New-York tribune., 1910-05-24
HETN GREEN MUST PAY
Unbroken String of Victories at
Law Shattered at Last.
VERDICT $3.50 AND INTEREST
Woman Finaneier Talks Fast In
Witness Chair and Court
Puts on Brakes.

Mrs. Eetty Green, as bright of eve as
keen Of intellect and as voluble Of speech
ss when she took q mortgage on the Stew
EFT Building from the late Judge Henry
Wilton. appeared in the City Court yester-
day as the defendant in q suit The plain
tiff was the Safe Deposit Company of New
York. and the amount involved was $50
but the famous woman financier fought the
action with as great enthusiasm and vigor
IS If there had been sI.o00.09O at stake
Until yesterday Mrs. Green had an un-
broken string Of victories in her Iitigations
before 5uries, but her good fortune desert
ed her, and the jury, on the selection of
which she had earlier expressed her ap-
uroval. decided against her. Mrs. Green
must pay, unless the verdict is reversed
sls 3 interest, besides the original debt Of
ag-
The idea." was Mrs Green's only com
Tnent on hearing the verdict
The case had TO do with the storage of
eleven boxes at SO each year for five
wears. Mrs. Green denied responsibility for
The rental Of the boxes She said: THE
ideaI One hundred and ten dollars a year
for some old boxes
The boxes contained the papers and books
Of the estate OF the defendants father, Ed
ward Mott Robinson Mrs. Green said that
her son Edward Green. trustee of the es-
tate, owed the money, If anybody did. And
when she got started telling things neither
court nor counsel could check her in the ex-
ercise Of her self-assumed right of speech.
Mrs. Green came 10 court with maid.
She was dressed in her customary black
and carried the black bag with which she
has been many times pictured, or one just
ike il She wore a long veil and there was
nothing IN her attire 10 make envious
looked into the courtroom from time TO
time - see the richest woman in the
world"
Thought lt Cheaper TO Fight.
Before the case was called Mrs. Green
talked volubly about the suit, expressing
the confident opinion that the safe deposit
company could not obtain q verdict against
her. because she cid not owe the money.
T left that company because I did not
want their old boxes,'' said Mrs Green
7 guess 1 know whether want them or
not. i is cheaper TO fight these fellows
mere than let them get the best of me-
The defendant showed a keen interest IN
thA selection OF the jury and made q mental
examination Of each candidate, expressing
her satisfaction when the jury box was
filed.
The men on the iuries that have tried
ny cases have always treated me so
nicely" said Mrs Green They have
never decided against me-
The unfeeling presiding justice raped his
zavel with the suggestion that "all talk
in the courtroom cease, Mrs. Green stopped
talking and the room was quiet
Dr. William Mitchell. vice-president Of
the Safe Deposit Company OF New York.
vas the first witness called for the plaintiff
-H,.- n
in December, 1903. and paid 500 then due
FOR the storage Of the eleven boxes. The
company was then charging So & year.
said the witness. but Mrs. Green objected
- the price, and agreement E-as made for
81 a year
Edward +. Kennel auditor OF the Cheni-
cal National Bank, where Mrs. Green used
70 have her Office. was called TO corroho-
rsre the testimony Of Dr. Mitchell
Rapid Fire Talk HaIts.
Mrs Green was called TO the stand after
Justice O'Dwyer had denied e motion by
her counsel, Louis F. Doyle. 10 dismiss the
suit She gave her name as Hetty How
land Robinson Green
.'Hetty Green" announced the clerk to
the jury
She answered sflrmatively the question
% her lawyer whether she had been IA
riliar with business matters for several
wears. She spoke so low and so rapidly
THAT Mr.. Doyle had TO advise her.
rIot so fast and little louder, Mrs. |
Green And then he added, and please |
answer nv questions yes or no whenever
Il is possible" Then. Mr.. Doyle asked:
You heard Dr.. Mitchell testify that on
December ls. 1908, you agreed to pay him !
81 z year storage on each OF the eleven /
boxes. Is that correct7"
Those boxes were stolen out of my
fathers estate years ago" said the de- /
seadant- MY father died forty-five years !
ago. and
Justice O'Dwyer interrupted the rapid fire
talk Of Mrs. Green with, Please answer
t1e question. yes or no
Mrs Green then started afresh, 4 did it 1
fo- my son, who is running q railroad and
cannot he here. This is the third suit that
I've had"
Then YOU never agreed 70 pay any /
amount personally for the storage Of the
boxes
40 [ didn't replied Mrs. Green. be-
coming more excited as the examination
proceeded Il wouldn't want 10 pay the
storage forty-fve years on lot of things
stoier out % my fathers estate. and
Please be calm. Mrs. Green inter
r1rted her counsel, pleading.
Z an calm but I'm telling the truth"
sr= -ied and then even the justice had
- srnile
Reminded by "Cst Fits"
Do Won recall that vou were n the Of
f-s n the safe deposit company on De-
ce-her Is. 1899
T wouldn't Il these PEOPLE didn't throw
at n every once IN q while to remind
ne
Did You ever sign any paper2'
70 ! objected 70 the rate, any of you
would The idea, Ore hundred and ten
collars fo- some old boxest
''Toa transact a great deal Of business.