The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-13
TOOK THEM BY FORCE.
A Mother Removes Her Children From
st. Mary's Home.

81. mary 8 nome.
The friends of st. Mary's Home on
Habersham street are somewhat stirred
up over the forceful abduction of two
children from the institution by their
mother. The feelings Of the sisters, who
conduct the house, and of the officers and
members of the society which has
charge OF it, were considerably
outraged at what they consider
.unwarranted and unnecessary conduct
The names of the children are LOttie
and Mary Ellen Garrity. The mothers
name Is Mrs. John Prudhomme. Col
Peter Reilly, president of the society
which has charge of the home, made a
statement yesterday of the facts in the
case.
In the fall of 1891 Mrs. Prudhomme's
husband, whose name was Clarity,
died, leaving his widow with
four small children and no means
Of support. Through the intervention of
friends the boy was placed in the Catho-
lie Orphanage at Washington. Mrs. Gar
rity appealed to the officers of the St
Mary's Home 20 take the other three
children, oHeOF whom was only an in
fant. 1t is against the rules of the home
to accept children under years of
age. 1t is also the practice not to receive
children when either parent is alive I'M
less the extreme poverty of the parent
makes IL a positive necessity that the
children be provided for For these
| reasons, Col. Reilly said, the society did
not desire to receive Mrs. Garrity's chill
dren into the home. Itdeelined positively
to receive the infant, but on the mothers
| repeated appeals, finally received the two
older girls. who were and years Of age.
| Mrs. Clarity made a legal transfer OF he
| two children to the society. resign
inc ALI claim thpO until he
should become IS years of age; She
was very much dissatisfied however,
| because the infant was refused admission,
| and afterwards made threats of taking
the two little girls from the home
The children were received into the
I home in September, 1891, and they have
since remained there.
Mrs. Garrity afterwards married John
Prudhomme, carpenter, with whom she
now resides at No. SO CleOurn street, in
the extreme eastern portion of the city.
She has an infant by her sec
ond marriage. Recently Mrs. Prud-
| hOmme visited the home and
stated that she desired to remove her
children. She was referred to Col Reilly
permit their removal. Col. Rely was out
of the city at the time. but Mrs. Prud-
hOmme was informed that he would re-
turn last week. She was unwilling to
await Col. Reily's return, and persisted
in her demands, Col. Reilly returned Sat
urday morning, but Mrs Prudhomme
did not call upon him
The next morning she called at the home
and asked to be allowed TO see her chill
dren. The children were brought
into the library and left there.
A few minutes later one of
the sisters was surprised TO see her
leaving the home with the children.
Sister Patrick, the superior of the
home, was called and demonstrated with
the mother. The latter declared her in
tention of taking the children with her
by force if necessary, and proceeded to
board a street car, coming into the city
with the children.
Col. Reilly was notified of the matter
yesterday. He saw Mrs. Prudhomme and
she consented to return the children to
the home to-day so that they may be dis
missed from it in regular form. Col
Reilly said there is no objection to turning
over the children to the mother as the
home is overcrowded now and there are
more applicants than can be provided for