The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1899-12-02
SHEW WASTED HERLIFE
NOT TRAINED TO MEET LlFE'S
ri DANGER.
ignorant; She Suffered and Now Sues-Eor
Her Failure She Places All Blanc on
Her Foster Parents and Exonerates
Herself,


j.. has sued Mrs. Julia T. Shea for
damages estimated at $4,000. 1t is
an amazing cause of action because it
has no precedent that lawyers here
abouts recall. Marie Shea says that
Mrs. Julia Shea did not give her a
proper education against the tempta-
tions of the world; obtained from her
the services of a domestic without
paying for them, and owes her, as an
adopted daughter, part of the estate
of Bartholomew c. Shea.
Lacking education against the
temptations of the world, I yielded to
them and suffered, as was inevitable.
Giving my services as domestic with
out wages, was made feebler still
against the wounds of life. Bartholo-
NEW Shea died June IL, 1897, and left
no provision in his will for me, the
adopted daughter that he and his
wife's lack of forethought made way
ward. Therefore Bartholomew G.
Shea's widow is indebted to me in the
sum of 100000" These are Marie A.
T. Shea's precise arguments, though
not expressed exactly in her language.
Isaac Goldenhorn, ex-assemblyman, is
her attorney. He has retainer that
citizen of Newark, N. j., who SYM
pathizes with Marie Shea's version of
her life, has given. Mr.. Goldenhorn
does not think that the suit is specu-
lative He said to a reporter in his
little office at rs Montgomery street,
Jersey City: II am convinced that
my client was wronged and should re-
ceive the relief that she demands
Zola's theory Of heredity may be
Julia T. Shea's defense against Marie
Shea's attack, founded on Taines the
ory of environment. Before Zola wrote
the series of novels united under the
general title of Lies Rougon-Mac-
quart, Marie Shea could have brought
her suit against Mrs. Shea with rea-
sons that all sensible persons would
have recognized as valid. All scien-
atiflc persons would have said, with
:: Taine: ..The girls weakness against
the temptations of the world was due
to her education, to her surroundings"
That is what she claims Zola's sci
entiflc theory says: ''The girls weak
ness against the temptations of the
world was due to her ancestors. It is
hereditary" Mrs. Shea agrees with
lola. She is an Irishwoman, while
Marie is oriental in all the character
istics that the physiognomists know,
though she is ignorant of her parent
age. Bartholomew G. Shea and his
wife took her from the Sisters of
Charity in charge of the Founding
asylum, in New York, when she was 8
years old. Her name then was simply
Maria. She had no family name. Mr..
and Mrs. Shea signed contract with
the Sisters of Charity, promising to
educate her and to take care of her as
an adopted child. They did not COM
ply with the formality that the state
of New Jersey exacts in regard to the
adoption of child. Maria was taken
to the home of Mr.. and Mrs. Shea, in
Jersey City, and announced, informal
ly, as their daughter When the girl
was 12 years of age she was arrested
by policeman in Cortlandt street, in
New York. A magistrate committed
her to the Roman Cathonc protectory
She had to be reformed Mr.. and Mrs.
Shea released her from the reforma-
tory. She returned to their home for
four years and then left them. She
is small, thin and demure in appear
ance. She has black hair, black eyes,
and an olive complexion. She says:
II have been unhappy because I have
failed. Whose fault was it? Not
mine. 1t was the fault Of my foster
parents. They promised to educate
me, and they did not teach me how
to. overcome the obstacles that are in
the way of girl. In claiming dam
ages estimated at $4,000 I claim very
little indeed!"