The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-06-15

CuILD.-Mrs. Margaret Donnanoe, who re-
sides near Cash Corner, 10 this city, was be.
fore the Police Justice yesterday morning to
answer the charge Of " conceaipg and har-
boring William Donnahoe, an indentured
minor to the Male Orphan Asylum, she well
kno wing him to be so indentured." The
boy in question, aged seven or eight years,
and son of Mrs. DoDnahoe, was brought into
court with the accused.
Or. w. W. Parker, president Of the Male
Orphan Asylum Association, testified that
| the boy Was taken into the asylum upon the
earnest solicitation of his mother, who wss
unable TO take care OF him and who
signed the usual articles Of agreement
| reliEquishipg her control TO the officers of
| the aSyl ylum. A few days ago Mrs. Donna.
hoe obtained permission from the president
and superintendent for the boy to visit her at
| her home. AS the boy did not return at the
| time appointed, Mrs. Donnahoe was called
upon to surrender him, but this she most
positively declined 10 do. Tbereupon a war
mother on the charge stated. DR.. Par
| ker explained that if Mrs. Donnahoe
was in condition to provide for
and rear her son suitably he would
cheerfully return him to her custody,
but in his opinion such was not the case. He
did not say distinctly that Mrs. Donnahoe's
| character was bad, but he referred to the fact
| that she lived in a disreputable neighbor-
hood. and from what he saw at her house
upon visit there did not believe she pos
sesSed five dollars 1ortb of furniture.
| Mrs. ponnahoe disputed the estimated
| value of her furniture as too low, and tcsti.
| fled that after getting the child home she
found marks OF violent punishment upon bis
| person. Believing that ne bad been impro-
! perly and harshly treated, she did not desire
| him to return to the asylum.
| Mr.. Gill, the superintendent Of the asy.
lum, said that it was necessary sometimes to
chastise the boys, but that it was never done
| in severe or cruel manner.
| Mrs. DUnnahoc responded that from what
she had been able to learn from her son the
punishment Of which she complained was
not inflicted by Mr.. Gill.
| Mr.. Gill and DIR. Parker, however, denied
| that any imp, oper punishment had been in
tlcted bv any one, and challenged success.
tu contradiction Of their statement
Justice White said that Dr.. Parker had
lawful control Of the boy, and that the boy
would have TO so with him.
| Mrs. Donnahoe declared that she would
| 90 to the peuitentisry sooner than send him
back. She held the boy tightly by the hand,
and mother aud child soon burst out crying.
! DR.. Parker stepped forward to take the
boy, being Informed that he might do so.
Mrs. Donnahoe resisted, and DR.. Parker
caught and held her while Mr.. Gill took the
little fellow by the hand and started out OF
the courtroom.
| Mrs. Donnahoe uttered loud walls of'woe,
and in paroxysm of rage threw herself on
the floor. At this junc!ure of affairs the Po.
lice Justice called to Mr.. Gill TO come back,
and that gentleman returned to the bar ol
the court with the boy. The Justice then turn
ed him over TO his mother, stating that it sp
peared to him the case was one to be decided
| only BY judge upon writ of habeds corpus
| The Justice further said that in permitting
| Mr.. Gill To start off with the child he de.
sired to test the willingness of the MOI hel
to yield him up, and that he believed that
the law required the written agreement be-
| tween Mrs DonnahOe and DR.. Parker spoken
of to be recorded, which, from DR.. Parker's
testimony, it seemed had not been. done.
| DR.. Parker will at once proceed to recover
the child by writ of habeaS corpus, and ir
doing so disclaims any other motive than te
| discharge bis duty to the boy.