The New York herald., 1921-11-28
GIRLS RALROADED
TO PRISON BECAUSE
THEY EARNED Living
Arrested Without War
rants; Committed to Bed
ford Without Trial.
ARE CALLED VAGRANTS
Their Crime in Eyes of Rela-
tives Was Working in
Film Theatre.
ONE is FREE; CHUM SOON
Case Of Injustice i'm Saugerties
Revealed in Supreme
Court Here.
ONE IS FREE; CHUM SOON

Four and half months ago two
girls from Saugerties, N Y, were re-
celved in the State Reformatory for
Women in Bedford. charged with
vagrancy. One of them was Margaret
Ballard, who is 20 years old and who
used to play the piano in the movies
in Saugerties. The other was Mar
garet's chum, Eta Beattie, who pre-
sided in the ticket booth at the door
of the theatre wherein Margaret was
the orchestra.
A few days ago Supreme Court JUS
tice Morschauser, after listening TO
witnesses who made his sophisticated
ears tingle, ordered Margaret Ballard
released and escorted back to her home
in Saugerties. Furthermore he prom
ises to do the same for Eta within the
coming week.
The Justice said yesterday land he
is corroborated by no less parsonage
! than William Richter, Chief OF Police
in Saugerties) that everybody con-
cerned freely admits that the girls had
no trial; that they were committed TO
Bedford by Police Judge William
Chidester on charges preferred by
/ their parents and other relatives and
! that the girls were taken into custody
without the customary formality of
the procuring of warrants.
! As matter of fact, according to
Justice Eorsohauser and Chief Richter.
the girls were taken TO Police Head
! quaiters quite unceremoniously, white
Judge Chidester sat in his home quar-
ter OF a mile away putting the finishing
touches on the commitment papers.
So far as Justice Morschauser was
able to learn Eargaret's crime consisted
in playing the piano in the movies. Her
parents didn't like 1t and asked her to
quiz. She insisted on continuing, saying
she earned more money doing that than
she could in a shop or office. And at
that IL seems her parents abandoned
their opposition. But another relative,
whose identity could not be fixed last
night. refused 10 condone the matter.
She went to Judge Chidester who. ac-
cording to Chief Richter. found Mar
garet guilty of "vagrancy."
"The Judge is an old man." said Rich
ter yesterday. He felt he was acting
for tho girls good. She was not given
a trial. She was arrested at the request
of her relatives. Yes, / made the ar
rests"
Just what Eta Beattie's particular
misdemeanor was Is not vet clear JUS
tice Morschauser has not heard all the
evidence In Etta's case. He says he does
know she received no trial and was
taken to Bedford as unceremonious!y as
her chum, Margaret. But, according to
the Justice, IN neither case was charge
of vagrancy warranted inasmuch IS both
girls were earning their livings and both
OF them declared that if anybody thinks
that playing the piano and selling tickets
Cor a movie isn't work that person lacks
Judgment.
Miss Ballard is back in Saugertics to-
| day simply because the relative who in
sisted that no Ballard was going to play
music in a public theatre relented. The
girls mother became i'll and the doctor
advised the family to take the girl back
IL there was a desire to hasten Mrs.
Ballards recovery SO the Ballards went
to Grant Brinnier, lawyer In SAUCER
ties, who hurried down to White Plains
to demand OF Justice Morschauser the
necessary writ of habeas corpus.
Chief Richter went along with Mr..
Brinnier saying he thought It was too
bad the girls were locked up and that he
would like TO take them back home. The
Chief told the Justice that although
there had been some talk around Sau-
e. rites about the two girls he never had
heard OF anybody who really could say
anything against them In fact the
Chief said. you could find any number Of
Saugertles' most conservative citizens
who would gladly testify that both girls
were Of good character--a little lively
maybe and fonder OF dancing than folks
used to be, but that's all.
Got "Absent Treatment"
And then Mr.. Brinner went on to
show Justice Morschauser that the girls
had been given absent treatment" so
far as the court in Saugerties was con-
cerned The release of Miss Ballard
was ordered ut once. Mr. Brnnier was
not retained IN behalf OF Eta Beattie,
80 she is still in Bedford. The Justice
declared, however, he would take up the
remaining girl's case himself.
IL criticized the methods by which
these girls were committed" said Justice
Morschauser last night "and told them
that such practices could not go on In
this country
The Justice added he had learned that
even before the girls were arrested and
before Chief Richter had been asked 10
arrest them the Saugerties authorities
sent TO Bedford for commitment papers.
Judge Chidestcr. who. according TO
Chief Richter. Is 81 years old. admit
ted yesterday the girls had not been
brought before him for trial. Hc de-
clared he had never had case like
that to deal with before and that he was
convinced he had acted wisely. But
most strenuously did he deny Chief
Rlchter's statement regarding his age.
I'm only Co." he said.
At Bedford II WAS said that both girls
had behaved admirably while there and
that there was nothing about their COM
| mitment papers that hinted of irrcgu-
larlties in the manner of their commit
ment. N