A TOUCHING SCENE IN A COURT ROOM.
It is not often that anything but the rough and seamy side of human nature is exposed in a court of justice. Yesterday in Judge Horton's chambers the kindly side was shown in an unusual degree. The incident took place over an attempt by John Ritter to adopt the little daughter of Leah Benjaminowski some days ago. Leah is the poor Russian Jew who created a scene in the court room by clasping her child in her arms, refusing to part with it, and, in a flood of tears, rushing from the court room. Judge Horton was so affected by the scene that he determined to investigate. He accordingly sent for a city detective, Louis Boch, and put him on the case. Boch found that the woman was a refugee from Russia. Her husband had been sent to the mines in Siberia, and had died there. Soon after coming here she married a poor tinsmith, who worked for $7.00 a week. In the meantime Judge Horton had a visitor, who was a wealthy and well-known resident of Chicago. He had seen the story in the papers, and his sympathy was aroused. "Judge," said he, "my cigars cost me $10 a week. I'll cut the expense down to $5.00 and give a bond to give that poor woman the rest. I couldn't sleep last night thinking about it. Tell her to keep her child." The same day a letter was received from Mrs. J. H. Stenier, who is stopping at the Victoria Hotel. She wrote the judge that she would give the woman and her children a good home in the country. Yesterday morning Judge Horton had Detective Boch bring Mrs. Benjaminowski and her two children into his private rooms. An unusual scene was witnessed. When the poor woman was told that she need not give up her child, she fell on her knees, grasped the little one in her arms, and wept tears of joy. It proved too much for the court and the detective, and their tears were mingled with those of the happy mother.—Chicago Herald.