The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-08-03
BEFORE THE PUBLIC AGAIN.
Another Contest Over the Adoption
Little Alice Decio.

Another Contest Over the Adoption Of
Little Alice Decio.
Little Alice o. Decio, also known as
Mesier, the adopted daughter OF J. ii.
Squires, awaiting a second trial for en-
braeery. is again before the public. and on
the petition of her grandmother Judge COffey
ordered yesterday that the child be taken
from the custody of Mrs. Catherine Squires
OF 114JR Turk street and placed in the care
of the Society for the Proven ton Of Cruelty
TO Children until the further order of the
court.
The affidavit of Mrs. Deborah A. Phillips,
the grandmother, goes over much of the
grounds urged some eeks ago before Judge
Slack at the hearing to revoke on the ground
of fraud the adoption letters granted by
Judge SandeTson. In this latest attack on
tie adoption proceedings Mrs. Phillips ar
rRigDS more particularly the moral fitness of
the Squires. calling attention to his record
beginning as knight Of the road in Nevada
and closing as a juTy-bTlber in San Fran
cisco. On Mrs. Squires the grandmother is
equally severe, and one OF her allegations is
that from her character, which is cruel
savage and revengeful. she feared she
would inflict irreparable injury on the
child. so soon as she shall be convinced that
the child will be taken from her custody and
control, and released from the mortal fear
now felt of being retu rned 10 captivity and
thrown into her pc Her.
Several children. one after another, have
been taken by her TO her house in this city,
but have been taken away soon from her
because of her treatment of them. More
than one person in San Diego within FIVE
years has had his life threatened through
pistol and poison, and Mrs. Phillips, with
true womaniike garrulIty, further told of
having heard Squires say that his wife had
run away from her first husband in order to
live with him.
Such was in substance the affidavit sub
mitted TO his Honor, but j. III. Moore,
the kindly old gentleman who appears as
attorney for the grandmother, informed
the court that he could have made the affi-
davit much stronger. He could have re-
ferred to case of arson in which SQuires
was involved, and which caused consider
able trouble, owing to the fact that the
properly was insured. He could also have
told about the death of person whose life
was insured, and surrounding which there
were many suspicious circumstances that
pointed 10 Catherine Squircs as the person
familiar with the circumstances of the
death. The insurance WAS paid in both
instances, but not until after contest in
court
Your statement is in itself very strong"
suggested the court.
well, / could have mentioned number
OF corroborative circumstances" replied the
attorney. circumstances indicate that
these people are very dangerous characters
Il think the affidavit is strong enough"
remarked Judge Coffey, drily, although 1t
was not considered much of or ime to rob
stage In Nevada in the days when Squires
| were member of that community. There
| was large number OF gentlemen who en-
| gagged In the business when the times were
| dul' and they afterward became prominent
! citizens"