The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-06-28
A COURT DEFIED.
Despite a Judicial Decree a Mother
Carries Of Her Child-A Touching
Scene

4 hearing before Judge Finletter yester
day on the petition OF Henry Ristine 0
No. 2221 Frankford avenue to obtain thu
custody of his child, ended in an extraordi
nary scene, in which q mothers love de
fed and defeated a decree of court. Al
order had been made upon Ristine sever
years ago for the support of his wife and lit
| lie one. He had fallen $1.60 behind in hi;
payments The present action, the solicitor
| for the guardians of the poor suggested, wa:
possibly only a shift to escape the payment
of that Indebtedness Ristine, however
charged that his wife was not proper person
| to have control of the child. Testimony was
produced to show that Casper Shaw, man
| who had abandoned a wife and six children,
lived in Mrs. Ristine's house, at No. 2257
Memphis street. His room adjoined hers,
and she had to pass through it to reach
| her own. She had gone out riding with
| him, sometimes alone and sometimes with
| the child. She had accompanied him to
Atlantic City one time, and once went with
him to a beer saloon No criminal act,
however was shown.
Mrs Ristine on her part admitted the car
| riage riding and the visit to Atlantic City.
She strenuously denied, however, that she
had been guilty of any greater violation OF
the proprieties. She had accepted Shaw as
boarder, she said,- because the sum he
paid her eked out the little her husband was
forced to give her and the pittance she
earned by sewing
Mrs Ristine's brother testified that he
had occupied the room with Shaw up to
four months ago, when he left his sister
house to get married. A large number of
witnesses, chiefly women of respectable ap-
pearance, testified that Mrs. Ristine was
quiet, inofensive and industrious, and
treated her child with proper consideration.
A letter from teacher said that the child
was q constant and apparently happy at
tendant at school.
Further testimony tended to show that
Ristine was given to drink. His counsel
said that he would not ask that the child be
given to him direct, but that it be awarded
to its grandmother. Mrs. Ristine's counsel
pleaded warmly against the child being
taken away from its mother at all, and con-
tended that a case to warrant such pro-
ceeding had not been made out.
Judge Finletter replied that the circum-
stances were not assuring, and severely COM
mented on Casper Shaw's absence. The
people who put on the appearance of evil,
he said, must abide by the consequences.
proper care Of the child, and | therefore re-
mand her to the custody of the grandmoth-
er."
The child--a bright-eyed little girl, pret-
tily dressed-Who had been crying bitterly
during nearly the whole of the hearing, now
threw her arms around her mothers neck,
and burst into a paroxysm of tears. The
mother, who had all along maintained
courageous and halfdefant aspect, broke
down completely. "No, no." she cried,
"they shall not take my child" Court Of
ficer OFT was at her side in moment, try
ing to tear the little one away by main
force. An ominous hum ran through the
room. The crowd were on their feet, sway
ing backward and forward, excitement in
every face. The tip-staves pounded in vain
for order. Mrs. Ristine's brother, with
white face, went to her defence. "You
shall not take the child" he cried hotly to
the officers, "unless you shed my blood"
He raised his arm; Officer OFT seized him
by the shoulder and hauled him up before
the bench. The judge dismissed him with
a reprimand.
The mother-a thin little woman, excited
to the verge of hysteria-reached the bar
with the child in her outstretched arms
and implored mercy. Her counsel at the
same time was begging for time. "Only
till next week." he cried owe viii have
the man Shaw here; we will show there is
nothing wrong. l will take the child N.Y.
self. l will rear her as my own until she
closes her eyes in DEATH" The judge would |
make no change.
The desperate mother turned away. The |
throng opened before her and as quickly |
closed behind her when she had passed. |
No court officer could have passed in safety |
through that crowd. In a moment the |
mother and child were out in the open air |
with the human barricade behind them. |
The mothers hat had fallen back, her hair
was flying in the wind. The child in her |
arms had ceased to cry. She hsstened as
fast as her strength would permit straight
down Sixth street. Only one man, friend, |
followed her. Nearly at Walnut street the
driver of light wagon standing there met |
her. He was dressed much like her brother |
He took the child and swung it into the
vehicle. He helped the mother in after,
and jumping in himself he whipped up the |
horse and they drove away.-Philadelphia
Times