Pig Lady

The life of an animal protector is not an easy one. "Malicious meddler" is one of the mildest names apt to be shouted by people accused of maltreating their animals. They may be even more bitter if the protector is a beauteous society woman who was once a famed public character. Irene Castle McLaughlin, whose zeal for animal welfare is now almost as famed as were her dancing and style-setting in pre-War days, found that out again in Waukegan, Ill. last week.

Two years ago Mrs. McLaughlin heard that a Morton Grove farmer named William Schroeder was maltreating his hogs. On behalf of the Illinois Humane Society she inspected his farm several times, finally had him arrested. A police court fined him $10. He appealed, won a reversal in Cook County's Criminal Court. Last week in Waukegan he was suing Mrs. McLaughlin for $10,000 for false arrest, malicious prosecution.

Farmer Schroeder declared he fed his hogs only high-grade refuse from Northwestern University and fine cafes. Furthermore, he complained, the 110-lb. one-time dancer had "pushed and bruised" him (270-lb.) when he tried to keep her off his farm. He had not, he admitted, used "Bible talk" in remonstrating with her, but neither had she. "She called me names I don't believe proper to mention here."

Testified Mrs. McLaughlin: "There were tin cans, wagon wheels and other debris all around. As for the pigs, they looked very meagre--starved-looking. . . . They were coughing and seemed to have colds."

"Just what do you know about pigs?" asked her opponent's counsel.

"Do you want me to tell all?" said she. He did. She said she had closely observed the hogs on her father's farm and on the estate of her Lake Forest neighbor, Adman Albert D. Lasker. In addition she had studied a public library book on Swine Husbandry.

"Outline a perfect diet for hogs," commanded the attorney. Her own counsel's objection was sustained.

Five farmers on the jury wanted to punish the defendant for meddling. It took 14 ballots to win them over to acquittal. "Bum break," growled Farmer Schroeder.

Last week Mrs. McLaughlin announced she had decided to call her forthcoming novel A Woman of Fashion instead of This Little Pig.

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