The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-04-15
TEsTIF|ES IN GERMANo CASE
West Side Woman Called From Her
Home to Aid City Case Puts Real
Humor Into the Dry Records of Court
Called Neighbors Knockers.

Foolish questions which are custo-
mary IN every court case were hard
hit in the circuit court this morning
when Mrs. Faith Van Der Wee, WON
an, who has the humorous developed
in her makeup to the fullest possible
degree, was called as witness for the
city in the circuit court in the trial of
a suit brought against James Jensen
ard DR.. G. Germano to force the re-
moval of stairway from the sidewalk
at the corner of Rowland avenue and
Market street. The testimony Of Mrs.
Van Der Wee was scream and half
hour after she had left the witness
laughing at the discomforture of the
city attorney. Mrs. Van Der Wee OBJ
jected to being called from her house
work to testify in a case in which she
was not interested and her testimony
will go down on record as the most
laughable incident in the annals of
the circuit court here.
She was rushed to the court house in
an automobile and it was evident when
she took the stand that she was not any
too willing witness, but she smiled
at the clerk when she took the stand
and after few preliminary questions
had been answered she began polk
ing fun.
Do you live near the Germano
building asked Attorney Slater.
Yes, about 200 feet vest said
Mrs. Van Der Wee.
You know that there is stairway
in the walk there don't youg' CON
tinued the attorney.
"Of course ] know it. There has
been so much fuss about it that every
body knows it.
Is the stairway dangerous to the
children?" queried Mr. Slater,
The response came quick enough.
"My children are old enough and
know enough to take care Of them
selves and I IN not worrying over that
stairway"
The next question was, care there
lots of children in the neighborhood? 2"
II should say there are. That is
some swell neighborhood so far as
children are concerned.
How many schools are there in the
neighborhood9" confined Mr.. Slater.
Now you know just as well as /
do how many schools there are there.
| responded Mrs. Van Der Wee. whats
the use of asking me all these foolish
| questions Later she recalled the
Balm and the Frank schools and the at
| torney continued.
How far is it from this building to
the Frank and the Balm schools9"
! GIVE never measured it and you
ought to know just as well as I do. y
THAT s all, +" the city attorney said
| rather peevishly and the witness was
| turned over to the defense.
Mrs. Van Der Wee, do you OBJ
| ject to that stairway?" asked Attor-
ney Baker.
don't care anything about it, y
was the reply and, continuing Mrs.
Van Der Wee fred her parting shot.
''The other neighbors out there are all
knockers. Why don t they get them
| down here instead of calling me away
from my work? You have got these
stairways all over the city and the way
to do it is to tell the doctor to put a
| gate on the stairway and let it alone. -
Having decided the case on its mer-
its Mrs. Van Der Wee breezed out of
the court room and took the waiting
automobile back to her work.
| 1t was sometime before the hearing
of the case proceeded on account of
the merriment which had been caused
by her testimony.
The introduction of the evidence in
the case was completed this morning
and Judge Belden took the case under
advisement.