The San Francisco call., 1909-12-30
MRS. NEWMAN IS
GIVEN so DAYS
IN COUNTY JAIL
cIubwoman Convicted for De-
frauding Chauffeur Declares
She Is Being Prosecuted
Judge Imposes Extreme Penalty
of Law as Warning Against
Beating" People
By MARY AsHE MILLER

Dy MAR1 ASEE MlLLEk
a T the Portola luncheon of the
"A California club last October I
4 watched Ms. Elizabeth Murray
Newman. in fantastic Spanish garb
read from her seat at the presidents
table a. burlesque Vision of Don Gas
par de Portola@ which brought laughter
and applause from her fellow club
women
II did not.see her again until yester-
day when. in the police court, she was
convicted of defrauding a chauffeur and
sentenced TO pay a fine Of $50 and TO
spend SO days in the county jail.
There was =an array Of other charges
OF defrauding All manner of people back
OF this one which brought conviction
and these had so impressed Judge We'll
Ter that he declared he was satisfied
that the defendant had gone around the
state beating. people out of money.
Woman Says Persecution"
Mrs Newman says she Is prosecuted
and that the Judge has been unneces-
sarily severe with her
Judge Weller said: she does not de-
serve any consideration at the hands
Of the court and I intend to convict her
on this charge. as she would assuredly
be convicted on others. ] hope this
viii be a lesson to. her"
L is all terrible mistake" Mrs.
: .wman said. 1T is absurd to hold me
for a bin which is really my husbands.
lie made a contract with this man and
paid him something. but he was disap-
pointed when sons. money did not
come that was promised and the chauf-
feur understood that he must wait
little longer for his money.
II thought the days for imprisoning
people for debt were gone in this coun-
try-and for other peoples debts, too
Extreme Penalty Imposed
Judge Weller gave the extreme pen
atty of The law. both the fine and i'm
prisonment to Mrs. Newman. who sat
by her mothers side in the cours. and
who received her sentence without a
CULVER Of an. eyeiash. Afterward she
said that she dared not let herself
think Of anything. for she must not
break down
y am SO small and look so weak
she said. that every one thinks / will
faint or break down when anything
comes to me- but can always meet q
crisis"
Her. attorneys intimated that they
would apply for writ Of habeas cor
pus for her release on the ground that
i, was a cigiI matter and did not come
within the purview OF the ordinance
which they believed to be unconstitu-
tionaL.
Mothers Heart Broken
Mrs. Newman talked freely Of her
troubles last night and said that the
arrival Of her mother in the city and
the idea that she had money had
brought q lot OF creditors TO the fore.
most Of whom presented claims that
were either nonexistent OF exaggerated.
My poor little mother is nearly
broken hearted over this disgrace
which has come to me-" said Mrs. New
man, with more decided traces of emo
tion than she permitted herself to show
at any other time she has lost 20
pounds since this happened.
1T is so terrible can hardly realize
that 1t is actually true. why, to think
that I. who have always been so well
known and respected. should have an
experience like this, be placed in so
false a position. If let myself think
] am sure ] would lose my mind So
many of the clubwomen I have known
have been so good TO me- They have
sent me flowers and presents and so
many encouraging notes and mes
ages.
asked Mrs. Newman where her hus-
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