Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 255, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1912 — HAPPENINGS THE CITIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HAPPENINGS THE CITIES

Iroquois Too Much for the Court Interpreter

NEW YORK.—Procedings in the Jefferson Market police court were brought to a standstill the other day, and Interpreter Lichtenstein was forced to admit that he had met his Waterloo after many victories in untangling strange tongues when two women members of the Iroquois tribe of Indians appeared before Magistrate Herbert, one charging the other with felonious assault, the weapon being a can of tomatoes. Mrs. Cecilia Hyde, 45 years old, of 626 Broome street, whose Indian name is Kaiuwsion, charged Mrs. Ida Pominick, 30 years old, who is known to her tribe as Kaiukwas, with assaultafter a dispute in the Broome street house in which they both live. When the case was called and Policeman Carone of the Macdougal Street station house arraigned Kaiukwas, and motioned Kaiuwaiun to approach the bench, it was learned that, although bearing English names, neither complainant nor defendant spoke English. Court Interpreter Lichtenstein was called, but after a short struggle with

the Iroquois gutturals begged to ba excused. 7 “sou are the interpreter of this court, are you not?” said the magistrate. “Yes, your honor.” “Then interpret.” “I cannot.” “Why?" I am not an Indian," replied Interprter Lichtenstein. “Well, what are w& going to do?” the magistrate said. “I must hear this case.” Chief Clerk George P. Richter, a Tammany brave, said that he would try to help out, since he had spentjhls vacations for the last ten years at Caughnawaga, and had picked up some of the Iroquois dialect. He was making slow but sure progress, having got the names of the complainant and defendant on the .record, and was swearing in a witness, when the husband of the defendant, William Dominick, whose Indian name is Kaionho, entered court. Magistrate Herbert talked with him for a few moments, and learned that he was a graduate of the Carlisle Indian school, and that he had brought his family and ajther members of his tribe to the city to see the sights Mrs. Hyde testified that Mrs. Dominick beat her over the head with a can of tomatoes, cutting open her forehead and splitting her scalp. Mrs. Dominick admitted the charge, but said that she had Just cause. The case was finally dismissed.