New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-07


April 81. few failed to notice the army of
boarding house runners" guides, confidence
men and others whose business it is to prey
upon the ignorant foreigner who reaches this
country for the first time. The ignorant and
unsuspecting visitor, filled with visions Of wealth
and happiness in this land. is generally an
easy mark to the scheming parasite who at
taches himself to his victim until he secures the
last few dollars that the poor immigrant has
saved by months and years of toll as the basis
of his New World fortune.
Hard as the city fathers may try, the new
arrivals cannot be entirely protected from the
wiles of the experienced crook" and it is only
by recourse to the courts that redress may be
had for the wrongs that are done daily. But
this course is too costly for the very poor. and
it is only through one of NETWORKS best phi
lanthroples-the Legal Aid Society-that the
courts are made to guide and protect the poor
as we'll
Although a philanthropy in that it is de-
pendent on voluntary contributions. the Legal
Aid Society does not pauperize. It demands
regular retaining fees" of 10 cents and con-
ducts the cases OF it's clients as though the sums
and problems involved had the Importance of
those Of a private law Office. And the clients
appreciate their positions. and, instead of hest
tating to accept charity, are often free to call
to take full advantage of the privileges of their
new country.
Many are the interesting cases-some pathetic.
some humorous some involving important prin-
ciples-that are told of by the society's officers.
"A trihng but significant case came up some
years ago. said Arthur Won Rriesen, the presi-
dent of the society. "A newly arrived German
immigrant began to earn living for himself,
his wife and his children by plying his trade of
glazier in the streets of New-York. He was an
honest and unsuspecting fellow, and when
small storekeeper called him in to replace sew
eral paneS of glass that had been smashed he
went about the job promptly and without hag-
Cling. When the job was done the customer
refused to pay. There written agree
ment; there were not even witnesses; the po-
icaman to whom he appealed laughed at him.
The glazier had been duped. and it was with a
feeling Of bitterness that he resumed his labors
Finally he heard of the Legal Aid Society, and
he brought his case to us. One or two formal
letters from US induced the customer to pay
his man. The incident trifing, apparently
unimportant 1t might have passed unnotcei,
like many others Of It's kind. Yet that incident
changed that client from a suspecting foreigner
with anarchistic tendencies TO a grateful and
lawabiding citizen"
Mrs. Rosale Loew Whitney. who for several
years was the chief attorney Of the society and
who retired early this year. tells Of some Of the
amusing cases that have come to her notice.
"A decided degree of righteousness IS particu-
Iarly characteristic of the East Side residents,
who are mostly Russians" says Mrs. Whitney.
THE Legal Aid office in that neighborhOOd has
frequent proof of this. 1t is common for work.
men to ask whether they cannot sue bosses
for fare spent in applying for jobs one
workman seriously asked to have suit brought
against a fellow workman for the recovery OF
a 15-cent knife. A discharged domestic will ask
to have action taken against her former mis-
tress for lost apron. These are examples or
circumstances that arise daily. OF course, there
are so few of these compared TO the really
necessitous cases that they do not count They
are simply interesting. Similar matters come
up at the other offices. The main Office received
a postal card one day from anxisls inquirer
regarding her rights against a fish dealer who
had sold her ten cents worth of clans that were
not as fresh as they might be. The mail is al
ways full of interesting cases. One day a postal
card came that one could declpher. FINALLY
the Office boy was consulted. He was a bright
youngster from the East Side. and what was
Greek to every one else was clear TO him The
postal was in English, strongly favored with
Yiddish. phonetically spelled. and contained
merely message from a client rs to change
of residence"
The clients of the Legal Aid Society occasion
ally do curious things. \ young woman re-
Gently wanted to recover money loaned to a man
friend. She urged immediate action and was
in every way most persistent. Her case was
hurried. and when judgment was finally recov-
cred the citv marshal was requested TO act as
| Quickly as possible What therefore, was the
surprise Of the office to receive the following re
| mort from the marshal within few days; 'Ihe
| nIaintIfr requests me TO take no further action
| against the defendant as she has married NM
| Interesting condolences arise constantly. It
| IS far from common TO have both husoohu anu
wife consult the society's attorneys al dlueEeht
! +,,as rai+bar knowing of the visit of the other
! A remarkable case of this sort occurred 4aSI
! yaar An EngIishman who had been in this
! ,+r,, for a year sent for his wife. BE met
| -. - +ba wharf and took her TO the house in
| Prooklvn He introduced the woman VINO had
! ACCOMPANIED him to the whai as He 'HIiuIoGS
| 90 tbIs house The wife was SHOWN 10 room III
VI 80, ,nyar story and was not allowed 10 go about
! +ba house In a few days she found that she
/ U-aa nracticalIy prisoner. her husband mace
| was PIoDotio1 She managed finally 10 get
! 80 Communication with a woman nelghhor,
and this neighbor' a large Hu nj "a go S ~ S
| -n1,sr brought her 10 the Legal Ala society
80 the light this neighbor was able 10 throw
- The "a se there seemed no uOuDt mat the
relations OF this man WITH ms anuia9S 49,
20 on Improper nature. but II remained = HnyS-
| % 80 vvhv he had sent for his VIE II was
probably because he had Written dod 70 HeF bSS
| come stad long She was advised to have her
hh0 MOI arrested and the kindly neigh6or who
vas the wife Of policeman, undertook 70 see see
We The proceedings in Brooklyn 10 this end
ina carried through. In the course OF day or
Nc a man applied for advice as 10 his rights
| W. a wife whom he admitted he had sent
| s grorn England, but who seemed 10 him
Changed" and who would, he feared, have MIN
| srrssted He was told he had no rights that
The. Legal6Aid Society could protect asWss