The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-19
LITTLE GIRL PLEADS AT BAR,
MiRiE HtRNISCH, n, HiNDS tP
4 HRIEF FOR MlNHI,
who'd Had Dlshpans Thrown at Her In n
Part of Jersey Gty which can't AFFORD
LAWYERS SO Marie Puts II Down
on Paper and the judge Is Irnpr essed.

on Paper and the Judge Is Impressed
When the case Of Harnisch against
HsLschko was called IN the Criminal Court
Of jersey City Yesterday morning a little
girl arose from her chair and went forward
TO tho railing OF the Judges bench leading
an old woman not much bigger than herself
NV the hand. The old woman kept her
ewes 10 the floor and trembed. The little
girl threw her chin up. looked straight at
the Judge and put her feet down firmly
Sho WASH much bigger than good
sized sack Of flour but there was some
thing about the hash OF her eye, the set OF
her head and The all round look OF her that
made II plain tha, she was quite an uncom-
mon little girl
In front Of the Judge the old woman
began TO cry. wiping her eyes with corner
Of her rcd shawl -Now mother. quit
that said the child You've got nothing
10 cry about, am going TO see that mo-
body gets the best Of you. The old woman
quit shifting.
Judge Higgins opened his eyes and leaned
forward The buzz OF the court room
ceased at a frown from him. Even the
magnificent policemen forebore to curl
their mustachps and twr their sticks and
looked interested
And who are you. young lady?' asked
the c curt
The little girl In gingham pulled roll
OF paper out of her coat pocket and answered
without trace OF embarrassment. My
name is Marie Harnsch, Mr., Judge Mrs.
Esther Haschko and Rose Hoschmk beat
my mother with u broom last Friday ana
you told us oil to come back this morning
and YOU would settle the case.
-Oh. | remember, said the Judge
Hasn't your mother got a lawyer 10 repre-
sent herr"
no. sir che hasn't said the child
.You see. we come from Gammontown'
and il YOU know anything about that part
of the town you know that people there
haven't got any money 10 waste on lawyers
The Judge looked this odd specimen
Of child over with smile. People in the
court room leaned forward and some Of
them stood up 10 get better look at Marie
My mother don't know word o; English
MIR Judge and ] do. She is still Polish,
but | am American all over. II you will
let me would like to be her lawyer
Tho Judge stopped the laugh that ran
around tbs room with a sharp thump oil
his Est On the desk. An right he said
IT may be a hi, irregular. but I've an idea
that YOU wouldn't ma Ne a bad pied 10 on
and tell the Col,rt your side OF tho trouble
IN, little girls eyes geamed with pride
and her small figure stihened until she
looked an inoh or two taller. She unroiled
the papers she held and handed them 10
Judge Higgins
4 have written 1t all Oh, for you, She
said Won't tha, do much better than
me- telling your
Judge Higgins glanced at the papers
curiously and then laid them down for
moment.
How old ara YOU said he
Eleven" said the little girl. She said
she attended Public School No. !. studied
hard and stood at the head of her Glasses
in reading and writing
Then the Judge read the brief OF the
counsel for the plaintiff In the case OF Har-
nisch against Haschko 1t was written
on six sheets of paper torn from a ruled
tablet. such as school children use, and IN
a hand as plain as print. There were only
few mistakes in spelling and grammar
and the case was put with precision and
accuracy This is the brief
"lO2 Morris street Jersey city
M Jrdoe ami Gentlemen
Ny mother was down the cellar chop
ping wood Friday morning at 10 o'clock
Rose Hoschnk heard mamma chop
ping and she sneaked downstairs to
see what mamma was chopping She
had a haby's cradle down there and
she thought mamma was chopping that
cradle When abe saw mamma wasn't
chopping her cradle she made a laugh and
pretended she didn't mean anything and
made believe she was going out. Then she
began TO look at my mamma with her
black ewes and my mamma said
Don't you see amt chopping your
crades
Then Rose Hoschnik said Shut up.
You broke the ends of nv cradle with your
ave the other dav You will have to pay
me $40 for that cradle
Then Mrs. Haschko that Rose lives
with. heard the talk and she came to the
head of the stairs and throwed an old dish
nan al mamma Il hit mammals head and
she fell down and laid still
aThen i'm the afternoon at o'clock they
we're watching when | went TO school and
wien the men went 10 work. Rose Hosch
mix knocked at our door, and when mamma
opened IT, she and Mrs Haschko jumped
in and beat mamma They beat her arms,
her head her breast. her face and all over.
Mamma has scratches and black and blue
marks 10 show 10 Mr. Judge and gentlemen.
THE scratches and black and blue marks
were plain to be seen on the face and head
Of Mamma HarniRc'l Then after the
beating they went 20 the door and mamma
had her hand there, and they squeezed her
hands and hurt them. Then they went up
10 their own hall and made noises like
cat and said that mamma had a cat for q
huaband instead Of a husband. and called
her beggar and loafer. We served in Mrs.
Rogers's over one year and Mrs Rogers
could give mamma and me reference Mrs.
Rogers lives at 1875 GRIND street.
'MARIF HARNIscH
you are an extraordinary little girl,
said the Judge Have YOU any brothers
and ssters1'
Our cat Blisko is the only one in our
family except my mamma and myself,
said the little girl simply.
The Judge put the papers in his pocket.
L think will keep these TO remember you
by said he.
Afterward, through an Interpreter. the
three women told their stories in Polish.
Judge Higgins bound them over in 500
each to keep the peace That seemed a
great victory to Marie.
Il guess they won't throw any more
dishpans az us she sAid TO her mother
when she led her proudly out Of court.