The morning call., 1891-06-17
A MOTHERS GRIEF.
Unjustly Deprived of Her Child, She
Sues for Its Recovery.

Unjustly Deprived of Her Child, She
Sues for Its Recovery.
Mrs. Maggie Rooney, good-looking Irish
woman about 50 years of age. of Carrolton,
ILL.,, charges the American Educational Aid
Association, at the head of which is Rev.
Nj. V. B. Van Arsdale, of EnglewOod, with
the abduction of her baby girl, 10 months
old, says the Chicago Inter- Ocean.
Mrs. Rooney worked for Mrs. Mary
Pegrin, of Carrolton, but became i'll with
nalarial fever. She was taken to the
County Hospital at Carrolton, where she
remained for two weeks. During the course
OF her sickness the matrOn of the hospital,
Mrs. A. Sloan, took away her child, saying
she wished to present it with new dress.
In spite of the repeated appeals of the sick
woman she says the authorities OF the hos
pital would not give back the child, and in
desperation she arose from her bed and
demanded of the county physician and the
matron that they must produce her baby
girl.
All her supplications were in vain. All
the satisfaction she could obtain was the IN
formation that the child had been sent to
the orphan asylum of the American Edu-
cati0nal Aid Association at EnglcwOod, Ill.
Mrs. Rooney, although physically unable,
she claims, to undertake such journey,
travelled from CarrOlton to Chicago in
search of Van Arsdale. On arriving in
Chicago she told her story to the matron at
the Union Depot, and under her instructions
assuming a disguise Sne called uaon Rev.
MIR. Van Arsdale, representing that she de-
sired 10 adopt child, and wished to 60 10
Englew0Od TO make selection. She and
Van Arsdale were about to proceed to the
orphan asylum when the latter, she says,
recognized her and refused to go.
toll uha oil
the mother, giving way to her grief. They
have stolen her from me. Won't you give
her back Y
She was told the whereabouts OF her child
was unknown.
what did you give her away for if you
think 50 much Of her" said MIR. Van ArS-
dale. 81 have your signature to paper re-
nouncing all claim upon the child. You'll
have to wait eighteen years now If you wish
70 gain possession Of her again"
'Its lie" cried Mrs. Rooney. 81 never
put my hand to paper to give away my
child. You show me that signature and HI
swear to it,
But Mr.. Van Arsdale refused to produce
the signature. He soon persuaded Mrs.
Rooney that it would be better for her TO
return TO CarrotOn and see Dr. Armstrong,
offering to furnish transportation II she
would go on the noon train. A ticket was
procured and Mrs. Rooney was directed
the depot visitor of the Young W0man's
Christian Association, who took up her
case, and going before Judge Scales the
necessary steps were instituted to make the
American Educational Aid Association give
up the child.
Mrs. Rooney says her husband is working
in ST. Louis on salary of 500 month and
that she is abundantly able to take care OF
her child. Il paid good price for my board
while sick at the hospital" she said at the
Union Depot yesterday afternoon, while
tears streamed down her face. "Dr. Arm
strong did not attend me while was sick !;
l didn't have any doctor, and he has no
right to steal my child. He gets S25 or $50
for every baby he sends to that place at
Englew0Od and he took advantage OF my
helplessness and friendessneSs TO make a
little money"
The American Educational Aid AsSocia-
ton has had trouble of this sort before, aud
only year ago was sued by Joliet persons
for the abduction of child. 1t maintains
two asyiums, one at EngiewOOd and one at
Aurora, and has over seventeen hundred
babies in It's charge.
The Young Women's Christian Assocla-
ton has taken charge OF Mrs. Rooney until
Mondav, when proceedings Will be begun
in the County Court for the recovery OF the
child Rev. MIR. Van Arsdale could not be
found yesterday. His chief clerk announced
that he bad gone to MUberly, Mo, On a
visit