Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-13
COURT IS MERC|FUL
Erring Young Woman Obtains
Another Chance.
CONFESSED TO FORGERY
Sympathetic Interposition Saves
Mrs. Laura Geagan From Disgrace
Of a Penitentiary Sentence.

SaVeu from the ulsgrdce OF having a
penitentiary term of Imprisonment i'm
posed on her. Mrs Laura Geagan twenty
five years old, who pleaded guilty today
to forging a check for SIS. was reunited
with her mother and her year-old son.
through the clemency of Justice Ander-
son Of the District Supreme Court. and
as the result of the interest taken in her
case by several prominent women OF the
capital.
Mrs. Geagan was indicted today by the
grand jury on the charge of forging a
check for S3S, to which she signed the
name OF John Appich. The check was
dated June 81. 1911, and was pay able to
Laura V. Duvall. the maiden name of the
young woman. This check, II is said. she
indorSed. and had a local dentist secure
the cashng of it for her at a local drug
store. The check was dishonored, and the
arrest of the young woman followed
Sympathetic interpretation.
Her destitute circumstances and the
fact that her husband, wireless op-
orator, had left her last summer, and
that she had son. one year old. who
was being cared Tor by her mother. a
charwoman in the employ OF the Pullman
Car Company. living at 9oS 10th street
southeast, developed as a result Of the
arrest
The report Of the case in the news
papers attracted the attention OF the
wife of Representative Roberts Of Ne
Spencer of the Associated Charities.
THESE women set about to obtain the re-
lease of the young woman and were In
court this morning to- witness the success
Of their efforts.
United states Attorney Wilson present.
ed the matter to the attention Of Justice
Anderson, and after explaining the de-
tails Of the crime and the necessitous
circumstances Of the young woman asked
for a suspension Of sentence. He de-
clared this was an ideal case for the
exercise OF the probation system.
Attorney James A. O'Shea. representing
the prisoner. asked the court to go one
step farther and pronounce no sentence
again get into trouble. He said he de-
sired to save his client the stigma of a
sentence, even though 1t should be sus-
pended.
Court Shows Mercy.
Justice Anderson, after Mrs. Geagan
had pleaded guilty to the charge. de-
cided he would not sentence her at all
because. under the law. the minimum
term of Imprisonment is one year in the
penitentiary.
The court gave the young woman some
advice and told her he hoped she had
learned lesson that she could not yield
to such temptations as brought her into
this difficulty.
During the narration by United States
Attorney Wilson of the condition OF her
mother and the care OF her child that
had devoIved upon her. Mrs. Geagan came
near breaking down. She covered her
face with her hands, but soon controlled
her emotions. She was attired in a linen
black straw hat decorated with a plume.
Liberated Woman Overjoyed.
The liberated woman was overjoyed at
the clemency Of the court and of the
opportunity given her to return to her
mother and little son. She explained
that yesterday was the babys first birth
day anniversary and she had to be in
jail, away from it.
Her husband left her q month before
the baby came, she said. She heard from
him two months afterward, but no more
letters came, the young woman said, ana
she is in ignorance Of his whereabouts.
She was thus forced to take up the
battle of life for herself and the baby
when the latter was only two months
old The task was a difficult one and
Mrs. Geagan in leaving the courthouse
with her attorney said she had bright
prospects Of securing q position August
1, and expected to be able to support
herself and child. and also aid her
mother.