Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-20
GIRL WHO MASKED
AS 4 BOY TELLS
HER LIFE-ST0RY
Polish Maid Relates Her Varied
Experiences Since Coming
to America.

Very homelike is the atmosphere of
the Florence Crittenton Home, at 305
Elizabeth VENUE. this city, and par
ticularly does it seem so to Katie
Netuwska, the ~19-year-old Polish girl
who it was discovered after she had
applied at the Third police precinct
fora nights lodging, was masquer-
ading in boys clothes. Katie, who
has been at the Crittenton Home for
two weeks, IA received there through
In fort of John J. Gascoyne, pro-
patton officer for Essex county, and
as placed in the care of the superin-
tendent, Miss Edith M. Frey, and has
had a life of hardship, SO far as can be
learned from the girl. At the request
Ut the superintendent Katie was asked
to come into the room when a repre-
entative of the STAR visited the home
yesterday afternoon. At first she
seemed shy, when asked if she did
not like it at the home her face bright
ened and she frankly admitted that she
did. The girl has the strong physique
of her race, broad-shouldered, and more
than the average Intelligence of a for
eigner. She speaks English remark
ably we'll and understands 1t much bet
ter than she can express herself. The
idea of wearing boys clothes was not
entirely a new one to Katie after she
came to this city. for from her own
story yesterday il was learned that
Katie worked in the coal mines out in
Brownsville, Pa, as a breaker boy
for five months and also drove the
mules that haul the small cars from
one part of the mine to the other. For
a part of the time she was in Penn
sylvania Katie was a chambermaid in
the Colonial Hotel, in Pittsburg.
worked as Motorman.
Later she came to New York and
while attired in mems clothing secured
a position as motorman on one of the
trolley lines in the city, after having
received the instruction given to re-
cruits. When asked why she came to
forehead and said: 81 had a fight with
a fellow and I was afraid he would
kill me" Dressed in a white shirtwaist
and dark skirt and with her short hair
parted from her face and with the glow
Of health in her cheeks, it was impos-
sible to realize that the girl had for
iiiG - bICAi ohi 4 ~ N'thC
that was coarse and sordid. When
Katie was admitted to the home one
of her first questions was whether she
could smoke, for she had learned to
smoke in the mines. When told no,
that she must give it up entirely, she
seemed perfectly willing to do so and
has in every way abided by the rules
of the home.
Anxious About Her Hair.
One thing that worries Katie now
is her short hair. and she spends much
of her spare time, the superintendent
said, letting the cold water run on her
hair and brushing 1t, to make 1t grow
more rapidly,Th girl has no rela-
tives or friends in his country, as far
as can be learned, although she says
she has five brothers. All she knows
about herself seems to be hat when q
child she was sent or here from her
native and with a Polish family, and,
following the custom of immigrants,
they apparently became separated
upon arrival III New York, and the
girl was left TO shift for herself, as she
has never heard from them since
Katie will remain in the home until
she has been taught housework and
sewing and is competent TO go out as
a seamstress or a servant Or in some
other capacity whereby she can be self
supporting.
The FLORENCE Crittenton Home in
this city is one of a chain o.
seventy-four homes which rave beer
established in the United States ant
n in China. Japan. France ant
Mexico. The local home was or
| gained i.ine years ago and was in