Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-23
COP IS CRITIC;
HE ROASTS SHOW
Emma GreenWaId Faces Court in
BedraggIed Makeup-Is
Found Incompetent

Judge, if I'm crazy I'll eat my
twenty-two-inch hat"
So Miss Emma Greenwald. a stage
struck young woman of Denver, "
years old, who arrived in Los Angeles
about two weeks ago, addressed Judge
Willis, who, sitting with the lunacy
commission, conducted her hearing on
an insanity charge.
Miss Greenwald was taken into Gus
tody by G. ]. Fisher. a police officer
who noticed her peculiar actions
dancing and singing-in East Firth
street. He took her to the receiving
hospital, the officials of which, bel1eV-
ing her insane, sent her to the county
hospital to await the examination
given her yesterday. She told STORY
of coming from Denver to the Paclhc
coast principally to satisfy a longing
to see the Pacific ocean and her lnten-
tion of waiting until she reached san
Francisco to crafty her wish. She
said she had an engagement as a song
and dance artist at the Empire theater
in this city and was to have begun
series of performances there Tor d
week had it not been that she AAt; ar
rested Sunday, the day before The al
legged engagement was to have begun
Officers of the theater, however, SAID
they had not engaged Miss GreenWald
and knew nothing of her except that
she had applied for an opportunity TO
appear on amateur night and had
been told to return for a further inter
view. They presumed she had thought
she was engaged merely because she
had been told TO call again.
She reached the section of the hall
of Justice where the lunacy commits
sion sits, attired IN much dllapldated
t1nery. Her face, a rather plaintive
looking and fairly pretty one, was nag
gard, looking especially so because OF
great circles under her eyes. She
faced her accusers unflmChingly.
MAKES BRAVE DEFENSE
"You are charged with being in
sane" she was told.
"Well, judge" she answered, II
I'm crazy I'll eat my twenty-two-inch
you are said to believe you are an
actress"
II am an actress" she affirmed.
Have you been on the stage?'
Indeed / have!" she retorted. Then
with an odd smile she added, But
not before people
"I saw her COINS along the street
with her face all painted up testified
the arresting officer.
"What if [ did?" demanded Miss
Greenwald. What was more natural
than that I, being an actress, might
show occasional touches of my make
up on my face?'
But you were dancing in the street. p
was told her.
IT was not"
But I saw you raise your skirts
and turn around as if you were trying
the skirt dance"
"The streets were damp" answered
Miss Greenwald, land l raised my
skirts to protect them. AS for turning
around-why, fan me with brick!
Is it a crime to turn around in the
streets?"
And. you ran block"
What of that? was late and in
hurry" ., ,,.oo,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Miss Greenwald later told the judge
and the commission considerable about
herself. She said the reason she was
arrested was because the arresting Of
ficer was angry when she refused to
flirt with him. The officer Of course,
denied it and told Of her being home
less-though she said she had plenty
of money. She confided to the judge
that her favorite song is "Play That
Rarbershop Chord and gave many
details of her alleged stage career,
which, according to her. began with
her thirteenth birthday. She finally
reached point in her discourse where
she mentioned having once been a vic
tim of typhoid fever.
That was the crucial point. 1t was
decided she had become mentally in
competent as the result of that disease
and plans were made for her return
to Denver, where she said her mother,
Mrs. Freda Greenwald, resides at 236
South Pearl street