The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-16

Her ani She Thinks She Can't Bc Held
NO she Takes HACK PirH er Guilty.
On day in 1900 boarding ho,ase keeper
! in HAzlet, n. J.. took though. as TO what
USE could he made Of the wrapping OF
bananas Skins were a by-product. she
reflected. that had been stran ksly neg.
lecte'i Opportunities for promoting
this attractive proposition were lacking
in the little town Of Hazlet. SO she came tn
New York. wher. many transportation
conpan lies employ claim agents to settle
accident claims in order that hothersome
damage suits may he avoided.
The name OF thr wonan with this idea
il Anna A. Sturla Banana Anna. as
she came to he known among the claim
agents. For moro than three years abe
piled her trade hrIrkly sonnet lines r,nning
a nickels worth OF bananas ,ip to 81 Oon
and occasionally selling an apple cor- 10
"A claim agent tor $3.50. But tho Alliance
for the Prevention 81 Accident Fraud
GOT her finally and had her locked up in
the Tomhs She has been in prison since
June 3 last and was about to be sentenced
on a plea - guilty Yesterday 10y Supreme
Court Justice Rnsstsky when she suddenly
decided ,o withdraw the plea. alleging
that q railrnad company had forced the
money on her She admitted airily having
buncoed number Of railroad companies
by fake accident claims. b,rf she decided
to stand trial on the lndict nsnt charging
her with defraud!ng the New York Gem
trail Of $50
According TO tho record Concerning
her ventures prepared by the alliance
and submitted 10 District Attorney Whit
man and Justice Rnsalsky she began her
business career on a Pennsylvania Rail
road ferrvboat on June 10. 1900 As the
boar bumped into its Rip Anna Banana
gave q cry Of pam and sank to- her knees
Bot in her pain she remembered TO take
the names ~ witnesses. and when the
clam agent saw her next day he decided
thar she had case against the company
Would she sattIai ", she would. for
81 90. and she got 10
On August 81 the sam. year she trav.
ell~H on an Erie train which jolted her
."v-r~ly. 90 she ,creamed and 81 course
there ~er. witnesses The Ere gave up
sac On October 10. sarne year. her fo",
found its way 20 banana peel IN the
aisle ~ an elevated train car in this Dor
ough hut thus clam agent har~ TO
convince and there va~ not hing doing
IN rhe way nt 'omp.nsat The very 1
next daj'. oct ob.r -. she boarded New
lorS central tT@In. found banana peel
conv enl-n' 10 her foot And went down with
loud cries hi~ was the cas- on winch
franI indictment MAJ found After
IN" ai!lah'e hai I"oHrh INTO A"r HilNl- b
lies she pleaded guilty on November
Ia OF TINS wear. h'' Yesterday she mad"
up her mind TO stand trial
Mrs S'irla ~as betor" Justice Rosabky ,
-. 4.
Tor sen'en"" when the change OF mind
came 20 her The Justice had read over
long u.s. ot accident settlements hy
which m" ha! benefited 10 "A total ~
S.U1
NeT" 'hes. all iAAe ACCIDENTS asked
: n" .luS'n"
Most ~ them were. Yea replied Anna
Panama
II YOU are guiltY ~ hose. continued
= he Justice. whv NOT the specific accident
mentioned IN the Indictment
oh. the company forced the money t,
on me IN that cas-" she said i didn't .
even hav" 10 h"gin SUIT never de- :
nand"d tn" moT"v or mad" any false :