The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-08
yo HOME CLOSED TO GERRY
,cryTs CAV ENTER dNYWHERE
HIS as UEALTH INSPECTORS.

uouan whesc House Was invaded with
W., , warrant Protests, hut Court Can't
o" uer- BOY whose Money Vanished
~ soricty's Rooms Helpless, Too.
a., A,mn IandGraf. n registered midwife.
10 lives Mt Seronl avenue and flileth street,
'.,ns.d 10 permit Gerry Agent Aghew 10 enter
,".house without Il warrant on lbursdaS. 80
he' "I,.J , summons for her to appear in the
x.,rville Police Court and explain to MaEis-
loN n,rs,cI why she had the temcrity to bar
Nv residence to him. Mrs Landgrat ap-
HI,I in court yesterday ana explained
,,rroueh Lawyer AdIer that she n pri-
Hrostience was legally IA free from the in
va. az or n Gerry agent as It was from any
ur.. ,nwelcome visitor. unless such agent
nod a warrant from some court.
9 or, thIs agent has tho right to walk into Mrs.
,.Id,r,r. private residence al any time he
In.. The notion and without any process OF
"s.r, . continued the lawyer. Their no house
y, 'bis civ is safe against the FRYING eyes OF
-. ~ This society. lie has Just as much
~, n .nter a residence on Fifth avenue as
on First avenue.
m. Gerry agent said he had the legal right
40 me. that thing. Il am an inspector OF
~. poarl Of Health he continued. "and rs
.n,h have all the powers conferred on the
BOARD Of Health
"I doubt II the public intended to have the
Garry society made a part OF tho Health De-
ror,m.nt" commented Lawyer Adler.
well. | am a Health Department inspector
I'D havs the right to enter a house without q
warrant" Agnew said.
I'm which capacity do you enter a private
~,,sid.nce, as a Gerry agent or a Board OF
u.alth insrector?' asked the lawyer.
Both was the answer.
rb. Magistrate looked up several law books
and found that the Board OF Health had power
N spter houses without n warrant to examine
tho rlum5ing aud other sanitary arrange
ments.
"But thi. agent doesn't go to Mrs. Land
gratis place TO examine the sanitary arrange
m,nts. He wouldn't know good from bad sani-
,ary ARRANGEMENTS. any way said Lawyer
Adler.
He wants to examine the premises TO see II
there Is a l~ying.in institution concealed In
some Of the corners
That's, what | want to find out" the Gerry
agent rejoined. IF she keeps n ~lying-in place
vithou. a license. She's a midwife and likely
to run such an cstahlishm ent."
Your Honor. let Inc tell you what this
agent has done under the name OF a Board OF
Health inspector" said the lawyer. ITS out
r,geous that the law should permit such things.
He went to her house. told her that he was an
inspector from the Board OF Health and had
authority to examine the sanitary range
ments Of the place. She admitted him. and he
went from room to room. but did not look at
the.plumbing. He did look at Mrs. L%andgraf's
daughter. who was in bed. however. Not only
did he look al her. but he very badly fright
ened her by the volley Of question he fred at
her. He wanted to know who she was. and then
pretended lie did not believe her IL
q Board Of Health inspector may invade the
privacy Of our homes and brighten young wo-
men who are abed. then it is time tho law
eurbed such despotic mower. II 1t was sim
ply the act Of a Gerry agent. the Board Of
Health should not lend its authority to such un-
warranted proceedings"
The Magistrate said that 80 long as the
Gerry agent had authority to act as an inspec-
tor OF the Health Department he could enter
q residence without a warrant to examine the
sanitary arrangements. Mrs. Landgraf. re-
piled that she had no objection to the Gerry
agent entering her place to make such an ex-
amin,tion. but she did not want him pryinR
into family affairs and invading her daugh-
ter's bedroom.
III you permit MIN 10 enter. tnere Is MOTH
Ing further for me to do" said Magistrate
0lmsted. as he threw the Summons in the
waste basket.
Henry Brown OF 47S Third avenue called at
the court later and asked II there was some
money there which had bean taken from his
brother. Edward. l3 years old. in the rooms OF
the Gerry Society last Monday. About So.
he said. had been taken from his brother, while
he was receiving a bath in the soclety's rooms
after his arrest for stealing some junk from a
brewery on First avenue.
He was DISCHARGED In Special Sessions on
Wednesday and went 20 the rooms Of the Ger
~ So:iety afterward and demanded his money.
He was told to go to the Court OF Special Ses-
ATOMS. but they told him there that they did not
have tho money and advised him to try the
lorkville Police Court
The Gerry Society must have It." one Of the
clerks told the brother.
They say they have not got it." rejolned
young Brown.
We'll, we cant holp YOU said the clerk.
The money was taken in tho rooms OF the
society. you say. 1t was not given to u.s."
brown went home without the money.