New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-22
Truth Will Prevail" Says
Woman When Court
Suggests a Lawyer,
BUTLER. DISCHARGED
BY HER, WINS $500
Mrs. Mayo Smith Objects to
Jews, Heckles SANDER Witness
and Loses Case.

The next time Mrs. Mabel Mayo
Smith is litigant in court she Will be
represented By counsel She said so
yesterday after appearing "a her own
lawyer in the Supreme Court in suit
brought against her By Jacques Bofer-
ding, q former butler, for $4,000 dam
pccs for false arrest and malicious
prosecution. \ verdict of $500 was re-
turned against her.
Mrs. Mayo-Smith is the widow OF
Professor Richard Mayo-Smith, who oc-
cupied the chair of political economy
at Columbia University. Bofferding
was her butler. and his wife, Marie
acted as maid, laundress and COOK. The
latter was discharged for insubordina-
ton; then her husband decided 70 quit.
Once before BoFcrdlng had left the
employ OF Mrs. Mayo-Smith and re-
turned.
The last parting Of mistress and man
was not an amicable one. While Mrs.
Bofferding was packing her husband
went to the cellar. Meeting his mis-
tress. he volunteered the statement
that he had gone below stairs to get
some string. Investigation in the cell
lar revealed some burning paper.
Fire Accusation Made Immediately.
Mrs. Mayo-Smith accused the butler
and ordered his arrest. A policeman
refused, but told the complainant that
If she would arrest Boferding he
would accompany them to the station.
This Mrs. Mayo-Smith did. The but
Ter was discharged in the Magistrates
court. Suit followed.
81 would prefer that you get law
yer TO look after your interests JUS
tice Delchanty advised the defendant
yesterday
Truth will prevail. and need no
COUNSEL" replied Mrs. Mayo-Smith.
She then began examining tslesmen.
She wanted no Jews on the jury.
Justice Delehanty explained that a
man could not be rejected for racial
reasons. but Mrs. Mayo-Smith eY-
planned that her prejudice was due 20
the fact that they always side with
the men"
With the box filled the defendant
told the jury what she was going 10
prove. In her address she said she had
deducted sl3 from Bofcrdng's wages
for two vases that he had damaged,
hut he refused 10 take the check Of
fered.
When BoTcrding took the stand she
argued with him and herself detailed
the story which she wanted TO prove,
but without the usual procedure Of
asking questions. The court was kept
busy admonisning her.
Broken Bits OF Evidence.
Here are the things you broke" sh.
said at one point. extracting the broken
articles from her muff. Justice Dele
hanty interjected that such was not
the way to get the broken silver YES
sells into evidence.
Didn't you break them" she then
shouted at BotFerding. who remained
unflustered and throughout the exam
iuation referred TO his former employer
as madame
Boffcrding said that Mrs. Mayo
Smith had pushed his wife at the time
of the disagreement and accused her
Of eating one Of two ducks that she
had in the house. "All she gave us 20
eat AZ night was bread and tea" he re-
marked.
On hearing the $500 verdict Mrs.
Mayo-Smith asked 10 have the finding
set aside. This was denied. Then she
announced that she would appeal, for
which purpose she would engage an
attorney.