The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-11
CONTEST BEEWEEN HUSBAND Ann
WIFE FOR THE CUSTODY OF
THEIR CHILDREN.
DISTRESSING SCENE.

A "oh iNlERFERES IN BEHALF OF THE
! "'ft-THE CHILDREN TAKEN FROM
AND THEN RESTORED 70 THEIR MOTHER
| 81 THE OFFICERS or THE LAW.
Between halfpast and O'Clock VOC
| terday afternoon an unusual crowd or
eNcneu hien and women were seen gathered
| tosether ON Navy Hill. at the extreme end
VI run street, aud the presence of Two Off.
| GERS oi the Second Police District-Capt,,in
onnh Ulsney and Sergeant John T.. Hail.
was suniclent evidt nee that sumething of
| more than ordinary interest was going on.
a Dtspo'ch reporter accordingly fastened to
TIE SCENE j
| Of the gathering and there found carriace
staudiug in the street, and seated in il wax ;,
gentleman. afterwards aScertaned TO be Mr..
/. G.. Baker. Around the carriage large
| number Of persons had collected, some Of
whom used strong epilhets against the gen.
| tIeman in the carriage, and ut Que time it
was feared that a mot would take him out
and perhaps do him serious violence.
Before our reporter reached the vicinity
M the excited crowd it was aScertained that
Mr.. Baker had gone to the house in which
| he had been residing, on the east side of
Fifth between Baker and Duva streets, and
| had taken his Two little girls, aged two and
| four ears respectively, away from his wife
their muiher). he desiring and intending it
possible to be their sole custodian. The
| scene at the house is described as being
hearlrcnding. The weeping mother is said
| to have
kNELT AND IMPLoRED
her husband not to take them away but the
officers of the law were pOwerleSs. a. 1t
turned out. either to crafty her request
| themselves ur To permit her husband to do
so, and i'm 4 short time the carriage coutNin-
in. the father and the little ones was driven
| of, and the officers, leaving the sObbn.
mother weeping for her children. returned
| to the sta,ion.hullsr 10 discharge any otter
| duty that might await them.
THE CAUSE.
Yesterday morning abcut II o'clock. or
| perhaps Il little later, t1r. I. G. Baker sought
out Captain D.cne7 and bad All interview
with him on the subject of getting posses
| sion of his Cwo children already alluded tu.
| In Il conversation with Mr.. Baker late in the
| afternoon he stated to our reporter that, 10
conn nnv with Captain Disney, he had gone
| 10 consult Mayor Kelley in tho morning as
TO what course he should pursue in order tn
get ais children from the house in which he
had lye,l. ami take them to another home
which hc had prepared for them nnd his
wife, if she would consent to 20 with him.
Nir. Baker also said that she had been in
uIl' ed 10 stay where she was, and That oil
hc desired was that she should go with BIN
AM be happy. Family influences. huwever,
lrl heen brought TO bear against him (aS he
II ated}. and he had failed TO get either his
" If. ur his children. The latter he desired
t.n rear in tue faith of the Catholic ChuIrh,
! u. she opposed il. Failing III this, lie de-
e'1uined TO institute proceedings. and with
lia view consulted Mayor Kelley. BIauk
WARRANTS wERg PREPARED
teforc they went TO they Went tn the Mayors
| nflscc a SGarci-warrant I'd the otheru IN
e.rTest-warrant-ilnd The Captain ind Mr..
Baker proceeded 10 the Office of Justice Johu
4 J. ,Crutchtird, where the arres,-wa rant,
charging that Mrs Baker and Miss Ratton
did unnwtllly retain possession OF his two
feT.iIc children, Eva and Maria Baker. was
made oath to and properly signed. The
searrh- warrant was not sworn to. and was
subsequently destroyed. Mr.. Baker. as
stated hy Mr. CrutchfrId, represented TO
| him that his children Were in the unlawful
| custody Of aucthcr person, and this WAS the
reason why he Issued the warrant. Alr. Baker
| said. however,. that he did hot desire 10 Use
| he warrsnt unless theTe>was necessity for
| il. uue that he wished the officers Of the
| law fo accompany him, I'D order that any
! broarh uf the peace might be prevented.
After the arrival of the party at the house
u, described above, Captain Disney informed
! Mrs. Baker that hr bad II warrant, and the
children ", re then ye,y reluctantly given to
the ia,ller, put in curla%r, and driven to
| ST. JoSEPHs ORPHAN ASYLUM,
at the corner OF Fourth and Marshall streets,
where Mr. Baker said he designed to keep
| thcru until he could procure suitable cloth
in. aud make some neccS:ar! arrangements
for their comfort. While al the asylum. the
Sisters. fearing thIt Il number Of children
who had gathered in front of the house
might create some disturbance, sent to the
station house aud policeman was Mt UnCc
directed to go to the asylum and keep away
any crowd that might he there.
ARREST OF Mr.. BAKER.
While all this was going on Il warrant was
issued by justice J. b. Burwell (colDred)
for the arrcst of Mr.. Baker, charging him
| with "unhwtullv taking away two white
| females. Eva and Maria, under age OF twelve
wears, against their will. from their mother,
who has ltWiu charge of thcm. About q
| quarter TO clock Sergeant Hull executed
the warrant aud carried Mr.. Baker to the
Second station-hol>c.
Bv this time the excitement on Fifth
street, the removal Of the children 10 st.
Josepli'r. the arrest of Mr.. Baker. and many
exaggerated rlImors were current on the
street, and Il number Of persons gathered at
| the stallun-hollSc TO see what was going on.
Another warrant was also issued by Justice
Burwell for the recovery OF the girls. and IN
short time al officer proceeded to the
| asylum and brought them to the station
house.
RESTORED TO THEIR MOTHER.
Mrs. Baker. who is j most attractive and
decidedly handsome lady, was we'll nigh
craZed by the affair, and went to Major A. K.
Courtney, ber consulting attorney. Under
his advice bond was speedily prepared,
setting forth among Other things that the
children should he produced in court by the
mother when the proper time arrived If the
case should 90 to the coluts) aud that she
should have their custody, OH account of their
are. uutil that time. Major Courtney aud
Mrs. Baker then proceeded to tue station
house, where the meeting between the
mother and children was most affecting.
She cltspcd each one close to her breast, and
the little girls put their arms about her neck
a, the happy mother imprinted a thousand
kisses on her children and uttered the most
n~,iouaie aud entlearirg epithets. In 4
short time morr The parties were all di-
CHARGED, and The children, accompanied by
,heir mother and friends. got into the car.
rage aud were driven away. Mrs. Baker,
it Is said, has instituted divorce proceedings.