The record-union., 1891-08-28
THE HABEAS" Was LONELY.
Sheriff Stanley Could Not Produce
Beatrice Butterfeld,
And the Reason Was That She Had
Not Been Placed In His
Custody at All.

There was quite little surprise in store
for Lawyer Bruner yesterday when he
appeared in Judge Catlin's court to urge
an order for the release of little Beatrice
Butterfeld-who had been committed
by Police Judge Cravens. at her fathers
request, to the Whittier Reform School.
Sheriff Stanley was on hand to answer
the writ of habeas corpus, but he had no
corpus" to produce-the child had not
been placed in his hands.
The petitioner stated that he had as
sumed the girl had been placed in the
custody Of the Sheriff, and was not in
formed to the contrary when he called
on that official and notified him not to
part with her untilthe habeas corpus pro-
ceeding had been disposed of
Sheriff Stanley explained that the COM
mitment had been left with him by Chief
OF Police Drew, and he supposed the
child would be brought in, but up to that
time she had not been.
Under these circumstances there was
nothing for the court to do but dismiss
the writ, and i'll doing so Judge Catlin
dryly remarked that the proceeding re-
minded him of an attempt to present the
play of Hamlet" with Hamlet left out.
Subsequently Mr.. Bruner visited the
home OF the Butterfelds and found the
child there with her parents, He advised
the father to place her in the custody ol
the Sheriff, but up to the time of the clos
ing OF the Sherit7S office in the afternoon
this had not been done.
There is one section of the law govern
ing the management of the Whittier Re-
form School which would seem to make
IL possible for any person to place a
r. 1,,,t L. Il
commitments must issue from a Superior
Court. Hence it is doubtful if the Trus-
tees of the school would receive the girl
from her father in person, unless it was
upon such a commitment.
In two Instances boys have been sent
from this city to the Reform School with
out commitments from the Superior
Court, In one case the commitment was
rom the Police Court, and in the other
from Justices Court. Sheriff Stanley
states that the trustees of the school OBJ
Jected at first to receiving the boys, but
finally did sO-probably because they
were delivered by the Sheriff. He was
informed that this was the only county
from whence children had been commit
ted by any other than Superior Courts.
Should little Beatrice Butterfield be
placed in the Sheriff's hands, it is likely
the habeas corpus proceeding will be re-
newed, and the court called upon to
settle the question of jurisdiction in the
matter of commitments to the Reform
School.
The girl's s parents persist that she has a
mania for running away from home, and
that they know of no way in which to
restrain her other than by sending her to
the Reform School. This may be so, but
there should be some other means found
At all events the proceedings had in the
Police Court at the time the child was
committed were such as to impress those
present with the idea that her father did
not realize the stigma that he was placing
upon his little daughter and also that the
latter was not nearly SO vicious as the
complaint against her implied.