The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-04-19
A MODERN POR1IA
Unable to Secure Lawyers to
Handle Her Case in
Court.

Philadelphia. Pa. Arrl i9.-A verdict
GO siieCc was today awarded by the
iuy to Miss Belle Miuer tine deposed
Supervising school principal in her suit
far S5o0Do daunges against pr Charles
] d. Harvey school director. for conspir
m2 10 orns lboat her dismissal from
her position by circulating false and
slonduous storlesh about her.
80, alone does this verdict carry with
lt baim tor Miss AIncrs injured feel-
/ es. hut Sc brmes to hcr clear viudica-
I tion and removes the s.igma that rested
pion her reputation. II also proves her
umity as a Portio lu pleading her own
cause after lawyers refused TO handle
/ beg case.
Ibc court room was crowded Miss
Milcr was present accompanied by her
azed mother ana father. pr Harvey
/ thc defendant, was absent
l Announcement OF the verdict produced
/ 50 sensation Disregardmg the protesta-
/ tlcn of court attaches. men and women
lclped from their seats and rushed To-
ward Miss iiners corner The dimlhed
atmosphere of tho court became i'm
s,antly Jemorahzcd. trgdng upon ono
/ mothors feet. tine spectators most of
tb,m total strangers to the school teach-
cr foughi for the privilege of shaking
ner hund aud Offering praise and con-
gIawluuons
when order was restored w. S. Koous
counsel for the defense pcuuoned Judge
Cluston Co set aside the verdict ON tho
ground Of q being excessive. should
the verdict DE allowed TO stand Mr.
Hoous VIII tile motion for new
uaL II the motion tails an appeal will
Le carried 70 uie supreme court
Miss Miller later said OF her long fight
10y vindicatou.
Il hardly rhiu law is woman s
sphere. it IS a e.. '.. III rt3fcssion, and
women are uol exactly cut out for it.
! was not ot 1ll desirous of trying my
own case, bus there was nothing else
lefi for me TO 90. Thre wasn't lawyer
in this city willing to take my case.
was turned down on every side. ana
tlis I attribute to the influence that was
, brought to bear upon the lawyers.
81 consulted many OF them but as
soon as my prosecutors found out whom
I had visited theS would call on him auo
I Persuade him not to help me-
"At that time Mr Iarveys father-in-
.rv Henry Brooks was clerk Of court
a quarter sessions, and none of h,
Philadelphia lawyers was independent
enough 10 untagoniza him.
II went TO Westchcster to see II
could not get legal help but they ever
pursued me there, and hnally i'm despair
] had to plan and fight my own battle
Aside from tho undue public notoriey
aud the Shame that was heaped upor
. Miss Miller as the result 20 the charges
riude against her she aud her parent.
have suffered severely in financial wa,
rho persecution Miss Miller claims sh,
wus subjected to was also extended t,
, l'er father and consequently business
/ rcyerses occurred
The family had 10 give up thei
comparable hom, and sock smaller
. carriers. -
II am nor ashamed OF our poverty,
= Miss Miller said. '-Those who know u'
know how il was brought about Now
ye will begin all over again and try tC
win back what we lost"
/ Il was evident from the odd figures OF
tho verdict that the jury took into con
sidemtion every measure of damage that
Miss Miller was entitled to recover. This
measure includes the loss OF her SALARY
as teacher, compensation for the hu-
initiation and disgrace she has suffered
and punitive on exemplary damage
against the defendant.
The case brought argued and won by
MISS Miller was the outgrowth Of her
dismissal from her position. All OF the
charges made against her by the school
directors who dismissed her appeared in
1n affidavit filed by Miss Miller with the
court during she progress OF her case
rn, rial judge did not permit It to b,
read in open court, but It was alleged
thut ore OF Miss Nlllors offenses, leading