The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-20
THEY SHARED A PATRIARCH.
LUDLOW ST. CRIES VENGEANCE
on BLACKWELES ISLAND.

Michael GreenbcrE Committed ~ Reg
gar and Bereft OF isis GLORY Freed
by Recorder CONS Order. but How
Can tie Venture Forth Snashamed?
There is grief In the house Of Greenberg
and indignation In Ludlow street for the
outrage done 10 seventy-year-old Michael
reenberg, whose beard was cut on on
Blaokwells Island.
THE beard Of arAaged man Is his glory,
said Harris Greenberg, the old mans SON.
at their home. 40 Ludlow street, yesterday,
'and because my father is old and could
not speak their language they have cut on
his beard on that accursed island,
"Beholdi' said the old man, like widow
do / cit desolate and am ashamed 10 stir
out Of the house until my beard grows.
On March 3, according to the old mans
story, he went into a store TO buy some
thing and was arrested by policemen OF the
mendicancy squad, arraigned before Magis-
trate Crane in the Essex Market court and
sentenced to six months on the island. On
the record Of Essex Market prison he Is
entered as 'vagrant, no home
"A wagon came up went on the old
man, 'and they took me away across the,
waters. My heart was already heavy
but when they stripped me and left me
sitting naked among tramPs in a cold
room my heart wept within me. II was
Friday afternoon, nearing the Sabbath and
] could not even pray,
Then doctor came and examined us
and ordered that our hair be cut Of.
The man with the clipper cropped the
hair Of my head close, but said nothing.
Even my side ourls he cut OF, and still
did not murmur. Finally he came TO my
beard He wanted to clip that. too.
MY hands shot up 20 my face and |
cried 'Gewalt, gewaltv Help helpll AZ
this the keeper grew furious. He knew /
was not beggar. because when l arrived
had gwen him SIZE TO keep in his safe;
a man 70 pinion my arms back OF the chair
and TO hold my head back while my beard
was being cut Of.
''Cut my throat. begged them, but
not my beard. They Needed me not and
clipped all the hair on my face very close
In my head dinne1 the command OF the
Scriptures, Thou shalt not mar the corns =
Of thy beard And before my eyes all
grew black
A day or two later Harris Greenberg
found his father on the Island and Michae
was called 10 the reception room. The
son looked in CONSERVATION
That is not my father, said he.
That's Michael GreenUeTg,' retoTted
the turnkey. The old man had hidden
his face in his hands.
'Alasl' he walled, alas, Harris, j am
what is left Of thy father. They have
made me like a heather or proselyte.
Harris obtained an order from Recorder
Con releasing Michael, and the Recorder
the GreenberRs believe, Is now writing
learned and lengthy opinion. touching
Michael Gutenberg and the devastation
Of his beard.
Green berg was released last Friday
When he returned home IL was a question
In his mind whether legally be ought not
10 sit the seven days mourning customary
after a death In the family. He thought
OF referring the question to a rabbi, only
he was ashamed 10 walk the streets with
nothing but stubble where a beard ought
to be.
Last Friday morning he said he found
himself obliged TO go to store In order to
buy something. He bound his face up in a
shawl and stole out. But Officer CasT ar
Platt espied him, and Michael Greenberg
was gain a prisoner.
sTben il seemed that the waters we're
closing over my soul. he concluded.
But Magistrate Flammer, who was then
sitting IN ESSEX Market at once released
him
BLIND woMAN's HUSBAND ARRESTED,
Belle Speir Is 20 years old and totally
blind, and yet she manages 10 do the house
work In her house at 30 Norfolk street while
her husband Louis, an aged man. goes about
selling matches and Sabbath candles.
Last Friday Louis went out on his regular
Friday Sabbath-candle route, His custo-
mers are at the provision stands and at
hucksters' carts. as well as In stores and
tenements.
That night his wife waited and waited, but
no Louis. 1t was time 10 light the Sabbath
candles and still no Louis. Then she was
going 10 have a black Sabbath
Later in the evening, after supper, Bellies
married daughter, Rosa Bleiweiss came
over 10 call on her parents, Shefound her
mother sitting In the darkness waiting for
Louis.
Louis didn't show up that night nor the
next morning, which was Saturday: Then
Bellies son-in-law went about 70 inquire.
but all day he sought in vain. IL was not
until Yesterday morning that he learned that
Louis Speir had been arrested and sentenced
bv Magistrate Flammer to six months on
Backwell's Island on a charge Of yagrancy,
'Hs is not a beggar, walled blind Belle
Yesterday, she Ia a pious man and earned
about 81 a week by hard labor.