New-York tribune., 1908-09-24
PEONAGE In BROOKLYN
GIRL FREED BY COURT.
Coffee Merchant accused of Holding
Her "bu Purchase.

Justice Stapleton, in the Supreme CourI
Brooklyn, yesterday set free a Javanese girl
who had been virtually held according to the
papers in a mild form OF slavery III the home
of William II. Stone president of the Porto
Rican Coffee Company, No. 23 Old Slip. Manhat-
tan The Stone home is at No. 126 Columbia
Heights, the old home section of Brooklyn.
Stone fought hard to retain possession OF the
girl the grounds that he was under neral
responsibility as he brought her to America
and a legal responsibility because. he said. the
Dutch government expected him to return the
girl to her native land safe and sound.
The girls story as brought out in the eotestl-
mony is that her mother worked for the Stone
family several years while Mr. Stone was III
Java looking after his coffee plantations. Snort
ly before the family left Asia the girls mother
gave the child to Stone and his wife. Evelelgn
c. Stone, to be their servant. They agreed to
give her 81 month and to look after her she
was called Ana Marta. In November, 1903. the
Stones left Java and returned to America
The girl, who was then fifteen years old, was
servant She spent her monthly pay so rock
lessly that the family persuaded her to open
bank account. Through conversing with Lonare
VejiranC. a Spanish servant. Ana became dis
satisfied with her place and tried several times
to escape. She had Mr.. Stone in the Adams
street police court about year ago and charged
him with keeping her a slave Later she
withdrew her charge and returned to his home
Last June she escaped again, and Captain
Pinkerton arrested her and sent her home. F.
H. Jones' lawyer, with offices at No. So Mas
sau street, Manhattan, learned the girls story
and became interested in her case. He prom
ised to get her free and get her better employ
ment.
He found an employer for the girl in Mrs. Effie
Z. Hipkins, wife of John c. Hipkins, insur-
broker, of No! 76 William street, Manhat-
tan The Hipkins family lives at No. 1141 Dean
street.
The habeas corpus proceedings were brought
in the name of the Spanish servant, Miss Vegir-
ano. The affidavits declare that Ana, who is
now nineteen years old, held in restraint
Of her personal liberty and freedom by force.
fear and duress." They declare that the Stones
had threatened the girl with Imprisonment if she
did not submit to them. and told her that she
enslaved to them for life by purchase"
They claimed the right to hold her before the
courts of this country "by color of adoption or
guardianship" the papers said These allega-
tions We're denied by Mr.. Stone.
On the stand the girl said she had been de-
prived of her freedom, but the worst she could
say of the Stones was that Mrs. Stone had
slapped her once or twice. She we'll dressed
and the Court said he satisfied that she had
been well treated and we'll brought up After
listening to the testimony Justice Stapleton
called the girl before him and told her she was
a free agent, and had the right to go wherever
she pleased. Mr.. Stone said that Ana was not
a citizen of this country and unfamiliar
with the ways here. Justice Stapleton told him
that did not make the girl any less a free agent.
Mr.. Stone said he would apply for a guardian
for the girl this morning, and Ana went away
with her new mistress.