Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-10-05

The quality of mercy was lacking.
The state commission took up its yard
of red tape and notified the department
of commerce and labor al Washington.
An order followed to Commissioner Gen.
eral Robert Watchorn, Of Ellis Island,
to deport Mrs. Lolita Romanik as an Il.
p. c." one liable TO become a public
charge. The letter of the law was
obeyed, and Romanik was forced 10
stand by helplessly while his wife was
taken from Wards island and placed on
a steamer, due to sail at 10 o'clock the
following morning.
1t was the eleventh hour, and Roman-
TX In his extremity turned to the Peo-
pies law firm as a last resort. The card
of the Peoples law firm states that
Mary H. Grace Quackenbos, Ii. B., can
be consulted and retained as attorney
and counsellor at law in cases involving
attendance upon the courts and other
wise, especially with a view TO meeting
the requirements of litigants of moder-
ate means"
Saved by Fifteen Minutes.
AS a litigant Of moderate means Her
man Romanik sought Mrs. Quackenbos
and laid his case in her hands, 1t was
not an easy case. Mr.. Watchorn said
positively that he could do nothing.
The law allows the Ellis island commits
sioner no discretionary powers in emer-
,~.~a,. o. E,-arNf II if,r D1uct hn no.
ferred to Washington. and it was too
late to communicate with the depart
ment of commerce and labor. 1t was a
time for quick wit and quicker action.
Mrs. Quackenbos set out to procure a
writ of habeas corpus. Federal judges
are not always within easy reach. 1t
was late at night before District Judge
Adams was found and the writ signed.
1t was served on the commissioner at
Ellis island the next morning Just IL
minutes before the scheduled leaving
time of the steamer. The advocate of
the Peoples law firm did not waste an
instant, and Mrs. Romanik vas removed
from the steamer in a tug and given into
the embrace of the poor little tailor and
husband waiting in desperation on the
New York wharf.
Romanik would take no more chances
with public institutions. He placed his
wife in the New York infirmary for
women and children and undertook tc
pay SIS a week until the child should be
born.
The case was set for hearing in the
federal court. but never came up fol-
trial. Twenty-Five dollars a week is a
heavy tax IN an Attorney street tailor
shop, and Romanik was compelled tt
give up in a few weeks. 1t would bt
five or six weeks before the birth of the
baby. Mrs. Romanik became more and
more violent, and the Ellis island all
thorities were once more notified.
Mrs. Quackenbos had sailed for Hall.
fax to take a m~uch-needed rest, and left
the case with her assistants pending hel
return. The Ellis island authorities
contended that the woman was an cpl
leptic, and had been prior to her arriva
III lHIo SCuAiy. Ilcl uuaDduu oWOle
her insanity was due to her condition
To deport her To- was not only danger
Gus but inhuman. But there was, no ont
to blame. Each department acted strict
ly according to its official duty as inter.
preted by the bare, cold letter of the law
AS an insane alien, ordered deported
the little mother-elect was once NOR,
hurried from the infirmary and taken or
board the steamer. She longed for hel
husband, but he had long since exhaust
ed the little tailor shop profits and wa
penniless.
AS an accompanying alien the PEG
pies law firm ~endeavored to have hin
deported also at the expense of the gov.
eminent, but failed. Finally a ticke
was procured for him from the Unitet
Hebrew charities, and $25 was added b,
the Peoples law firm, so that the for
lorn pair might not land in Europe pen
niless.
Romanik's father and brother live il
Liverpool. They were written to TO.
help, and as a concession the deporta
ton was made to Bremen instead of Rus
STA. as the nearest stopping point to Liv
erpool.
American Citizen Is Born.
Everything was settled as well as i
could be, when the most unexpected de