The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-29
Hegal Aid Is Being Given by
PrOvident Association.
Many q Human Interest Case
Has Come to Light.
E. |. O'MEIL LEADER IN WORK
His Annual Report Of General
Interest.
Advocates Incorporated Legal
Aid Society Here.

Advice has been given the poor in
Topeka in the last year through the
fundamentally of the legal aid de-
partment Of the Provident association
which has been the means of procur-
ing divorces with alimony for mothers
OF children whose husbands failed to
properly support them or were guilty
of cruelty. 1t has also given Justice
to go to court with their grievances.
This legal aid department is a COM
paratively new feature Of the work of
the association, and it is proving most
effective: E. L. O'Neil is the chair
man OF the committee that undertakes
the work Of the department. Many
humon interest case has come to light
in the last year through the efforts Of
the committee.
1t was just this week that a colored
starved his wife to death, was
brought to time" through the efforts
of Mr.. O'Neil. According to evidence
the woman in question died at the
home which she owned near Twenty
fourth and Madison streets from
tuberculosis-and starvation. The
three children were cared for by their
aged grandmother, who, by the way.
had given her daughter the house in
which she died. The old woman had
money for the support Of the young
sters. and all the time the father who
was making $3.50 a day was paying
nothing towards their support.
The Kings complained about the
man last summer but justice was not
dealt out. Through the advice of Mr.
O'Neil a new complaint was made this
fall by the aged colored woman and
as result this week the delinquent
father was given a sentence Of ninety
aside from being ordered to pay SIS
a month towards the support Of the
children.
Assisting Mr.. O'Neil on the commit
tee are Judge w. r. Schoch and Com
missioner w. L. Porter.
The annual report Of the work of
the legal aid department OF the Provi-
dent association as submitted by Mr..
O'Neil shows that good. is being done.
It reads In part a. follows:
Committee ON Legal Aid.
The COMMITTEES on legal aid has come to
ton. why7 Partly because the score
beers Of the committee when there comes
can be aided as much BY legal advice and
or comfortable bed, and partiy Because
the members OF the committee themselves,
u had LARGE ans
It may conjure the. minds Of some to
ganized to feed the hungry, ciothe the
naked. nurse the sick and give succor in
every distressing and unfortunate emer-
gency, needs with legal aid committee.
Without knowing the real work of the
committee. some may ask the question,
What does the association need with law
yers? It doesn't need them for ITSELF but
the answer liz, It has more poor clients
than all the lawyers in Topeka, and most
lawyers clients are poor. Some are in
that class because they have had too
too much to DO with lawyers. The chief
function Of the legal aid committee Is to
give gratuitous advice and COUNCIL to
worthy people without means, and whose
legal rights are about to be invaded or
imposed upon, and who for want of prop
er legal aid. at q critical time may be
defrauded out OF property rights or
through ignorance or poor judgment be-
come vioiators Of law and fall into the
criminal class.
During the past year. it has been my
thropic work Of this association by assist
ing large number Of people who were in
one or other OF the classes mentioned
above. This experience has led me to be-
lieve that Topeka should have regularly
Incorporated legal aid society with suf-
ficient funds at its disposal to employ the
services of able lawyers to protect the
needy and unfortunate from wrong and
injustice. Kansas City, Mo-. Is the only
city IN this country that makes munich
pal appropriation to the support of legal
aid society.