The morning call., 1891-11-29
SHE WORKED
IN A DIVE ONCE.
A Pathetic Story Told in Judge
C0ffey's Court.
Martha Lohmsn's Efforts to Obtain Her Chill
dren-They Prefer Her and Poverty to
a Comfortable Home.
There is very tender spot in the heart of

There is a very tender spot in the heart of
his Honor J. V. Coffey, Judge of the Supe-
rior Court, and unfor innate Martha Lohman
and her three children found that spot yes
terday afternoon. Martha has encountered
many rapids in the course of her voyage
through life. She is pale, quivering little
woman. who has probably found solaee
more than once at the point of a hypodermic
gun. Her husband does not live with her,
aud in July the Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Children took her three little
girls and placed them in home for chill
dren. where they have been well fed and
are being educated.
The oldest of the little girls is 10 years
Of age. They were taken from miserable
fiat on Brannan street, where the ahmos-
rhere was heavy with foul odors and the
rooms reeked with filth. Their clothes
swarmed with vermin and their faces were
masked with dirt.
HAD WORKED IN A DIVE.
The wretched mother had worked in
dive to earn bread for her little ones and
when they were taken from her she sought
more honorable, il less lucrative, employ
ment as seanstress and music-teacher,
and yesterday she appealed to the court tor
the custody of her little ones. Secretary
Holbrook of the society and an attorney
were present to oppose her claims.
Mrs. Lehman was placed upon the stand,
and told a long and rambling Story that
strained the patience OF the Court. She said
thar while in the dive she was called Amy
Marsh"
Didn'tvou drink while you were there ?"
asked the Court.
Never took a drop of liquor. l always
drank sarsaparIlla and iron, and l was
meyer grossly inSulted."
"Were on ever inSulted at all?"
e., often; but not by the men. The
women said l was too heightened for the
place My three children were horn IN the
CITY and County Hospital. ana was COM
PEELED PEI, to ,, taxi my heart, Iewels over the
hits to the Poorhouse.
:" see you have been on the stage" re-
marked the Court.
\ TALK WITH THE CHILDREN.
After some further questioning, Judge
Cot1ey said he would talk TO the childr.n.
who were in his chamber. W hen his Honor
remOunted tho bench ii was seen that some
thing had happened to his heartstrings.
The muscles around his mouth were twitch-
ing, and his voice trembled as he said:
. / have seen the three children. The
Oldest Is PLAYING the part Of mother. They
are AL crying. They say they want to go
home with their mother. l don't know
what to do about this"
Agent HolbroOk said he was willing the
children should 20 home if their mother had
home, but she had none. "Wa are not
anxious to obtain children" ne remarked
IF you didn't obtain children YOU would
not have your present position" was the
Courts sage rejoinder.
Mrs. Lohman'S counsel told the court that
his client had been promised permanent
employment as seamstress by the matron
of the Palace Hotel and asked the court to
give her weeks probation. and if at the
end OF that tina she had 4 home for her
little ones they should be given her. This
the court consented t., and the little woman.
who had been nerv"usly twisting and I'M
twisting her Handkerchief, looked happy
and departed.