The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-05-15
SEEKS BROTHERS. RELEASE
Little Blind Girl Pleads With
Judge Who Sentenced
Him.

Fourteen-year-old Annie McGarry, blind
and brooding over the absence of her stall
wart brother John, who is in Sing sing
prison, New York, under a heavy SEN
tence for perjury, led by her sister Hattie,
two years her senior, went to Brooklyn
yesterday to plead with the Judge VINO
sentenced her brother, for his release.
The two sisters, like the Two Orphans"
which Kate Claxton and Mrs. Mckee
Rankin immorta1ized, crossed one of the
ferries to New York and struggling
through the crowded streets, crossed the
big bridge in the hot broiling sun and
reached the sombre Federal Building IN
Brooklyn.
Though her eyes shone brightly people
instinctively felt that Annie was real
blind girl led by a more fortunate sister
They were guided through the crowded
thoroughfares to the building they were
in search Of They were dressed alike,
but their attire was not even as good as
that of the two blind peasant girls whose
imaginary advent in Paris led to a story
that was dramatized.
Led by her sister Hattie, Annie climbed
the stairs of the Federal Building and
reached the rooms of the United States
Circuit Court from which her big brother
was sentenced to Sing Sing a year ago.
There was no court there yesterday, and
bitterly disappointed the two girls were
directed to the offices of United States
Commissioner Morie Hattie related their
errand blind Annie pleading meanwhile
as though she thought the Commissioner
had some power. Their plea greatly af-
fected the powerless Commissioner. His
eyes were suspiciousiy dim as he answered
after listening to the plea of BOTH
my children, Judge Thomas will not
sit in Brooklyn until June Az
"rll try and wait until them" said the
beautiful blind girl. But if the Judge
don't let John come home. I'm going all
the way to Washington to see President
Mckinley Hattie will lead me- won't
you Hattie? l want John to come home
and take me to the country like he used
to do. l can't see the flowers but like
to smell them, and by pressing them
against my face 1 can tell whether
they're buds or whether they're open, or
whether they're fading. Cant l, Hattie?
If President Mckinley would let John out
of prison to care for me, don't think
other people would care much. can tell
the Judge things that other people don't
know, and I believe he'll let John come
home
John McGarry, the brother of the blind
girl, was sentenced a year ago to Sing
Sing, having been convicted of a charge
or perjury and sentenced to five years in
prison and OF pay a fine of $1,000. The
case was one in which a suit against the
Central Railroad Company by Benjamin
Keegan, who had been run over and lost
a leg was involved
The two children live with a widowed
father at the address above given. The
family live ON the second floor. The fur
niture of the rooms is meagre.
My boy John was a good boy and a.. g
father this morning, but he was eas .ly
led and thus he got into this. trouble
which brings more trouble on those who
were dependent upon him for support.
He used to help me to cut up old cast of
railway ties, which we sawed and split
into kindling wood and sold at fifteen
cents barrel. He was a great big lad.
six feet two inches, and his only fault
was that he was a laborer."