The Ordway new era., 1911-05-05

ing to be sentenced to the almshouse
or a much grudged corner In the wee
fiat OF her son.
1--WE have one infallible argument
to hand these wives" remarked an
examiner. "and that is the bald state
ment that II the husband 10 not per.
mitted to house his father or mother.
tho city will put him under bonds or
probation to contribute q certain
amount Of cold cash every week for
the support Of his parent. What the
wife says or does matters not q mite
The law holds the husband responsi-
bic for his parents"
And what happens when the pay
ments are not made? Follow the next
couple. q nagging wife. q stolid hus
band. into the eleventh district court
in East F1fty-seventh street. The
man has agreed to contribute dollar
q week to the support Of his aged
mother. He has defaulted In his pay
ments. The couple. who had waited
year for their board. have hailed the
son Into court. The fearful old moth
er sits hunched up in a corner Of tho
court room wondering what II is all
about. The landlady is determined.
the wife alternately scornful and
fearful. and the son considerably
frightened. A trip to the island will
cost him his Job. The landlady tells
her tale OF money due. the old moth.
er weeps in maudlin fashion. the son
hears the decision with white face.
PAY up that board bill or go to the
island. and pay It today"
Get the Money Somehow.
The daughter-in-law hurries back to
the little nat and somehow gets TO-
gether the fifty-two dollars. II rep.
resents their rent-and perhaps a dis.
possess notice. It represents clothes
the children need. food that will not
be purchased. and perhaps q tiny
loan. and all because she would not
let his mother live with them. oh.
yes. there are two sides to the story.
no doubt. But II Father Knickerbock.
er listened to these and wavered, he'd
have many. many thousands more In
the almshouse.
The next case Of this sort to reach
the domestic relations court 10 almost
The Investigators OF the division Of
relations have summoned a
husband and wife who refuse to con.
tribute $25 a month to the support Of
the husbands father. The wife wears
a rich gown Of shimmery satin. Its
collarless bodice outlined with good
lace on which real diamonds glitter.
Her coat Is Of Persian lamb tur. Her
hat Is set of by willow plumes that
must have cost nearly a hundred dol.
lars. The husband wears a diamond
stud. diamond ring and a handsome
overcoat with q deep fur collar. The
father whose fate 10 under discussion
is old. feeble and shabby.
Nothing for the "oid Man," |,
The husband and wife testify that
the former is no longer in business
and they have no means Of support.
The clothing they have incautiously
worn to court 10 described As rem.
nants Of past wealth and glory.
though an expert in styles would pro-
nounce It very much up to date. They
haven't a cent to spare for the old
mans keep.
Then the Investigator takes the
stand. He has learned, frst. that the
father Is decent, respectable and So
Der. Years ago. proud Of his only
boy. he set him up in business. giving
him $4,000 in cash. Bad luck and
illness overlook the old man and he
became a peddler. Now his health
will not permit him to work.
The son has retired from the bust.
ness founded on the $4,000 gift. owns
horses and carriages. lives in an ex.
pensive apartment and his wife keeps
two servants. How his money is in.
vested. whence his income. the in
vestigator does not know. so cleverly
has he shifted the burden Of support.
ing his aged father.
The decision Of the court Is scath.
ing. The man In the fur.trimmed
coat and diamonds will contribute $25
a month to bis fathers support or 60
to the island.
Work Never Ending.
Every Friday night in the Eleventh
district court, a magistrate hears
these tales Of filial duty shirked until
the division OF domestic relations can
not possibly arbitrate. And every
day in the week. except Sunday, the
Investigators Of the division head
quarters in Fifty-ninth street arbi-
trate and adjust cases and threaten
and cajole ungrateful children.
What type Of New Yorker shirks
responsibility in this particular form?
Mostly what the Investigators de-
scribe as Americanized foreigners. the
children Of immigrants. The major.
ity OF the cases which finally reach
court are those Of people from east
ern Europe. who through extreme
poverty or ignorance OF the law fail
to keep the agreement made at divi-
sion headquarters.
Mechanics, from carpenters to tai
lors. are the general offenders, and,
strange to say, penuriousness or shift
lessness, rather than actual poverty.
is responsible for the number of old
people turned over to Father Knicker-
booker by their children.