The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-09-15
SON IN ASYLUM,
MOTHER TO PAY2
Action Brought Against
Poor Widow of Palmyra
MRS. KLENCK ASKED TO CON-
TRIBUTE TO HER SONS SUP
PORT,

IOhl.
The lines of Mrs. Anna Klenck.
who lives on a farm in Palmyra
township, have fallen in hard places.
Bereft of her husband, by death,
some five or six years ago, she has
struggled and toiled day and night
to keep the wolf from the door
AS if to make her cup of bitter
ness full to overlooking, her son,
Walter had to be removed to the in
sane asylum at Danville some years
ago. She has been unable to eke
out more than a living on the
farm, to clothe and feed herself and
children, respectfully, let alone pay
ing toward the support of her un-
| fortunate son.
She was the defendant, Monday
afternoon, in argument court to an
action brought by the overseers of
the poor of Palmyra township who
are trying to compel her to con-
tribute to the support of her insane
son.
The hearing of the evidence in the
case occupied the entire afternoon
Some of the testimony was of an
exceedingly interesting character
Attorney F. P. Kimble had charge of
the plaintiffs side, and P. H. Iloff,
Esq, appeared for the defendant
John McGinty, one of the over
seers of the poor of Palmyra town
ship, swore than Mrs Klencks farm
consisted of 104 acres. He said that
there was fine house, worth $4,000
on it, and that there was four or
| five acres of timber land on the
| place. He placed the cash value of
her farm at $4,000. He thought the
rental value of the place should be
| $500 a year, the tenant to pay taxes
and the owner to take care of the
insurance. The assessment for poor
purposes in Palmyra, he said, was
five mills.
Milo Hopkins, another overseer of
the poor, who has lived in the town
ship, since 1S4S, swore that the
market value of Anna Klenck's farm
was between $4,000 and $4,000.
Her house, he said, is about the best
house in Palmyra township.
William Conklin who lives within
gunshot of Mrs. Klenck'sp place,
swore he knew her just long
enough to play at her wedding when
she was married" He said his farm
was rocky hard pan. 81 live on it,
he said, ''but l don't make my living
on it,"
The Court didn't think that a case
had been made out, but gave Attor-
ney Kimble until the third Monday
in October to file a brief
John Kellam, a Palmyra farmer
for the past 80 years, swore that the
Klenck house was a fine double
house, worth from $1,000 to $4,000.
He estimated, that of the 104 acres,
between 40 and so were tillable
land, the rest being woodland and
brushland.
At this juncture the Court inti-
mated that the plaintiff had not
made out strong case.
The defense called Mrs. Klenck,
who was attired in widows weeds,
to the stand. She testified that her
youngest child, girl of IL, goes to
school. Her next oldest child is a
son of 10, who works, when he has
work, at the cutting shop of Dor
fingers in White Mills, and that he
had only been making 81 a week
lately.
- l can't raise much on the place."
she said. THE boy helps me when
he has time. The rest l have to get
done"
Mrs. Klenck swore that she was in
poor health. Another daughter,
aged "a, she stated helps her, land
gives her wages so we can get
along"
The taxes is high, and | couldn't
get along without it," she declared.
She also affirmed that she could not
pay anything toward the support of
her son at Danville, and still sup
port herself and her family.
On m in q tiOO 1ai
ed that "the house looks nice, but
it's the old house fixed up. We
couldn't afford to have insurance on
it."
Mildred, her eleven-year-old
daughter, was called to the stand.
She swore that she lived with her
mother, who bought her clothes, and
that she went to school.
Lewis Klenck, Palmyra township,
her 19-year-old son, was called to
the witness stand, and told of giving
his mother the wages he earned in
the White Mills cutting shop. His
sister, Minnie, he said, gives most of
her wages 60 her mother. Lewis
can earn $40 week, when he works
full time.
"Why you can't raise enough on
the place to feed a horse. / have to
buy feed,' said Lewis. 81 don't
know whether we have enough pota-
toes to keep us over Winter"
Mrs. Klenck was recalled and al
most burst into tears, as she pro-
tested that her daughter was sickly,
that they had nothing at all, save
just what they need 1--WE have to
buy feed every week." she said.
David Conklin swore that he knew
PC no1r %.
knew the Klenck farm, as he was
born there. He said he calculated
her farm which joins his, was worth
about $4,000. For years he swore,
to seeing Mrs. Klenck working out
in the fields. "She raised only TAI
bushels OF grain this year. l don't
think she raised enough to pay the
taxes" he said. He declared he
Continued on Page Five.)