The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-30
A PLOT AGAINST A GIRL.
Two Relatives Try to Send Her 10 the
LunatiC Asylum.

She Was About to Sue the Father OF
Her Child to Compel Him to Support
It-Her Brother and Brother-in-law
Working for Him, and They Feared
Discharge II She Was Not Put Out
of the Way.
Atlanta, Ga, Jan. ga story from
life that reads like fiction, involving plot
thrilling in it's details Of love and con-
spiracy, was unfolded in the court Of or
binary here to-day.
On last Friday morning two men went
to Ordinary CaIhoun's Office and informed
him that they wanted a writ Of lunacy
issued against Ella Rudd, a young woman
whose mind was affected in q very seri-
Gus manner. One Of the men was Milton
Harwood, her brother-in-law, and the
other was James Perkins, boss Of the
pumping gang on the East Tennessee
road
Judge Calhoun informed Mr.. HARDWOOD
that it would be necessary to have the af-
idavits Of three near relatives under oath
that she was insane. HARDWOOD then in
formed the Judge that it was necessary to
have something done with the woman at
once as she was very dangerous.
HARDWOOD TAKES AN OATH.
The judge asked him If he was willing
to make oath that it was necessary for
the public safety that the woman be con-
fined in Jail He made the oath very
eagerly and an ofhcer was sent for the
young woman She was brought to the
city and placed in jail, while her child,
a babe of thirteen months, was left
al home in care of another woman That
was on Friday afternoon, but she wept
so much for her baby that the officers
sent for it, after which she was quiet.
Through the efforts of her attorney, the
unfortunate woman was transferred from
the Jail 10 the Home for the Friendless on
Saturday, and remained in that institu-
ton until she and her babe were brought
before the ordinary on writ Of
lunacy which had been perfected in form
by the signature Of her brother, Oliver
Rudd. The young woman as she ap-
peared in the court room with her babe
clasped to her bosom presented a touch
ing picture.
A FLIMsY TALE.
Oliver Rudd, the brother, and Harwood,
the Drother-in-law, told a tiimsy tale TO
support the charge of insanity, the gist
Of IL being that there had been q dramatic
scene when they had tried to persuade
her from applying TO the courts to compel
James Perkins to support her child.
The woman became furious because
her brother sided with Perkins, and
threw the tableware at him. Several
others, including two physicians, testified
as TO the girls sanity, and she was set
free by the jury after moments deliber-
alton.
TRUE INwARDNEss OF THE STORY.
When the true inwardness of the story
was brought out it was disclosed that the
brother and brother-in-law, both of
whom are employed by Perkins on the
East Tennessee road, had entered into a
plot with Perkins to have the girl sent to
the asylum so as to prevent her going into
court TO secure support for her babe from
Perkins, whom she says is its father
The brother and brother-in-law would
not defend the unfortunate girl for fear
of losing their positions at Perkins hands
Attorney Stewart brought out their part
of the story on the stand. Last Friday
morning Ella Rudd had come to his
office for the purpose of getting him
to bring a case against James Perkins to
make him support her child, as he was
its father. He had helped her in caring
for it for eight or nine months, but at tho
end of that time he refused to give her
anything more.
HER BROTHERS. THREAT.
She had consulted with her brother
about making Perkins care for the child,
but he was against it, as he said that
would make him and HARDWOOD both lose
their jobs. Both these men had been en-
ployed by Perkins shortly after the
birth of the child. When she informed
her brother that she was going to see
lawyer, he declared that If she did he
would take out a writ of lunacy and send
her to the asylum and her child to the
Home for the F'riendless. On Friday
morning she told her brother that she
had employed Mr. Stewart, and that
afternoon the writ of lunacy was taken
out against her by HARDWOOD and her
brother
LURED INTO THE JAIL.
The girl told the same story and de-
scribed how she was kidnapped into the
Jail She said: IA man came 10 the
house and told her Mr.. Stewart wanted
to see her. She dressed and went with
him, but Mr.. Stewards office
being passed, she asked the
man where he was going and he said
to Mr.. Stewards house When she got
into the house, she learned that she was
in iail. She said she had intended to
push Perkins before. but had been fright
ened out of it by being told that if she did
he'd take her child away. All parties to
the affair will be criminally prosecuted.