The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-12-04
SOCIETY WOMAN
{. PLAYS PORT|A TO
( HELP CHAUFFEUR
Mrs. Pell Appears in Police
court to Defend Driver on
! Smoking Charge.
: EXAMINES WITNESSES.
s.Then Makes Speech to Court,
~ but Her "Client" Is Fined
o., Just the Same.
WITNESSES.

Mrs. Stephen Pell OF No. 5 East Sixty
n1neh street lectured Magistrate OCon-
me- IN the Harlem Police Court to-day
On the fashionable worlds opinion of
the vulgar minons Of the law who
disturb the elect Of the earth when they
are tooling The Avenue In their princely
appointed lmousnes. The handsome
and richly gowned society woman en-
tertained Magistrate O'Connor and an
intensely interested courtroom throng
for an hour with her discursive remarks.
The case in Issue was simply u
charge of violation of the, anti-smoke
ordinance in Its application to the auto
mobile. Mrs. Pell had been stopped on
Fifth avenue In front of the Union Club
yesterday by Patrolman Matthews OF
~ Trafic Squad. Matthews very
politely called the attention of Albert
Milar. Mrs. Pell's chauffeur. to the fact
That clouds of black smoke were
Issuing from the exhaust of the Pell
limousine. and at the same time the
tsafnlo cop bowed and handed . sum-
mons to Chauffeur Milar In which he
was requested to appear In the Harlem
Police Court to-day.
Now. smoke cases arc frequent and
numerous in the various police courts
Of Greater New York. and customarily
they arc disposed OF in less/than a min
ute. Tho chauffeurs Of the Vanderbilts.
the Astors. the Carnegies and the
II, -
and so have the motor pilots Of scores
Of other multi-millionaires and, social
leaders. But It remained for Mrs. Ste
phen Pell to make u cause celebre out
Of . smoke case and play tho role Of
Portia In defense Of her chauffeur.
MRS. PELL CONSTRAINED.
Although the summons did not call
for Chauffeur Milar's appearance In the
police court until to-day. Mrs. Pell lost
no time in going TO Police Headquarters
and entering q complaint against the
guilty traffic policeman.
And when the case was called BY
Magistrate OConnor to-day Mrs. Pell
was on hand to test the Ubiquitous anti
smoke ordinance and to chide Ofcer
Matthews for having stopped her limou-
sine In front Of a gentleman's club. Ex-
quisitely cow: ed and intensely serious.
Mrs. Pell posted herself at the side OF
the bench assigned TO counsel and wait.
ed for Policeman Matthews to recitc
his brief complaint, She listened I'm
patiently, yet deferentially. When
Matthews had finished Mrs. Peli ad-
dressed the Court:
Your Honor. may I cross-examine?
Magistrate O'Connor nodded consent.
"Officer," began Mrs. Pell. aiming a
gold pencil at Policeman Matthews and
making little gestures, do you under
stand much about automobiles?"
NO" returned Matthews. with an
amused smile.
Yesterday, when you handed my
chauffeur a summons. did you ask him
10 race his engine to exhilarate the
nUtor?'
Yes. but not until after the chauffeur
suggested It,"
Q. (grimly) Have you any knowledge
Of the mechanism OF a motor car?
4. No.
MRS. PELL PLEAsEs HERSELF
As LAWYER.
Mrs. Pell addressing the CourD-l
simply wished to see. Your Honor. II
this man Is the proper person to hold
such a position. lie acknowledges ne
knows nothing about automobiles.
hnve established my point.
Magistrate O'Connor bowed ana the
chauffeur took the stan1. lie testified
he; had not noticed his car was smok-
ing until the policeman handed him the
summons lie would not swear the car
had not smoked.
A the chauffeur stepped down. Mrs
Pell announced: Now will testify
Your Honor"
II want to say, Your Homer. that
ride up and down In my car on Fifty
avenue during the day. l suffer from
; the smoke from other cars and the dis
agreeableness OF some policemen. 4
change must come. / am getting m!
friends together to fight the Polic'
Department on tho situation. Last nigh
my husband and I and number o
, friends went into this matter thorough!
and We are going to have an indisnatioi
mestins at the Automobile Club yer!
SOON"
'.Hss. Peli am compelled to fine you
chauffeur e." said the magistrate
"While you may crdticise him and com
plain against him for doing his duty
there are DOZENS of others who wou!'
send In complaints to his superiors !
he tailed to take action against smok
ins automobiles"
Msu Pen bowed and withdrew to he
Limousine.
WILL LET WOODROW DO IT.