The San Francisco call., 1906-06-03
She Is Held i'm Custody,
but Her Tongue Is
Not SiIenced.
Aged Husband Does Not
Allow the Scene to
Perturb Him.
BY JAMES c. CRAWFORD.

Police Judge Conlan warily but un-
f:nchingly watched the unelasped UNI
breiie which Mrs, Clara L. Noland
brandished in Hoxinnity TO his head
while she loudly ard Yitriohcally ha-
rangued him. and when she perforce
ceased speaking to recover breath he
abruptly ordered the bailiff TO take her
into custody and book her for con-
tempt CO his court. The mandate was
obeyed with both neGtGess and dis
patch, but it had no deterrent effect
upon the Iady's tongue. Her high
pitched voice was heard, in mingled
derision and defiance until after her
removal from the chamber.
Mrs. NJ. ]. Beanston. a mild-man-
nered matron, had testified that for
years the peace of both her mind and
her home, 25 Hollis street was period
ically disturbed by Mrs. holland ere
that persons arrest was deemed ab-
solutely essential to restoration OF
tranquility. WITHOUT any provoca-
tion other than my refusal to asso-
eiate with her" Mrs Beanston
averred. she called me most insulting
names.
The averment brought Mrs. holland
to her feet with a bound. Shaking the
umbrella until its ribs ratified, and
emitting her words so fercely and rap
idly that most of them were unintelli-
gible, she held the floor until the
bailiff temporarily checked her. Per-
sons of acute hearing afterward told
the Judge that their Interpretation of
what she said was to this effect:
What she refuse to associate with
me did any one ever hear such cheek
NH Sh haUpnd time
and time again TO go TO French dim
ners with her and meet gentlemen the
/ idea of asking me to do such thing
after me marrying an old man like
that (waving the Umbrella toward an
octogenarian who dreamily watched
/ the proceedings from a front seat) and
doing what was right by him If that
wasn't an insult I'd like to know what
4 it was but wait I'll get witnesses to
prove which of is the lady and
Whicn of us is the other thing and
/ I'd like to know what kind of court
this is that allows such a charge as
that to be made against a lady that
never had trouble with any of her
I neighbors until this creature got mad
because 1 wouldn't go to French din
ners with her and meet gentlemen
after me marrying an old man like
! that (repetition of umbrella move
menD and doing what was right by
him"
Leon Meyer who dwelt on Webster
street and at least a block distant
4 from the scene of Mrs. Noland's al
| eyed disturbance of Mrs. Beanston's
| peace. testified that the complaint was
| true in every particular, as the peace
| II his household had likewise been
disturbed at long range by the sound
# Mrs. Nolands voice.
/ Mrs holland. who is about 40 years
1f age and of infamed complexion, did
not once glance at her aged>~spouse
after her arrest for contempt, nor did
! ne exhibit concern as to what became
# her He quietly sat and between
semi-closed lids witnessed her attempt
| ed subjugation, nor did he leave the
! courtroom until the succeeding trial
| was fairly under way. Then he silent
iy crept to the corridor.
When she fed from her re-menaced
aome, 1880 Howard street. that ter
rible April morning Mrs. Gertrude
Fritch took with her only an old-fash-
1 ioned mahogany rocking chair and
! eft to inevitable destruction more
than one article of furniture of much
greater intrinsic value and less diff
cult to carry. But of her material
possessions she saved only the chair
| because it was dearer to her than all
else combined. Seated in it when it
had demurely listened to and blush
ingly accepted the proposal that led
to her wifehood. and in after years
she had been embraced by its honest
wooden arms as she gently swayed
and crooned to sfeep several little
ones who in times natural course be-
came men and women and went away
to homes of their own.
That was why. as is the queer way
o<a women whose maternal duties are
over Mrs. Fritchie rescued the rickety
old chair and left to the merciless
1 games her more pretentious household
gods. And that was why she applied
to Judge Cabaniss for a warrant to
enable her to ascertain if her treasure
was not TO be found in the tent of John
Doe. teamster, who had undertaken to
remove her scanty belongings from the
tent she occupied in Columbia Square
to = new canvas habitation which the
relief authorities had provided for her
She saw John Doe place the chair in
his wagon, but il was not transferred
to her new abode. and she strongly sus-
pected that he had appropriated it. At
any rate. she would like to have him
compelled to narrate in court just how
IT disappeared
Her application was promptly
granted