The New York herald., 1922-07-12
Man MAY Be FREED
TO AID INSANE WIFE
JObless Presser in TOmbs
for Failure to Support
Children.
COULDN'T PAY SOCIETY
Had Left Woman Locked in
Flat for Safety When
Arrested.
NEIGHBORHOOD IN FEAR
Women Nervous About Mrs.
Fuchs, but She Appears
Quite Harmless.
NEIGHBORHOOD IN FEAR

ttC SAii iCPOiltl dppttIeu dt
lo7 Lewis street yesterday with a
box of vanilla ice cream the crowd of
women Children in their arms and
hanging on their skirts) blocked the
pavement and almost the street. wait
ing for something terrible to happen
to or from Kalman Fuchs's wife. They
didn't have much of an idea what to
expect. They were not at all sure
that anything would happen. But every
SO often some child, more daring than
the others. would steal up the stairs
in 1o7 and back through the dark hall
until he could see the door behind
which Mrs. Fuchs was.
And then he would come pounding
down to shout:
''She's coming OUT"
Then the crowd would take to it's
heels, rush across the street ard wait
The children would begin crying be-
cause their mothers had told them
Mrs. Fuchs carried a great, sharp
knife and would kill them. Did not
Mrs. Gussie Bergen, who lives at 7s
Lewis street, know about that knife,
having been threatened with 1t and
all? And ain't Mrs. Bergen, Mrs.
Fuchss own sister, afraid to go near?
But 1t would be only some other tenant
In lot who would appear. The scare
being dissipated. the crowd would
Womaa Reporter Arrives.
Along came the girl reporter with the
box of vanilla ice cream. She pushed
through the Jam OF excited Lewis street
folk and marched up the stairs and
back % The Fuchs nat. She knocked
and presently the door was opened by a
tall. rather fine looking man of 40 or so.
The woman was dressed in frock of
blue and over that was clean pink
apron. The fiat was SO clean it seemed
almost to have been polished.
About twenty women and children
had traied the girl reporter to the top
of the stairs. but no further.
The crowd surged back. those forward
wishing they hadn't such prime posi-
tions and those In the rear trying to see
from their relative safety the horror
they felt sure was about to happen.
And then the door opened and Kalman
Fuchs's wife was revealed, giggling like
q ten-year-old.
There was a cry from the crowd on
the stairs. Some one bolted and the rest
followed. They did not stop until they
had reached the curb on the east side of
Lewis street
The unfortunate woman in the door
took the girl reporters hand as child
might. The visitor gave her the ice
cream and Mrs. Fuchs began to cry. A
pot of cabbage was boiling on the stove.
A few slices of bread were piled upon
the table. There was no other food in
the place.
you kiss me? You kiss me?" asked
the tall woman. Mrs. Fuchs can speak
so little English that questioning her was
a pretty idle task. Constantly she clung
to the girl reporters fingers.
Asks for Husband and Children.
MY man. my man? You bring him?'.
she asked. MY children? You bring
them?''
The reporter tried to explain that Kali
man Fuchs might be released from the
Tombs to-day. and that satisfied the
woman so much she agreed to walk out
into the hallway with the newspaper
girl. Mrs Gussie Bergen has come up
from 7S and, while she didn't enter her
sisters flat she went to the top of the
stairs. The crowd followed her--to the
top of the stairs.
But when Mrs. Fuchs appeared in the
hall with the girl reported the queer
terror overcame the crowd once more
and they almost tumbed down the stairs.
Last year Kalman Fuchs. who is a
pants presser when he can get work,
had his wife committed to Bellevue.
whence the alienIsts sent her to Central
Islip Hospital for the Insane. There
were four children--Fannie. 13; Max.
IL; Jacob, Q. and Anna. z. On Sep
tember is the Children's Society caused
the four children to be committed to the
Hebrew Orphanage and the court
ordered kalman to play s12 a week for
their support.
In December, without warning, the
mother came home. Kalman says she
was as bad II not worse than when she
was sent to Central Tslip. He used to
take her out. the neighbors say, at
nights But three times she escaped
and twice was gone for two weeks She
returned, of course. but could give no
coherent story OF her wanderings. All
she would say was that she had been
Hooking for the children"
So Kalman, being a simple minded
person, decided to lock her up In the
fat when he went to work and thus be
assured that she'd be there when he go,
back. He lost his job about three
months ago and six weeks ago ceased
paying the s12 for the support of the
children. SO Kalman was locked ur
Moi1r- charged with failing to pro-
vide" snt -istrate Oberwager sent him
10 The Ttrir, to await trial In Special
EesHions. re bail is $500.
Naturally Kalman left his wife n,
home whom the police took him to court
re took care to lock the door before he
left. bur II did not appear yesterday
.iFf ME- Fuchs was a prisoner. She
openod door herself when the gir
reporter Knocked. The neighbors say
they win not let her starve even IL they
have TO throw food over the transom.
Mrs. Bergen went to the Tombs yester-
day and. simply enough. asked the guard
ON tine gate Ito please. your honor LEI
my brother-in-law, who Is a fine hus-
unnd for his wife. out so he can take
care Of her"
Kalman Fuchs said, through the cell
block door:
"For two days ] have not been able
to eat because OF my troubles. My wife
is insane. My children are in the asy-
Iun. I am In the Jail. ! can get work
II they will let me go and take care OF
my wife. who 10 alone and with no food
and insane"