, I should like to see a woman prosecutor, as well as a woman in the office of the city attorney and the corporation counsel. I have no doubt that if a woman is appointed in this case she will do the work conscientiously and efficiently.

"I should like also to see the jury made up half of women and the other half men. Every fundamental law says we shall be tried by a jury of our peers. A woman who is being tried by a jury of men is not being tried by her peers. If the woman on trial is cute and handsome and of the adventuress type the jurymen are apt to be unusually lenient." While there is a possibility that a woman may be chosen to prosecute Mrs. Barnes, it should be stated that several women lawyers have volunteered to defend the confessed slayer When she is brought to trial.

"Human Gadfly" Blamed.

A human gadfly, gossiping and meddling, is blamed as the agent that inoculated Barnes with the poison of jealousy that ended with his death.

The gadfly is a woman. Her name is being withheld. She was a neighbor of the Barnes' household at 356 East Fifty-eighth street. She is bring sought as a witness by the police and agents of the coroner.

Mrs. Barnes occupies a cell in the county jail. Her moods change from bursts of the most violent anger toward these whom she blames for her predicament and of love for the memory of the man she admits she slew. The removal of her husband's body to Warners, N. Y., for burial she resented deeply. She pleaded for the right to bury the body, where she may rest beside it.

In the meantime Ellis A. Barnes, brother of the victim, employed Attorney Joseph Burres and the Turner Detective Agency to assist the prosecution of Mrs. Barnes for the murder of her husband. Detectives were sent to Mishawaka, Ind., Mrs. Barnes' former home. Inquiry will be made into her former marriage, upon which subject she has been silent until now.

A fortune, estimated from $20,000 to $40,000, left by James R. Barnes, will provide the defense fund for his slayer. Under the law the widow, Mrs. Iva Williams Barnes is entitled to at least one-third of the estate.

Wife Confesses Her Act.

A confession was wrung from Mrs. Barnes in the Hyde Park police station, where she was held before being taken to the county jail. She had been subjected to a severe cross-examination from 9 o'clock Tuesday to 2:30 o'clock the next morning, and she had but four hours' sleep.

"Yes, I shot him," she finally admitted.

Her narrative, given as she wept hysterically, sets forth the claim that her husband, who was suing her for divorce and whom she loved deeply, had scoffed at a reconciliation, had berated, cursed and then attempted to choke her.

In desperation and in fear of physical injury, she said, she drew a revolver concealed in a pocket of her coat and opened fire. They were walking in a public park. After the first shot, she told the police, she remembers only that she intended to carry the revolver away, but instead threw it near the prostrate form of her dead husband.

Attorney Guenther, for Mrs. Barnes, made a statement in which he pictured her as a hard-working, long-suffering and much-abused wife. She went to meet her husband on the night of his death, Mr. Guenther said, in the full expectation that it meant a reconciliation. She was happy, he said, because she loved her husband.

"He was twice her age," continued the attorney. "She followed his commands as a child minds a parent, never questioning but what he was always right. Barnes leaves a fortune of about $40,000. Every dollar he owned his wife helped earn for him. When they were married he didn't have a shoe-string.

"Barnes had an income of $7,500 before his death. He received $383 a month. Yet he made his wife live in a $37 flat, do all her own housework, her washing, mending, ironing, scrubbing, darning.

"He wanted to get rid of her. After her trouble with a bartender, Barnes refused to listen to the true story of her innocence and filed suit for divorce."

Tells of Parrot Episode.

Mrs. Barnes told of the "parrot" episode that had wrecked her life. After the man Shellheimer (the bartender) had caught the parrot for her, a few weeks ago, she said, she started home, for she expected her husband any moment. Shellheimer asked permission to go up into her apartment to wash his hands. Her reply, she said, was "You certainly may not," and not "you may." But he went anyhow.

It was only a short time before her husband came up the front stairs and passed on into the kitchen. The bartender was there in his shirt sleeves. He ran to the front door and escaped. Mrs. Barnes said the bartender attempted to attack her. Her husband disbelieved her story, and ceased to live with her. He told a friend that the bartender came from his wife's bedroom in his shirt sleeves.

"My husband blackened my eyes with his blows and pushed me down the stairs after the man," she said. "I grabbed his hat, and he kept calling me to give him his hat, not to break it, and in my agony even then I thought, 'See, he cares more for his hat than for me!' as he didn't seem to notice how badly I was bruised and broken. I have the scar on my shoulder yet where he struck me. The wound was three inches long.

"Then, when he started choking me, my head was thrown on one side and one of my hands was free. I reached down and pulled off my slipper and struck him with the heel on the head and made a large open wound.

"Jim was a coward, altho I loved him, and I am not going to tell of other abuses I had. I am trying to forget them now."

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 4.

Uses Flag for Coat Lining

1916

"Prettiest Thing I Could Find," Tailor Told Court.

BOSTON, Massachusetts — Pankus Brown, a tailor and a United States citizen for several years, admires the flag so much, he told the South Boston district court, that when he wanted to make a fur coat especially attractive he caused his assistant to use a silk flag for lining.

"I meant no insult to the flag," Brown pleaded, when charged with misuse of the national emblem. "I wanted to make the coat look nice and I used the prettiest thing I could find. That flag cost me a lot of money."

The court ordered him fined $50.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 11.

"Marry Me or Walk!" She Stayed in Auto

1919

Woman Won by Cave Man Tactics Now Has Divorce.

"Barney and I went for a ride in the summer of 1917," said Mrs. Helen N. Lasky in a Chicago divorce court, "and he told me he would not bring me back unless we were married. So we went to Crown Point and were married."

"Did he later desert you," queried Judge Cooper.

"Yes," replied the witness. "He came back once and asked me to sign a paper, but I would not because I didn't know what I was signing.

"And," she continued, "one day I met him on the street and asked him to come back and live with me, but he kept on walking."

"Did he force you to marry him?" inquired the court.

"Yes," she replied.

"What is his income?"

"From $7 to $8 per day."

"Decree and $10 per week alimony, laconically added the judge.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 8.

The Court Needed Posting

1901

A trial was progressing at the City Hall police court when the judge espied in a group of young girls mingling in the large audience a delinquent witness whom it was urgent he interview.

"Mr. Marshall," his honor exclaimed, "have that young lady step here."

"Which young lady, your honor?"

"I don't know her name — the one with the light straw hat and dark skirt," the court added. The clew was insufficient.

"What kind of waist?" inquired the marshal.

"Ruffle on the sleeves and trimmed with — er — the usual sort of what d'you call em," said the court.

"I understand. You mean leg of mutton sleeves, with — er — what's his name attachments," replied the marshal in faint hope of striking the technical term.

"No, not exactly," said the judge.

"Would you recognize an empire gown if you saw one. Mr. Marshal?"

"Upon oath, no; I wouldn't swear to it."

"Well, I know it wasn't an empire gown or a Mother Hubbard. I don't think you understand much about female apparel."

But here the young lady generously stepped forward, while a little boy laughed, and the marshal threatened to send him to the penitentiary for life. — St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

His Impressive Looks

1901

Trumbull's cradle was in Connecticut. He came of the old Jonathan Trumbull breed. As a young man he went south to teach school, but he liked it not and dipped into law books. As soon as he was equal to his examination he was called to the Georgia bar, but he never paused to practice there. He migrated to Illinois, then the utter west and settled at Belleville, St. Clair county, in that part of the state known as Egypt.

There he at once took a leading place at the bar. He was always courtly, always carefully polite, what one might call a bit cold, yet he had great sway with the juries. He was a clear, cogent reasoner and had a trick of admonishing with his forefinger. Sometimes it would seem as if that potent forefinger wove a spell. I doubt not it has brought many a jury in its time to Trumbull's side of the question.

Such were the impressive looks of Trumbull that I recall what Governor Reynolds once said of him as he closed his argument in a law case. Trumbull was on the other side.

"And now, gentlemen," said Reynolds as he prepared to close: "I've answered his arguments. I've overturned his statement of facts. I've undone the fallacious law he has announced to you; but, gentlemen, the man never lived who can reply to his looks!" — Chicago Tribune.

Boy's Finger Valued at $11,000

1919

SUNBURY, Pa. — Placing the value of his son's little finger on the left hand at $11,000, Idres Davies of Shamokin, brought suit against J. J. Martini for the amount. According to Davies, the boy was operating a meat slicer in Martini's place that was unprotected. The boy showed great talent as a violinist and now he will he unable to perform.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 5.

Hey, Diogenes!

1919

The Honest Man Is Found Among Alabama Moonshiners

ANNISTON, Ala. — The rugged honesty of the mountain folk who make "moonshine" and are caught at it by revenue men was shown when twelve of thirteen Federal prisoners began serving terms in the jail here. The thirteenth man sent word that he would be in as soon as he had finished killing some hogs and his cell has been made ready for him.

The men had all been convicted at the last term of Federal Court, and had been sentenced to thirty and sixty day terms in jail by Judge Walter I. Grubb. All of them are farmers and Judge Grubb allowed them to go to their homes and gather their crops before beginning their terms, each man giving his word that he would be on hand at the promised time.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 5.

Mother's Sad Tale Wins Back Her Baby

Dec. 1919

Shade of King Solomon is Modern Judge's Guide

Woman Who Claimed Little "Love-o'-Mike" as Her Kidnaped Son Fails to Convince Court.

NEW YORK, N. Y. — The shade of King Solomon sat on the Children's Court bench while Judge Levy tried to decide who was the mother of little "Love-o'-Mike," claimed by two women — by Mrs. August Wentz as her kidnaped son and by Mrs. Lena Lisa as the baby she had planned to abandon to the mercies of Mrs. Elizabeth Seaman (Nellie Bly) for his own happiness and because she could not support her little family of three, herself, the baby and 3-year-old William on the $12 a week, which was all she could earn.

The infant was found in the Grand Central Terminal with a note pinned to its clothing, saying: "For the love of Mike, take care of this kid — I can't."

Mrs. Lisa, brokenly, and through her tears, told how she had schemed to have the infant left where Mrs. Seaman might notice and adopt it.

Weeps as She Finishes Story.

She narrated her trembling anticipation of news of it after the deed had been done, of her heartache when she read that it had arrived at Bellevue Hospital by way of a police station, and of her panic when Mrs. Wentz claimed it as her own.

Not a sound in the courtroom interrupted her story. Big policemen, unromantic agents of the detective bureau, officials of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, scores of others — and Mrs. Wentz — listened in a silence that was dramatic.

When she had concluded, her small frame shaken with sobs, the judge, with obvious emotion, ordered the baby returned to her.

Hugs Baby to Her Breast.

The little woman cried aloud with joy and hugged her baby to her breast. She had deliberated days and nights before deciding to let him go, she told the judge. A friend of her dead husband had taken him, promising to leave him "in Nellie Bly's arms."

Her husband's death last May had left her with a burden she often despaired of bearing, she said. She thought "Nellie Bly" would adopt him, or find a good home for him where he would have enough to eat, warm clothes, and be sent to school and allowed to grow up like other children.

She said she was frantic when she found her plans had gone wrong and could no longer repress her mother's instinct.

Mrs. Wentz finally admitted she was convinced it was not her baby, and added: "My two days of happiness in the thought that I had at last found my own little Arthur are like a fairy tale to me."