New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-23
CALLED SMITH,
SMITH HE'LL BE
Manufacturer Wants to
Take Name of Friend
He ReSembled.
SUPREME COURT GETS
A "WHIM" PETITION
SOn.in.Law of Late James h.
Hearn Objects to Child's
Use of His Cognomen.

Unusual reasons for asking permits
sion to change names were stated in
two applications just granted by JUS
tice Delehanty, of the Supreme Court.
Janet Cowl Hall, through her father,
J. Willet Hall, asked judicial consent
to the dropping Of the middle name
because Clarkson Cowl, son-in-law of
the late James A. Hearn and member
of the dry goods firm established by
the latter. seriously objected" TO the
use of the name Cowl by the child.
The other petitioner was Peter An
gelo, who has grown up from child
hood under the name of Smith because.
when a boy, he looked so much like a
boy named Smith that he. too, was
called by that name, which has stuck
to him through life. Angelo now has
taken legally the cognomen by which
he has been known most of his life.
He is a successful manufacturer, and
he expressed the fear that he would be
unable to do business under his real
name.
Mr. Hall is a member of the Produce
Exchange and a broker. with Offices at
"a Broadway. Hall and Cowl are men,
bers Of the New York Yacht Club.
Janet Cowl Hall was four years old on
May ~ last At the time of the chi Ids
birth, said Mr.. Hall. "the middle name
Of COwl was given the infant in recog-
milton Of a friendship Of long stand
ing between the mother of the infant
and Mrs. Clarkson Cowl"
within the last few weeks" said Mr.
Hall in his petition, your petitioner
has ascertained that Mrs. COwl's hus-
band has most serious objections to the
continuance of the use of the name by
the infant. and the extremely friendly
relationship which has existed between
these two families is in serious dan
ger of being disrupted if this infant
continues 10 use such name. Very ma
terial and important advantages have
accrued to the brothers and sister OF
your petitioner through the existence
and continuance of the friendship Of
these families, as well as TO the infant,
who has been the recipient of many
valuable gifts from both Mr.. and Mrs.
Cowl. and there is every reason TO sup
pose that such infant will be the loser
by serious falling out between the
families. the Mr.. Clarkson Cowl re-
ferred to being a man Of wealth and IN
fuence in this city"
Arthur Hearn Cowl. a son of Clark
son Cowl. was killed last April when
his fancee, Miss Emily Wheeler. Of
Stratford. Conn. pulled a string which,
unknown to her, was attached to re-
volver.
Peter Angelo, who became Peter F.
Smith. is thirty-eight years old. lie
said that when your petitioner was
a boy there vas another boy that re-
sembled your petitioner very much' so
that he was often taken for him. and
it was not long before people began
20 call your petitioner Smith, ana
after a while he became known by the
name of Smith" In 1902 he enlisted
in the United States navy as Smith,
he said. He was honorably discharged
four years later For the last two and
a half years ne has been IN business
under the name of Smith, and ne ielt
certain. he said. that his business
would be ruined if he now used the
name of Angelo.