New-York tribune., 1916-06-18

Cornell University
mob Rad strsneled afteen hours before
Tot Tot she whispered. Leo is dead"
THE above lines appeared in The Tribune
Of August is last At dawn the day be
fore masked citizens of Marietta, Ga, hac
snatched Frank from his cell, had removed
him to a convenient oak and had taken the life
Of the young Jew. The East Side still shuddess
with the memory Of it ALL but few in the East
Side knew the little old woman whose small
stock of newspapers was dampened nightly
with her tears. Few in the East Side knew
where she lived nor where she has gone Ask
The writer's of the Yiddsh press, those omniv-
orous digcSters of East Side gossip and stray
news and they will shrug their shoulders 1t
was only by luck that l happened to stumble
ON Maryasha Shuman
On the night Of the lynching had been sent
70 cover the reaction on the East Side. Franks
fellow Jews took the news with helpless wrath.
with a cry of revenge on their lips and I'M
mobile self pity in their hearts. Groups gath
cred in front of the bulletin boards on East
Broadway, orators jumped on boxes, a sigh
went up from the crowds. | stopped for
moment at the corner of East Broadway and
jefferson Street and purchased paper. The
Old and wrinkled, with shawl thrown over
her gray head, was the woman who had sold
me the paper. The eaping fame of pedler's
torch cast her pinched, yellow face into striking
relief. She was crying Just an old crank dis
satisfied with her days earnings, might have
been the comment of the busy passerby. But
underneath the streaks of dirt it was kindly
face, a face that reminded me much of
Whster's Mother"
"Bobenu" ! began. employing the Yiddish
diminutive for the word grandma" "Why are
you crying?"
The eyes of the old woman held the secret
Of Israel's eternal tragedy.
why. you ask?" she replied. Cry I must
and will until the day of my death. Who will not
CRY over the death of such fair Jewish SOM
A prince has fallen in Israel-a prince. Leo
is toti Gonel His life has been snatched from
him by murderers, may they never rest in
neace until the Lord takes their own. Gott!
Destroy them as they have destroyed him"
But why should you, a weak old woman,
cry over the death Of one whom you have never
known?"
4 knew him not, she replied. "But my son
did"
"Your SOM"
"Yes, Hyman went to college with Leo. Both
went to the College Cornell. Always did he
help him when he had no money, and God
knows | make very little. From selling papers
one earns barely living. And Leo helped my
son. Leo! Leol"
Again the old woman was carried away by
her emotion. There, in that East Side street,
the drama Of the situation seized me. Here
was East Side reaction. Why go further?
A few months later sought out old Mary
asha. It was on Friday night, the eve Of
the Jewish Sabbath. She would not be selling
papers on this night. Maryasha Shulman was
in her two-room fiat at Ga Orchard Street,
lighting the Sabbath candles required by Jew
ish law. Two loaves of homemade bread
touched sides at the end of the small table. A
clean tablecloth hid the dirt and markings on
the surface, and a platter of gefueUte fsA
adorned the approximate centre.
"Gut Shobboth" she greeted. She lit two
small candles, then applied the fame Of one to
a candle somewhat larger. This she placed on
a shelf. The others stood guard over the
loaves of bread
Etn guten OhUOOOtN, OOOoHu, IeNuIueu
"Whom do you mourn that you place the third
candle by itself7"
'You are the man who spoke with me on that
u,aqIckhchen abend?" she queried sighing.
Then her face lit with reminiscent smile
Now, more than ever, | realized what kindly
wrinkled face it was 'Ill tell you, my SON.
That candle have put away to the memory Of
Leo Frank"
do you do that every Friday night"
Every Friday night, as long as will live
replied Maryasha Shulman. God knows
there is little enough can do for him. Were
a man I would then say Kaddish morning and
night when l pray. But what can a poor old
woman like me do? A candle costs only two
cents, and on my son Hyman der Gott seliger
Leo spent more than that Tell me- Have
you seen his parents? All how broken
hearted they must be. What misfortune,
what a misfortune!"
"Do you still peddle papers, bobenu?"
quered.
MY son, am getting Old" Maryasha Shul-
man replied bravely. "Hyman will not permit
IT,. Besides. he gives me money enough, may
he live long, long after me. Some day they will
lower me in the grave. but may my Hyman live
years and years to say Kaddish after me, to
remember his little old mother"