Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-01-17
DOYEIf.

Special Correspondence OF e lite and Journal,
DOVER, Jau. 15.-The members OF th-
legislative committee, which is composed
of Senators Chandler and Cavender and
Repres entstives Barlow, Frazer and
Risler, meet IN the Senate chamber at
IL. 80 a. M, and organize sd by electing
Senator Cavender as chairman.
John c. Pennewiil was chosen clerk and
Billy Hunter sergeant at arms.
Messrs. Chandler and Frazer were ap-
pointed committee to notify the State
auditor and State treasurer that th- COM
mittee had organized and WAS ready to
proceed to the auditing of their accounts,
&c.
The clerk was empowered to buy the
needed stationery.
The committees then adjourned to p III. .
DOVER, jan. 15.-At z O'Clock this
afternoon, the legislative committee
reconvened and all Of the afternoon WA
taken up in examining the vouchers OF
the State treasu -er aud the COMMITTEE
will, in all probability, bs at them pearly
all OF 10 morrow. The committee will be
In session the greater part of the week.
Qnite an interesting habeas oorpns case
was tried to-day bsfcre Judge Houston.
The Rev. Mr.. Adkins, who is now
stationed at Leipsio, sues to recover the
possession of his little child, which is
2t years old, now in the custody OF its
~ fandparents, John Reed and wife.
Mr.. Adkins has aince married and his
young wife was to-day with him in court.
She is only q years Of age. The little
child WAS also in court and more pretty
and interesting child is seldom seen. She
was running all over the room in high
glec, utterly unconscious that she was the
cause of contention between her father
and her grandparents.
The mother of the child died few
hours after it's birth. On the death of
the mother Mr.. Adkins said to Mrs.
Reed, its grandmother, that she might
have the child to raise it as she would
her own, and to teach it to call herself
"mother," and Mr.. Reed "father."
Under these conditions it was stated, on
the stand, Mrs. Reed took charge of
the infant when 1t was onls a
few hours old. The child has
since grown and waxed strong, not with
out considerable expense, trouble and
anxiety ON the part of the grandparents.
The expense, however, was nothing to
them, for, as the child grew older and
was able to lisp the name of father and
mother, they learned to love it. They
had no young children, and upon this
one they lavished everything.
DR.. Cahsll, in his testimony in ,hief,
| said he WAS their physician and had
been for years. He had frequently
attended the child. 1t was subject TO
| constipation, much more 30 than ia gen.
orally the case with small children, and
he thought that 1T was owing to the good
| nursing OF Mrs. Reed that 1t was living
to day. To put it into other hands less
competent to nurse 1t would, he thought,
| be hazardous to the health of the child.
Mr.. Rssd stated on the stand that
whilst he did not object to the marriage
of his daughter to Mr.. Adkins, he did
| not approve of it for several reasons. One
of the most particular reasons was that
he did not altogether believe in the
sanity of the reverend gentleman. He
tried to break the marriage of by
pretending that he was an atheist
and that he believed In poly
gamy, but he found that those ends
would not work, until he finally made up
his mind to let things take their own
course. There were several witnesses
summoned on both sides. Messrs. Rob-
inson and Richards appeared for the Rev.
Mr.. Adkins; Messrs. N. B. Smithers and
Edward Ridgley for the respondents. The
\ case was argued tonight.
DOVER, Jan. 16.-ln the habeas corpus
case touching the custody of the Rev.
Mr.. ADKINS babe, Judge Houston has
\ rendered decision in favor OF the re-
| sponaents.