Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-04-11
AN EXCITING SCENE.
A Noted Actress in Court-She
Meets Her Child for the First
Time In Over a Year.

From the Baltimore American of Monday,l
A habeas corpus case of unusual in.
terest was heard and determined in the
City Circuit Court, before Hon. Judge
Alexander. The complainant in the
case was Mrs. Cecilia Kellogg formerly
Miss Eliza Logan, of dramatic reputa-
tiou), who petitioned fora writ of habeas
corpus, to compel her husband, Mr..
Minor K. Kellogg Ia celebrated painter),
to produce in court an infant daughter,
Virginia Somers Kellogg, aged between
six and seven years. In her petition it
was alleged, that about the lst of De-
cember, 1866, in consequence of the
cruel and harsh treatment of the said
Minor X. Kellogg toward petitioner, she
suffered mental excitement and physical
debility, and as provision against fatal
consequences that might have ensued,
your petitioner, by the direction of said
Minor X. Kellogg, was sent over to the
city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in
hopes that a change of scene and proper
medical treatment might ameliorste her
condition, and that subsequently it be-
came necessary to send her to New
York, in hopes that the professional
treatment of physician there, emf
nently celebrated in this specially,
would work a radical cure; and that,
through his advice, your petitioner was
directed not to return to Baltimore,
if she valued her life, and that, following
the instructions of her physician, she
was obliged to refrain from returning to
ID. IA.
that now, having sufficient strength, your
petitioner is here for the purpose of see
ing and converting with the said infant
in order that its feelings may not be en-
tirely estranged from that affection due
to its mother; that she has applied to the
counsel of the said Minor X. Kellogg,
repeatedly, and the privilege has been
refused" She therefore prayed the writ
of habeas corpus, etc., and that the Court
would decree the privilege to her to see
and converse with the said child, at a
proper and BETTING place, where it
would not be improperly Influenced. She
stated, further, that to support herself
she is obliged to be in New York by the
beginning of next week The answer of
the respondent, which was quite lengthy,
denied that in consequence of the cruel
and harsh treatment, she suffered great
mental excitement or physical debility
at the time mentioned, or went to Phila.
delphia or New York for purposes Of
health, but on the contrary, for other and
different motives, etc. That as divorce
case between the parties is pending in
Philadelphia, she was here attending the
reception of testimony, now being taken
under commission in this city, etc.
The hearing of the case commenced at
eleven o clock, when the child was pro-
duced in court by Mr.. Kellogg and
seated on table in front of the Judge.
The petitioner, Mrs. Kellogg, imme-
diately upon observing the child, from
whom she had been separated a year and
four months, with the natural instinct OF
a mother, ran and sought to cAress her.
The child seemed not to know her, and
cried for her father. Some confusion
was occasioned by an attempt to sepa'
rate the child from the mother, who
prasping the hair oi one Of the solicitors
for the respondent, pulled it quite yiger-
ously, and soon after tainted and re-
mained in an insensible condition sew
eral minutes. The child, in the mean
time. was removed into the private room
of His Honor, where it remained with
Mr.. Kellogg until the conclusion Of the
case. Mrs. Kellogg having been recov-
cred from her fainting spell, the case was
proceeded with and concluded. The
court directed that the child should be
taken at nine o'clock next morning to
Barnun's Hotel, and remain in company
Of the mother until six o'clock in the
evening, aud then be returned % the
place whence she was brought Mrs.
kellogg left the court room in company
with a male friend