The San Francisco call., 1896-09-30
Now the Father Will Take the
Lad Back to a Life of
Luxury.
ROMANCE OF a DIVORCE COURT
A Case in Which a Wealthy M chigar
LumbeIman and His Vile Were
Principals.

SAN DIEGO, CAL, Sept. 29.-There
was filed with the County Clerk tnis morn
ing a modified decree of Judge Puter-
baugh in the case of Kate A. Bradley VS..
E. w. Bradley, in which the custody of
the child, Harold, formerly award ed to the
mother, is now transferred to the care of
the father.
An interesting and romantic story is
behind this little court item. On July Is
divorce was granted to Kate A. Bradley
from F. W. Bradley, giving the custody
of the six-year-old boy, Harold, to tn .
mother. Bradley is member of the firm
of N. B. Bradley Il Sons, lumbermen of
Bay City, Mich, and is reputed to be
worth over 1000. 600. The father, N. B.
| Bradley, possesses much larger fortune,
and the little boy, Harold, is heir to both.
Mrs. Bradley appeared at La Jolla last
Decembe where she rented cottage
from Mrs. Msyes, and soon became highly
esteemed for her bright and charming
ways. Hsr little boy was with her. 1t
became limited about that the brilliant
Mrs. Bradley was in California for the
urpose of obtaining divorce from her
husband, who was very wicked man gen.
| orally.
\
from the train one day handsome man
Samuel a. Benton, lawyer, New York
Mr.. Benton Immediately became very at
tentive to Mrs. Bradley, and in a few days
| the neighbors began TO whisper little.
But the shrewd woman osed the mouth
of Mrs. Grundy" by explaining that Mr..
| Benton was an invalid, here for his health.
very old friend of the family and her at
! torney in her effort to obtain release from
1 l..
cottage with Mrs. Bradley, but, as her
mother was always present, of course there
| could be no harm in that.
| After an idyic life at La Jolla the New
Yorker suddenly disappeared. Mrs. Brad
| ley's mother, who had come out from Bay
! City, returned, leaving the pretty would
| lie diyorcee and her boy. Then, on July
1 IL, Mrs. Bradley told her landlady, Mrs
Mayes, that she was about to marry Ben
ton. and would like to leave her boy with
the kind hearted old lady. He would be
so troublesome on the honeymoon, she
said. Mrs. Mayes consented. Within two
days the divorce was granted. The mys-
terious and handsome Benton appeared
promptly and went away with Mrs.
! Bradley.
The next heard from the couple was
letter, dated at New York, to Mrs Mayes
inclosing check for the child's expenses,
but saying nothing about sending for him.
L W. mOuLhS pdSscu anu NJ IS. mdyeS Oe-
came worried. Finally she notified the
grandmother AT Bay City of the situation.
requesting an immediate answer. She re-
ceived in reply dispatch telling her to
await written instruction. In the mean
time she had also received a letter from
Mr.. Benton of New York to the effect that
Mrs. Bradley Benton in her new relation
did not think 1t wise to assume the care of
q child, and had decided TO let the father
have it, but that the father, who was lead.
| ing CAV bachelors life in the East, did
not fee the proper parental regard Tor his
child, and did not want it, either.
So he poor little ellow, who to save his
life cannot tell why he is causing so much
trouble and Who is the direct heir to mil
lions, was in danger OF being turned adrift
on the world unless Mrs. Mayes consented
To care for him on her own respons ibiiity.
! Now, however, through the efforts of
! Bradley's attorneys, the matter has been
adjusted, and six-year-old Harold will
shortly be transported across the CONT.
nent.
| Benton, who has played such a promi-
nent part in the affair, is said to be we'll
known criminal lawyer of New York City.