The San Francisco call., 1904-07-21
CRIPPLED MOTHER CREATES
A POLICE COURT INCIDENT
Shocked by the Unkemp Appearance of Son Who Awaited
Trial on Charge of Cutting Her With Knife She
Orders HimtoS Step Ouof Prisoners Cageand Shave

George Van Tassel, arrested on July
ls for cutting his aged and crippled
mother with a knife, did not present a
winsome appearance yesterday morn
ing as he sat among the Gagged miser-
ables in Police Judge Conlan's court
Imprisonment had reduced his avoir-
dupois and made misfits Of his gar
ments. his complexion was bad and
his chin bore a thick growth of tawny
stubble. OF all the unhappy-loolking
defendants there was not a less lovely
picture than George Van Tassel.
When The mother of the man hobbled
on crutches into the courtroom her dim
old eyes at once scanned the cage and
its inmates until a panied expression
flashing over her features indicated
that she recognized her offspring.
Whatever intention to prosecute she
may have entertained was quickly
melted in maternal sympathy, for there
was a sob in her voice when she spoke.
why, George" she exclaimed, ad-
vancing TO the barred inclosure and
extending a hand that trembled, how
terrible you lookl"
George bowed his head, fumbled his
hat and said nothing. Then the
wOman's tone Of pity gave way to that
Of authority-the tone which he prob
ably respected ere drink began to dull
his senses and flial love.
George Van Tassel. you get right
out Of there and go and get your face
shaved" she commanded.
George couldn't obey. Of course, and
the bsilif, who kindly undertook to ex-
plain that fact TO the old lady had
difficult time Of it.
It is needless to add that she refused
TO prosecute George, whose plea was
that the cutting Of her hand was acci
dental The case was dismissed and
George was escorted straight TO bar
Der shop. he had been arrested on
complaint Of his sister, who stated that
he was drunk and disorderly in the
family home, 1852 Montgomery street,
when he brandished the knife.
When the case Of Adolph Goldman,
charged with having shot r. W. Snow,
a former Mayor Of Oakland. was called
In Judge Mogan's court the defendants
attorney, Frank Murphy. asked for
and was granted a continuance till to-
day.
Somnambulism was the defensive
plea set UP in behalf Of William Eft
linger, on trial before Judge Fritz for
burglary. A. c. Leider. a mail carrier
residing at 3S3 Eddy street, went TO bed
in his room one night recently and
while trying 10 WOO Morpheus was sud
denly restored to fun wakefulness by a
sound suggestive Of a locomotive ex-
haust valve in operation and by sharp
listening he traced the source Of the
Unwonted noise TO the space between
his couch and the floor. Being a eau
tiOus man, he quietly summoned as
-sistance before pursuing his investiga-
ti0n further and several fellow dodgers
who responded to the summons found
William Ettlinger lying upon his side
underneath the bed and either sleeping
or Stimulating deep slumber. When they
searched him they found only a bunch
II keys, which subsequently were
proven honest keys and his own prop
erty. but upon the strength Of the find
they pressed home the charge Of bur
giary.
The defendants attorney pleaded
somnambulism and defied the prosecu-
ton to prove anything else. His client,
DE said. was afflicted with the sleep
walking habit and was greatly sur
prised when he was awakened in Mr..
Leider's apartment 10 find himself a
prisoner accused Of burglary. 1t was
the snoring Of the defendant, argued
the attorney, that first attracted TO him
the attention OF Mr.. Leider and was it
likely that a person contemplating bur
glary would purposely snCre? No, in
deed. and the snore should be suffi-
cient to dispel suspicion Of felonious
intent. The prosecution, however,
maintained that the alleged slumberous
snore was in reality the deep breathing
Of a wide-awake person so nervous
that his lung action was uncomfortable.
Judge Fritz has given himself until
next Saturday to think over the case.
Ebert c. Laws is endeavorfng to re-
cover through Judge Conlan's court a
gold and diamond badge which was
presented TO him by Aerie No. 81, Fra
ternaI Order Of Eagles, Of which he is
a past president. The trinket was
pawned by Carl Schwartz for $50 and
Mr.. Laws complains that he lent it to
Schwartz. who professed desire to get
one manufactured exactly like It, and
gave that person no authority TO dis
compel the pawnbroker to restore If
70 him, as Schwartz has left town
The pawnbroker's attorney, on the 9TH
er hand, states that when Schwartz
pawned the badge he did so at Laws
request, who was ashamed to borrow
money on the security OF a token pre-
sented 70 him by his brother Eagles
1t is not the intrinsic value Of the en-
blem, Laws says, that makes him
grieve over it's loss. but he treasures
II intellectually on account Of the senti-
ment It represents. The case viii be
heard to-day
Judge Mogan held Thomas P. Geel
and John Nelson. the youthful burglars
who were nabbed by Mrs. William
Blythe while they were ransacking al
apartment in her lodging house at 81