DOLLARS OR PENNIES.

Shannon News, 22 November 1927, Page 3

DOLLARS OR PENNIES.

NEW YORK QOURT COMEDY. AV OMAN'S BAG OF , COP FEES. "Twenty-five dollars fine," said Magistrate Farrell, irf the'Bronx Traffic Court, New York, recently. Mrs Orelea Marconi, aged 3;">, proprietress of the Starlight Inn. Boston Post Roa:l, who had pleaded guilty of -.peed-ing 40 mile.? an hour on the Grand. 'Jov.po'.u'sc, stepped forward alnnst eagerly. '"'Pay Mm" sai-i the magistrate, indicating a clerk. Mrs Marconi emptied a canvas bag ■m the desk of John Lantry, court attendant. "There's the 25 dollars —2500 pennies j count 'em,'*' she explained. Lantry: No, you count 'em. Defendant: I will not. I counted :hem once and I know •there are 2500 here. If you have any doubt about it you'll have to count them yourself, ■Lantry (heatedly).:, I can't count 2500 fiennies. ''Defendant!: What's, the matter? Can 't you count? j The Magistrate: Yoii have to count out these pennies. Defendant: Why should I? I know there are 2500 pennies th< re I'm a motorist paying a fine, and not a teacher giving a lesson in addition. There's the 2-1 dollars, Isn't it? The Magistrate pondered the matter fhoitly. "You're right/' he. agreed. "He should not compel 'you to count ihe money. He should insist, however, that you lay down the pennies one by one so that he caii see that none of -.hem i 3 counterfeit... Mrs Marconi objected, and the Magistrate ended the debate by ordering her committed until she counted out the

pennies. -'Aij right," said Mrs Marconi, scooping up th'e coins. "I'll go to gaol f.iv my principles." A few minutes later, however, she changed her mind, and tossed her principles overboard and several dollars in notes on Lantry's desk. "1 counted these ponnics once and \[ made me dizzy," she

f aid. "Apparently," replied Lantry, counting the notes, "because there's 35 dollars here." And he handed her back 10 dollars. "Next," said the magistrate, as Mrs Marconi swept out of the courtroom with a 10-dollar note in one hand and the heavy big of coppers in the other.