Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-25
WIDOWS PENSION LAW
INADEQUATE, HE SAYS
Probation Gascoyne Sh cots Statute Full of Metaphor
ca Holes and Suggests Ad don of Clauses Provide for
Prisoners Wives and Child of INDECENT Wdowers.

/ father happened to be the one thai
died.
Another thing" continued Mr.
Gascoyne, lis that the law as present
constituted allows the court no dis
erection in the amount to be paid. 1t
specifies that a. widow with one child
under the age of 16 shall receive So
month for the support of the child
If she has two children she gets $14,
three SIS and so on with an additional
81 a month for. each child after the
first two.
, Now in many instances relief is
needed, but not in the full amount
But under the law 1t Is the full
amount or nothing. Tt would seem
to me that the payments as now pro-
yided for by law should be made the
maximum payments to be allowed,
letting the court in its discretion and
after proper investigation of cases
allow a lesser amount if the investi-
cation has shown it to be sufficient
for the needs of the widow and chill
dren.
Likewise there should be a provi-
sion in the law for medical exaTnina-
tion of applicants by physicians ap-
pointed by the court. The law pro-
vides that a physician's certificate
accompany each petition. That is a
good provision. but there should also
be an examination. independent of
that made by the physician of the
applicant to determine to the satisfac-
ton of the court just what the Attic
ton or disability of the applicant is"
Mr.. Gascoyne also pointed out that
the law now provides that investiga-
ton of cases be made after the petit
hoauA rrysanta6 the
widow is in receipt of money from the
State. These Investigations are to be
made at least six times a year, ac-
eording to the law. Mr. Gascoyne is
of the opinion that six Investigations
year are not enough by any means,
and would result in an immense
amount of good that will eventually
result under the law, in going to waste.
IF I may coin a word" said Mr..
Gascoyne, 81 would say that 'un-
economical conditions would be found
to exist in many homes where PEN
sions had been allowed and the only
way to remedy this condition would
be by local supervision By this /
mean frequent Investigations by per-
sons familiar with the circumstances,
instead of the six times year inves-
tigation by the Board of Children's
Guardians"
In Mr.. Gascoyne's opinion the State
of New Jersey is too wide a field for
the Board of Guardians to attempt to
do the huge work that will be neces-
sary to properly supervise the pay
ment of widows pensions and do the
work in such way that the best re-
suits be obtained from the work.
George Sutherland appeared in Com
mon Pleas Court this week before
I,1lr d a Y.fir1 a NIT
for George Thorney. who was suing a
livery company for injuries received
when he was kicked by an alleged
vicious horse. Sutherland. with sew
eral others, was riding in a wagon
driven by Thorney early on the morn
ing when Thorney was kicked. Suth-
erland was being given a severe cross
examination by Conover English,
counsel for the livery company, ano
told in detail every part of the acct
dent, except the actual kick delivered
by the horse. Asked why he had not
seen that, Sutherland exlained: Il
was looking over another fellow
shoulder, but was asleep"
| Asleep asked English. then how
did you come to see any of the things
Ioid us as happening before
the alleged kick?"
"Oh. | had just fallen asleep and
was Sutherlands naive reply as
laughter f1oated over all parts of the
court room.
When Wilbur A. Mott, now first
assistant prosecutor. was prosecutor.
Frederick r. Lehlbach was his first
assistant. This week, during the trial
of Cornelius J. Harrington, Lehlbach
was one of Harrington's counsel,
while Mr.. Mott spent a good deal of
the time in the court room aiding
Prosecutor Louis Hood. But the old
habit of association with Mr.. Lehl-
bach stuck to Mr.. Mott and frequent
| ly when he would think of some point
that could be used by advantage to
| the State in the examination of a
witness he would jump up and pull
Lehlbach's arm to attract his at
tention instead of that of Mr.. Hood,
whom he meant to help.