The morning call., 1892-06-18
ALL TESTIMONY IN.
Two Hours of Talk Yet in the
Case of Hrs. Starke.
The Old Lady says She Suffered Mentally
What the Victims of the Inquisitiun
Fore Corporealy.

The further trial Of the case Of the Old
Peoples Home 70 Gust Mrs. Elmira Starke
from her "life inmateship" was 4 treat yes
terday 70 the WeIl-known lady directors of
the home and their assembled friends.
Not little amusement was caused by the
frequent repartee between Charles F. Han
Ion and Mrs. Clara S. Foltz the contending
counsel, but the lady had in the long run
the best OF it, for Mr.. Hanlon, after main
tanning his coed nature to a wonderful de-
gree. always would give up and permit her
to talk herself out Woman-llke, she had
Invariably her way, despite Hanlon's OBJ
iections, and the passive aequiescence of
that most timid and modest OF jurists-Mr
Low.
Mr. Haulon found himself in hot water at
very early stage of the trial. when he sug-
gested that if Mrs. Foliz would reserve her
argument the evidence would be taken
much quicker This was a bit mora than
the lady would put up with, and with no
little excitement she acclaimed:
Wasting time? 1 cannot afford to
waste time. I am the busiest woman in
the United States to-day. 1 say without
fear Of contradiction that there Is no
woman in the world to-day who las as
much responsibility on her shoulders as
have. 1 may not have at my back clients
Who are worth millions, but l do have
depending upon me Daupers and poor
women who have no homes and friends. l
am going TO exert all my ability 10 preserve
..hs rights Of my client"
MT. Hanlon murmured. "a woman must
have the last word, you see, your Honor,
and leaned back IN despair
Yes; but the men always take it," re-
sponded Mrs. FOl;z, and Nr. Hanlon was
hrDaleSsiV crushed
THE AIZPAH SOCIETY.
However, Justice Low Strengthened out
matters and Mrs. DuttOn, the secretary OF
the home, testified that the $500 paid by the
NiZpah Society had been refunded TO that
society. as Il had tired Of caring for Mrs.
StaTke because OF Der conduct. Mrs. Dut-
ton said that she had herself gone TO the
Mzpah Society and 1t had threatened to
sue the Old Peoples Home unless the
money was refunded.
The superintendent and chaplain, Rev.
". l. Citizens, next took the stand and told
Of infTacti0ns of the rules by Mrs. Starke,
among others that her sou visited her and
disturbed the inmates OF the house. Inc
boy was a niger minstrel, and he used TO
play the bones around there until be De-
came 4 nuisance" said the witness.
DO you not think Mrs. Starke an old per-
son 2" asked Mrs. tOltZ
ooh, no."
"How cid do you think she is?"
Somewhere between so and 20 years.
And that is not old?"
"Oh, no."
Then there IS some hope for the rest Of
US wOmen?"
''Ah, Mrs. Foltz," remarked Judge Low.
Wiping his glasses; 1--WE are only as old as
We feel, not as old as we may look"
By pToyidentisl dispeDsation the City Hall
did not tumble down after this, and Mrs.
fOltZ suggested:
II may 90 to the hons MYSELF"
You are not old enough" replied Mr..
Citizens.
How much older do you think I'd have
to be before l would be eligible"
Certainly not less than 40 years"
SHE WAS PLEASED.
This pleased the vanity Of the cToss-eX-
amner and she went OF on another tack
and asked the witness whether there was
ever a time when mother became so old
as not 10 wish 10 be visited by her son.
"Well, 1 never was a mother, and can't
say"
Asked whether Mrs. Starke had VIC
lated other rules, Mr. Citizens. immensely
pleased with his success as funny man,
replied that he once heard that one of the
old ladies' had three dogs in her room. He
went TO the room and found that she had
worked three dogs into worsted mat.
Mrs. DuttOn was recalled, and she testl-
fed that she had reproved Mrs. Starke for
breaking the rules, and she replied she in
tended 10 continue doing as she had always
done untif she felt that she herself was
4 wrong She refused to appear before the
board Of trustees and was dsrespeetful to
the matrOn and TO the superintendent. her
table manners were offensive to the other
inmates. Mrs. Starke would, for instance,
help herself out Of the carVers plate.
The witnesses had now been excluded
from the courtroom aud the matroD, Mrs.
Carpenter, said that Mrs. StaTke would
sometimes deliberately empty her teacup on
the tablecl0th. Once she emptied the milk
pitcher into the dish of potatoes. She had
ruined the carpet IN the elevator by spiillng
milk upon it. She had TO be gwen a table
by herself. She does exactly as she pleases,
and allowed her son once to put his Clothes
in the wash at the home.
At the afternoon session several inmates
CT the home were called as witnesses to tes-
tify regarding infractions OF the rules and
table manners by Mrs. Starke. One of
these, an old gentleman, formerly in the
wool business, said she was an Anarchist
and msbehaVed at the table oy baDit-
ually whispering and snickerlng. MIS-.
FoltZ wanted TO know what he meant by
anarchist and snickeriDg. and was referred
to Webster.
Then it was brought out that she also
took her muSbjOut of a cup, and tie witness
was caught In the admission that he had
been trapped in breach of table etiQuette
by sOpping uD the gravy In the dish with
his bread; but he pleaded in exclamation
that the plate being empty and he having
had no meat he certainly was entitled TO the
gravy, aud be did not suppose any Mrs.
Starke was watching him.
BAD MANNERS.
Other witnesses affirmed that Mrs. Stafke
burned lights Ia her room after hours; that
her manners at table would not be tolerated
At a thrd-c class clearinghouse; that she
was an lnciter Of mutinY; created general
dissafisfaetion: absented herself from the
home al night without permission, and was
a law unto heIsel in defying nearly all Inc
rules and regulations.
The examination of these witnesses
afforded at times much merriIhent Mrs
Follz objected 10 one Of them testifying
while the matron was in the courtroom, say
ing he was under her bypnotical influence
The witness himself denied that he was sus-
ceptibe TO such influence. In cr9ss-exam-
Aing another old man. Mrs toIiz ep-
preached him very closely, and Mr. Hanlon
objected on the ground that she would
hypnotic him. :,
:" No fear; his age will protect him"
responded Mrs. FoliZ
Finally Mrs. Starke took the stand and
denied all the charges against her, or