Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-08-05
A Case for King Solomon


TOTHE POSSESSION OF A CHILD.
case has just been decided in the Supreme
Court which will be read with good deal of in
terest, and Is in fact q somewhat remarkable
story. 1t appears that in 1870 Miss Harriet
Evans ut is said that this is not her true or full
name) became a mother, and Entrusted her
child, which bore peculiar marks of depression
on the temples. TO the care OF Mrs. Fanny Wem-
pie, paying for its keeping f25 per month
Gradually this compensation was reduced, with
The cor sent of Mrs. Wemple, to SIS per month
clothlng being sent, however, as usual. AT last
maternal yearnngs induced her to take back
the child and rear it herself. Her surprise ac-
cording TO her own story, can be Imagined
when, having intimated her determination to
Mrs. Wemple's mother. Mrs. Ellen WIckens.
the latter replied cOolly: "YOu needn't bother
about the child. 1t isn't yours. That
alarmed Young lady went to Mrs. wempIe
ara asked her what her mother meant, and
Mrs. Wemple said that one day the child was
actually put into basket by some one, and left
NJ the door as strange child, and that ever
since it had been joke with them that the
child was left there in basket Miss Evans
was unable, however, TO get back her child, and
took legal measures to recoverit. Mrs WempIe
fed to New Jersey with the child, and rem ned
hidden until brought to light by the police
Inc afair promptly came before the courts,
and, as Mrs. Wemple chung to the basket story,
reference was ordered to Eugene II. PomerOy
to find out which OF the women had a claim to
the child, when Miss Evans told the story as
given above.
On the other side, Mrs wempIe admitted
receiving an infant from Miss Evans aud the
payment OF S25 per month but she maintained,
nevertheless, that the child in dispate did not
beloDgto Miss Evans. She accounted for the
second child by saying that Miss Eyans's child
was sickly (Which was admtted), and that ssms
weeks after Mrs. Wemple took 1t To nurss
some one LETT basket containing a fine healthy
child at their door and ran away; that Mrs
Wickens thereupon took Miss Evans's child to
the rounding hospital in Washington square,
pulled the bell and ran away, and kent the
fortunate tha MI IaJ,
adopted because child of Mrs. wemple died
some time before, and it was not desirable for
hsr SAKE 70 have another child taken from her
by death The fight TO New Jersey was ad-
nit ed, but MIS- Wemple said she did il partly
because She had become greatly attached to the
h , stranger and partly because she wanted
MISS Evans TO pay up arrears.
An interesting link in this curious story was
supplied by two men, who testified in regard to
the basket. George Hedges testified that he
knew MIS-. Wickens and that at her request he
put the child (alleged to have been found at the
door in basket, and gave il TO an unknown
man, who for - left the child at the door. This
man, who 1t appears is Henry Chase, testified
that hr was the person who got the % and left
the child as stated. All the witnesses remem-
bered the peculiar mark on the child's neck.
Mrs. WIckens told again the story OF the finding
OF the child, stating that it was in March, I8T l.
The doctor who attended Miss Evans was ex-
amined, his testimony being pretty clearly In
favor OF the identity of the two children, and
Miss Evans herself, who saw the child freuuent-
ly, insisted that there had been no oh ange OF
babies. A woman In New Jersey, who saw Mrs.
Wemple there, testified that she frequently
heard the latter say the child was Miss Evans,
and that she would not give it up unless com,
PEELED to do 30.
The referee. in long report, expressed his
dlsbelef In the basket story, and stated that the
testimony of the two men and Mrs. Wickens
was, in his opinion, rank perjury. Finally, he
decided in fav6r of Miss Evans. The applica-
ton for the confirmation OF this report was IN aie
to Judge Pratt, in chambers of the supreme
court last week, by John o. Mott, Granville p
Halves opposing. Judge Pratt has decided in
favor OF Miss Evans clsim.-N. Y. Tribune 4tA