New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-07
BETTIV4 GTRARD ~ COURT.
PLAIN SPEAKING BY COUNSEL OVER THE
ATTEMPT TO RELEASE HER FROM
A SANITARIUN.

Elizabeth Ordway. better known as Mrs. BetAna
G!rard the actress. Was the central figure in Part
II Of the Supreme Court yesterday where she was
produced under q writ Ct hatcas corpus by the au-
thori.Ies % St Sayiours Saniiarum, ~ lnwood-on-
the-iIudson she Was committed 70 the institution
by Justice Slower, Of the Supreme Court, several
weeks
For nearly an hour yesterday Miss Girard kept
Justice Bookstaver waiting for hcr. The writ dt
rectcd that the petitioner be in court - !O:SC
o'clock bu. i was almost hour later when she
appeared. The courtroom was crowded by people
anxious 30 see her. out those who wanted TO do 50
were greatly disappointed IN the face ard general
bearing of the actrcse. sh. wore black cloth
skirt ana black polha-dot shirt~a'st. Covering
her once pretty Brown hair was by mourning
hat.
The whole court proceedings seemed Intensely
amusing to Miss OrGway. When unA!nd things al
which many women would have hung their
heads IN shame were said Miss GirarG smiled. and
once she laughed aloud She said it Gd not mat
ter TO anybody II she desired to drnt. Or at least
thai this fact was not sufficient - deprive her Of
her liberty.
John b. Pine appeared as counsel for the institu-
ton and Tried to show that Miss OId"Ay was not
1T person 10 be 1t large; that she was ehtIreiy
incapable of caring for herself and her property
lie did not m;nce words. lie opened by saying
that the Institution in which Miss Girdrd was de-
tanned retreat for ineoriates and persons
who had become addicted the use Of drugs. prin-
cipa,iy morphine and opium.
This woman" continued Mr. Pine, rs unht 10
be liberty ny reason Of the fact that she goes
periodical sprees. Her commitment 10 our IN
stitution was voluntary. She herself asked 10 be
admitted" lie then read from an affidavit 70 ting
erect that nc had visited Miss Ghard on Nay -
al Bolle.de Hospital VII re she was BENG ueatei
for alcoholism. and she told him that she wanted
10 so to the institution.
She did not even have carfare 10 take her
there. added Mr.. HlDC. ana she dSh'u me Il a
would give her enough money 10 carry Aer therc
Miss Grard. he went 20 add. had later ocen
regularly committed 10 the institution for perIod
year. and there was no reason why She
should receive her freedom at the present time,
Mr.. HumIucl Tor Miss Girard, argued mat the
papers which Miss Girard haG Deen COMMITTEES
were irregular in many respects. ana that tne pei
toner being restrained OF hcr liberty NlcsdHE
she is locked up according 10 me petition lOE
her commitment" said Mr.. Hummel. "hecaus" she
uses alcoholic stlmulants. IL it any reason that
person SHOULD be locked UP Tor year because OF
the of alcoholic liquors.
Mr.. Hummc said that before she could nave Deen
properly committed it should have been shown that
Miss Grald was a resident If this state; ms mao
not been done. and he asked for an adjournment
Until to-day, that he could traverse the VIII
This request was granted by Justice l5ookStaVer
but when Mr.. Hummcl wanted 10 nave MISS GIrhru
paroled until she could appear in court the Justlce
refused the request, but agreed TO allow MISS
Girard to go 70 Mr.. Hummcl's Office and remain
there with keeper long as she was needed IN
dra wing up necessary papers. After TINS she was
taken back to the sanitarum.