Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-10-07
rabeas Corpus for a Child.

Nabeas Corpus for Il Child.
\ petition vas 6:cu in the City Court, Judge
p.nkucy, yesterday for writ OF habeas corpus
to he Issued IL behalf OF r se B. Nelson, wife
i Hugh B Nelson, formerly OF Virginia, to
obtain posScsson othrr three. year cd laughter,
a len Nelson, uDlawiuly held, Us the petit.
;,ouer claims. by Asher W. Gray and Mari ha
|, Gray, at N. 2l0 n nth Howard street. The
writ was ordered 10 ISSUE, returnable AZ 10 a.
u. to day, before judge Pinkney. The petit
tioo states tina: Mrs. Nelson was III Baltimore,
September II. last, with the little girl canned
.ud an infant one month old, and that the CHI d
Helen was taken from her al that time, and
hat she is anxious to repos5ess her. The Pc
titlou ALLEGES thau the Gray5 were abvu TO RI
move 70 cvade the writ of habeas corpus, aud
asks that 1t may Issue at ODce, Which was done.
1t is stated on the part OF MIR. and Mrs. Gray
| tnat he llttic cir was brought 70 their house
by The father, Mr.. Nelson, who had found her
with other children on the street. Betty old
friends they allowed the child 10 remain
with thcm until the father could hear from
| III. mother, IN Virginia, to whose care be pro-
| noscd to send the child. He did not get an an
c,id ia consequence remained with the G-ays,
| w#n have several children Of their own.-Bulto.
! Sun Of ycster3ny.
| ! iic Sun OF thiS morning says:
| The Chi habcas corpus case, IN which Mrs.
| Rose s. Nelson, wife Of Hugh b Nelson, form
cry Of Virginia, invoked the aid If the writ If
! habcas corpus to obtain possession .! her three.
var old daughter Hclcu, was heard before
Judge pipkncy in the City Court yesterday.
| The i.ticr aud mcther OF the Guild and Mr.
| Asher W. Gray,i liz whose care the child had been
| placed Tor some weeks by the father, we're in
| court vlth the child. A number Of spectators
W re- present. The child was brought 10 court
| by Mr.. Gray. Du?lng the hearing the llttle
girl, who is quite pretty and behaved admra-
| big Throughout the proceedings, sat IN her
! fathers lap at the trial table, anI played with
| her coll. The mother sat in chair several
feet from hcr husband and child very quietly,
| occasionally bclug CONSULTED by her counsel,
Johu }. Donaldson.
| Mr.. Cray Was the only witness heard. He
slated hat the child was brought to his house,
NJ. 2lO North Howard street, by MIR. Nelson,
the father. Witness and bis vile were old
| friends of the Nelson's, who were connected
VITA some of the hes, kaowD families IN Flr-
gioia. Mrs. Gray took charge of the child, out
expected Mr.. NeIson,to send her to his mother,
IL Virginia, the father not being so situated 10
| Baltimore as to make 1t convenient for him
10 keep his daughter Mr. Nelson told the
witness he had found his daughter in the street
playing with some other children; that she was
| i / clad aod was threatened with Group. They
had cared Ter her t"Ldery, but would be glad
to be relieved of the charge.
JUICE Plukoey said that as the parties
D&mad in thu petition Of Mrs. Nelson made DO
cIaims 10 the child, the court would order its
~, H., ,bor tbo I'd
G>niss the writ as 0 Mr.. and Mrs. Gray.
Mr.. Skipwith Wilmer, couosel for Mr. Mel
sou, said the father wanted to retain charge Of
the Child AID was unwilling to have it given
up to the uorh r. After some consultation be-
tween counsel and the court it was settled that
new petition should be filed against the
father, on which the court will hear evidence
next w tuesday and will decide who shall take
the child 6nally. For the present the court
took the little girl 10 custody ond awarded her
TO The charge of Mr.. and Mrs. Gray, with per-
mission to the mother to visit her when she
desires.
As they were leaving the courtroom and
we're at the door the mother, who was some
steps behind, rushed forward aud caught up
her child from beside the father and kissed her
repeatedly. By suggestion of Mr.. Win the
mother and child walked together to bis Office,
about square distant.
Mr.. Gray and an Old c1lored nurse of the
Child accompanied them 10 Mr.. Wilmer Of
tic. After remaining there some time with
her chill the mother reluctantly, and in evident
pain parted with her, going to her separate
home Mr. Gray then proceeded With the t-
RE girl to his house On ~ Howard street Mrs.
Nelson desired to have the cbd plac With
ter brother, Mr. Edgar Bentley, but Mr.. Mel.
son preferred ii to remain where it was, aud
the cour; 81 ordered. Mr.. Nelson las lived 10
Baltimore four or five years. He was clerk
10 y king house, and subsequently 10 tie
employ II one or TWO companies untI recently,
when he went into bu>n S, for himself 10 the
ncighborhood Of the RichmOud market The
husband ard wife have lived separately for
some months
The Gazette says:
Will. the proceedings were taking pIac the
object Of this coneUtlnn-littn H.leu-w4s
quietly seated 10 her fathers lap Her bright
blue eyes aud beautiful tr wo curis made her
look Interesting as she amused herself with her
baby doll. Occasionally her eyes wandered
around with wooderneut expressed, until she
saw her mother, who at times had hr hand
kerchi t up TO her face to conceal the tears
which lived fast. The child raised her hand,
aud poutlug to her m ther desired her father
TO look also When the disposition of the case
was made known the child was taken By the
haud aod led by Dir. Gray aud Mr. Nelson to
the cD.rance door of the court. Mrs. Nelson
followed. aud taking up the enid
almost smolhrrcd il with her caresses, exclaim-
ing that she had not seen her child for month.
Foay she was permitted to take the child,
and with Mr.. Gray proceeded 10 The Office of
Messrs. Barton aud Winner where she spent
an hour or two with her. Mr.. Gray then took
charge OF the child and returued 10 bis home.
The nearing 10 the case will, it is understood,
take place next Wednesday, aud pre- baby will