New-York tribune., 1910-12-01
DOCTOR FAILS AS LAWYER
Alienation Suit for 100000
Thrown Out by Justice Ford.
DR.. KNAPP NOT SATISFIED
Suit Case Full Of Authorities
Shown IN Corridor TO Con-
trovert the Court.

"A man who is his own LAWYER has
fool for client.
r,r. Mark J. knapp. as ne stood yester-
ssv in the corridor of the County Court
House. just after Justice Ford had els
missed his alienation suit for s259.oo0 dam
ages in which he had BEEN his own at
tornev. agreed that in many instances the
rroverb held good. although he still IN
sisted that the justice was wrong IN dis
missing TIE suit on the ground that Dr.
Enanp had not made ont a case
-l,e news that Dr. Knapp was suing
his ather-i1l-lsv. Adolrh Schlesiuser, ana
Mrs. Esther Isenberg for the alienat1on oi
E7z vife's affections. had spread rar anu
x.-ide --as-e-ds~ morning when fhe case
vas continued IN the Supreme Court anu
In such force did the Philistines move on
me citadel Of Justice that the courtroom
Was fuU before the arrival Of the 1usuee'
snd me standing room only sign was
,zis-,1ex-z7 Dr. Knapp was all ready with
the volumes of legal lore he carried IN q
.uf- case. and he was just full OF au-
.ho-i.iez that dated from the foundation
CT 77o court down TO the present uIne'
and rIle71 he had some suggestions IoT the
fntrod1Iouon, OF some valuable all1ehofllsii'S
70 The laws already existing
Thus fortified with authorities DT-
,-,ar,. .7-,;5ined 10 agree with the learned
rcr7r- that n recover damages Tor L1S
alienation OF anybody's affections II must
he rro.ed by the person so suing tnae
he hsd enjoyed the affections for whose
Joss- he sought compensation
7-,e-i.e Ford said the doctor mad not
r,-Dl ny x, T1S4I
MS oz,-n behalf. contended that all he had
70 r,-ove was his marriage and the loss
Of his r-ife-s services, from which me
-o---- .7;sser7ed The plaintiff then "er~
off on 2 bsrangue. in the course Of which
IL said. The case was purely one OF money
..-xsc71z.'' said Justice Ford. 1t $ a
~,-,os-ian Of dollars and cents You should
not nave married r you did not want IL
support your wife.
Is that ? dictum or 5eclslcn- asked
the p'aintiff-counsel-
III 5z neither n Gictun1 nor q deClSioli'
--er,-ied tile justice 1T is the law OF the
lard and lou could lee sent 20 Jah Tor
esfl,,-e 20 support her. It IS your duty, and
-ls9 Of an other self-respectTls man. anu
80 the dutv Of =olr fathe--in-laW-
The roIrr said he could not take cogniz-
zroe cf any contract between Dr. knapp
..-as To- e71ppo~t the doctor and his family
F,7r IT Knaru believed SclesInger should
"a his eEpeuses-
.-7o,, may have some action, mt = Is
no for alienation continued The justice.
Fp- Nnapp went on 10 show the court
-,-=+ v-nat ne had proved. but il was OF no
araG. and Justice Ford dismissed the ac-
rion. much TO the evident dIsPieasLlrs OF
7re d.,tor who was much cfagr1ned by
his failure a. his own lawyer.
F7.,lzirz- 7Ip his books and papers. I'r.
1z-ar,p vent out into the corridor, = here
s-I~-o,lrd.=d bv friends, relatives and court
s-a,ISe 1ls.1cerz on. rs forciblv dlSssIltau
.ro--, 57,s .aor1or Of the court. He got into
an argument with . lawyer vh" upheld the
,,-u-r blsr nr- Knapp opened his suitcase
sr-d. dha7vilg forth s"'nc o. ms auliIeFitleS'
quoted opinhCus-
J.. did ro7 1isconce-t him nor shake his
belief To have II pointed ont that the au-
.s7o-i-ie= he Q4lored were from other states.
F7c sad that he could not get q. lawyer
n ~ the case for him. a the cost would
lave been abort $1,000 Somebody sug-
-es.ed he might have found a lawyer like
me one IN --Piclz7ick Papers Who took d
case or spec
Dr. Knarr said that that was the vaT he
look tie case ny
t,re O. The witnesses in the morning was
1'- Knapp's father. who told Of living with
hrs son and making dresses for Mrs Knapp
F7d her daughter Another witness was
Herman Schwartz. a, brother-in-law Of the
doctor The latter asked the witness,
What was Ls- Knapp's frame Of mind
while he was living with you after the
~er.sTs tioll3''
1T vas awful REPLIED Sciwartz. He
cried III the time. and often got me up at
= or +" O'Clock in the morning, and made
IL walk miles and miles with MIN. and
talk about his family troubles He was
6iways excited