The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-22
TWO TINY VICTIMS.
Small Children in Judge
TrOutt'S Court.
A PATHETIC KINDERGARTEN.
How Trouble Between Parents May
Drag Infantile Innocents Into
Unenviable Notoriety.

The ease-hardeped cOurt-habitue is usu
ally callous to the spectacle of innocent
childhood in the more or less tainted atmos-
phere of the halls of justice.
1t is common TO see children testify
against their father or mother
Family trouble is usually kept as far as
possible within the family circle, and thus
children are often the only witnesses OF
conjugal war
what is your name?"
earl Mclaughlin" Iisped small knick-
erb0ckered witness in Judge IrouttS court
yesterday.
What is your age. Earl9"
mine years old next Thanksgiving, said
the boy, manfulIy.
Have you ever seen drunken man,
Earl2"
yes sir"
Have you ever seen your papa drunkp
was the next question, but the court firmly
jntimated it would prefer the point brought
ont by any other witness.
So the little fellow stepped down and was
intercepted by his papa" who wanted him
10 sit Uy MIN.
But be wants to sit by me-" declared
the mother rising IN agitation and guiding
the frightened little fellow over TO her side.
And the father, mutterlng Indignantly,
and casting alternate glances OF FIRE at the
mother ana pleading in the direction OF the
boy. resumed his seat by his attorney.
Alice A. Mclaughlin was suing David
Mclaughlin for a divorce on the ground
of her husbands intemperance.
After much testimony had been adduced
10 the effect that Mclaughlin for the year
prior to the commencement OF the action
had been almost constantly under the ln-
duence Of what one witness termed "a
still" the defendant took the stand aud
no IL. haan nl- thraa tiDlps
In bis life.
Judge Troutt granted the wife divorce
and gave her the custody Of the child. who
retired with his mother. casting wondering
chances TO ses why papa did not come
Another case came up in the same court
yesterday, but the circumstances were
changed.
In this case little Hazel Ireland. not
months old, was in controversy, and not the
father but the mother VAS adJudleated IN
fault.
Rezel was the child Of Henry Ireland
and his wife Belle, and was born Septem-
beE G. 1892.
About that time the father was injured
By the falling Of a building, and Mrs. Ire
land had the child conveyed in a basket TO
the founding hospital, 913 Golden Gate
avenue, with the request that it might be
cared for there for few days.
When tie mother returned for her infant
she was informed that it had been adopted
by an outside family.
Then it WAS that both father and mother
realized the value Of the little waif and
made her the tiny object OF a great big
habeas corpus process, to see which of the
two should have the possession of her.
Judge Trout yesterday heard evidence in
the matter, and decided that by her act the
mother had plainly abandoned the child.
There was no testimony, however, that
the father had abandoned his offspring or
consented TO its abandonment by the
mother
The court therefore held that the father
ought TO have the custody of the child, and
ordered the matrou of the asylum, Mrs
Mary Taylor, to give the baby over to MI
Ireland by next Friday.
In the meantime the unconscious little
giant motive power, which had set all this
legal machinery in motion, was probably
crying for parental care and varying pro-
ceedings by trying to obtain temporary
solace from Tdlcul0usly small thumb,