Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-01-31
The Story In New York.

today's New York Sun follows:
An 1S-year- girl told Magistrate
Reynolds in the Adams street police
court in Brooklyn yesterday how she
had made her way from Maine to New
York and had supported herself since
her arrival here last September.
She contradicted the popular idea
that a country girl finds its difficult
to make an honest living in New
York. She insisted that she could get
along unaided.
The young woman was Susan wini-
fred Kerr of Sanford, Me. She was ar
rested Wednesday night as a vagrant
on request of the Sanford authorities,
and passed the night in the Adams
street police station. When arraigned
yesterday morning she at once pro-
ceeded to prove to the magistrate and
to Probation Officer Anna J. Connel-
ly- that she was no vagrant and was
capable of making her own way.
She admitted that she is a runaway
from the Maine Industrial School at
Haliowell, to which she was commit
ted at the instance of her parents.
-Four years ago last summer, she
said, she wanted to make money dur.
ing the summer vacation She got a
position with a moving picture COM
pany which had a studio in Maine.
had had some musical education. play
ed the piano and had a pleasing voice
She wanted to go on the stage and
found the moving picture work fine
training.
Her parents did not countenance her
stage ambitions and, according to the
young woman, they considered acting for
moving pictures the first step In down.
ward career.
so the parents-both are aged-had the
girl committed to the Industrial School
until she became 81. a term of seven
years. nD So
In the Institution. Miss Kerr says, she
was rebellious.. but finding 1t did not pay
she behaved Well for two years. She was
able to go on with her studies to some
extent and learned stenography Last
September she and another inmate, EN-
ma Williams IA, made their escape They
let themselves down from a window at
night by a rope made of bedclothing and
walked rs miles to Lewiston
The first few days We're the hardest
The girls were IN constant fear of cap
ture. They had little money and for the
first week lived chiefly on water, with
now and then little more substantial
food.
Then they both got work as household
servants. They kept the jobs until they
had enough money to bring them to New
York. Soon after their arrival in Novem-
Der the other girl was caught and sent
back to school.
Miss Kerr tried to get work In stenog-
raphy but without recommendations
could not get a position. So she con-
WINGED an agent of her ability as a cab
aret singer and was engaged at Colaizzi's
in East 9th street. She told Miss Con-
nelly that when arrested she was about
to start for Elmira, where she had re-
ceived better offer for cabaret work
with four months contract
In some way word got back to Maine
of the girls whereabouts and her arrest
was requested. Detectives Chrystie and
Ward found her at Sc East Fifth street,
Flatbush, where she was living with
friends made since coming to New York,
The girl awakened quick interest in
court. A lawyer, Edward J. Reilly, vol
unteered to represent her and Miss Con-
nelly, who has been a probation officer
for Is years and Is much more accus-
toned to stories of weakness in young
girls than of strength, had a long talk
with her. ~ b.es
Magistrate Reynolds declined to COM
nit the girl and paroled her in custody
of Miss Connolly until Saturday. Miss
Connolly took her to the Ozanam Home
for Women at As Concord street while
her story is being investigated.