Klemm Girls' Case Studied

The lawyer for the Klemm twins--the two South Boston figure skaters who were hospitalized after a Leverett House brawl in April, 1957--has obtained access to the girls' commitment papers, which were under a court impounding order, and stated that they "have been done a grave injustice."

Donald T. Field '31, the lawyer, has been examining the papers this week. Field emphasized that he has no intention of bringing suit unless he finds "incontrovertible" evidence that the Klemm girls were committed illegally, and that a thorough investigation of the case is planned.

"Still in all," Field commented, "the girls seem to have been deprived of due process. It is unbelievable to deprive people of their liberties to this extent."

The Klemm twins were committed to Danvers State Hospital for observation and treatment by Cambridge District Court Judge M. Edward Viola, who refused Field's request to examine the papers earlier this month. After being released from Danvers last November on a trial basis, the Klemms were given a complete discharge on Sept. 20.

During the period when they were released on trial, the girls were not permitted to appear as figure skaters outside of Cambridge and had to refuse invitations to skate in Los Angeles, at Michigan State, and elsewhere, according to Field.

He claimed that their "career had been ruined," and pointed out that the girls were not allowed to continue their studies at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts last year, since they were still legally committed.