New-York tribune., 1909-12-19
MRS.BELMONT
IN NIGHT COURT TO
GIVE BAIL.
Sends Aid to Girl Shirtpaist
Strikers arrested for Doing
Picket Duty.

Mrs. Q. H. P. Belmont was the fairy
godmother OF poor but belligerent fem
ininity at the night court last night
Striking shirtwaist makers and their
deep sympathizers had been gathered
in wholesale in the afternoon by busy
detectives charged with disorderly con-
duct in front of the shirtwaist establish
ment of E. A Jackson. No. 105 Fifth
avenue. Mrs. Belmont was appealed to
by the strike management, and not only
went herself 70 the night court 10 wit
ness the proceedings but brought along
a lawyer to defend her brood of fiedgling
suffragettes.
With a woman friend she took seats
in the third row back from the railing
and waited patiently three quarters of
an hour for the cases in which she was
interested to come UP. Artists were
busy meanwhile peeking through the in
terstices OF the grating at her and
sketching accurately the plumes in her
hat Magistrate Harris discharged pris-
oner after prisoner. disposing Of the less
elaborate cases before the clash Of coun-
sci should come
Of the girls so often seen scurrying home
through the side streets in the dusk of a
late winter afternoon. were marched up
TO the bar. Mark Alter was on hand
with several witnesses TO press the pros
ecution for the Association Of Shritwaist
Manufacturers. and Frederick L Taylor
left his seat near Mrs. Belmont to de-
fend the girls.
The proceedings Immediately became
clogged with patronymics. II seemed
hard for the magistrate and court Off
GERS TO remember that Miss Rothnagle
was not Miss Kate Mokovsky and that
Pauline Rankus was distinct from Ida
Scholinsky. But the proceedings finally
narrowed down to Miss Mokovslzy, who,
according TO the testimony Of Detective
O'Connell, struck one of the strike
breakers pouring out OF the door leading
TO the jackson establishment. The others
he had only seen pushing in upon the
strikebreakers as they emerged and
yelling "Scab,"
The girls fought stoutly in their de
fence, but were plainly afraid of Mr..
Alter, who spoke harshly and in a loud
tone. Most of them said they were not
strikers themselves. though in sympathy
with the strikers, and that they were
on the spot at. the time To prevent dis
order. Indeed. Miss Rothnagel said she
warned the girls not TO raise their hands
in front. OF them when engaged in this
picket duty, and when asked why such
advice was necessary if there was no
disorder. said the girls had a habit Of
gesticulating violently when talking on
the subject of strikes.
The decision was something Of a COM
promise Magistrate Harris discharged
all except Kate Mokovsky, whom ne
fined SO.
Mrs Belmont was asked what she
thought of the court proceedings. She
appeared to be very angry. L don't
think the public would care to hear
what I would like to say about this
court I might have something 10 say
tomorrow. but not tonight. If you will
lust wait till we get women judges and
newspapers run by women things will
be different"
During the recess, at midnight, Mr..
Alter asked Mrs. Belmont TO visit some
of the factories. When he told her he
represented the manufacturers she would
not talk with him further. She remained
in court untfi all the cases We're dis