The morning times., 1896-06-26
THEY RORSO0K THE BABY
Board Of Children's Guardians Un-
ravels aQueer Case.
Woman by Its Young and
Widowed Mother.

The death, a few days ago, OF an infant
white child has brought to notice a cleverly
conducted investigation by Mr.. s. s. Park
man. OF the Board OF children's Guardians,
which has developed an interesting story.
The attention of the board was first
directed TO the case when a coiored W oman
named Maggie TOlson, complained that a
strange white woman had left with her an
infant, but had failed to make the promised
provision for the child. The mother had
said ITS name was Edward Mason.
Mr.. Parkman began an inquiry and
learned that April z last a middle aged
man, accompanied by two young women,
had enga ged two furnished rooms 81 a
private house in q street northwest and
had given the name of Eli snm.s, OF
his daughters, sAfiss May James, aged
twenty, and Mrs. Annie ~ Mason, only
seventeen.
The man coDfided to his landlord that
his daughters husband was dead. having
committed suicide in March, the third da y
after his marriage.
All went well until the 18th of April,
when there was boy baby in the house,
and two weeks therea fter Mr.. James
asked the doctor TO tell him OF someone
who would take care of the child, because
the mother was too weak to look after 1t.
Mr.. James said they would take II with
them when they went back TO the country.
Mrs. Tolso1 was secured. The next
morning Mr.. Eli james, Miss May james,
Mrs. Mason disappeared.
One feature OF the work OF the Board
of Child reD's Guardians is that it has
hundreds OF correspondents in the States
cont gJous to Washington. After care
fully considering the case. Mr.. Parkman
communicated with their agent at Mar
shall. telling him the facts in the case, and
asking for Information OF anyone named
James. or answering the description of the
parties.
The gent soon answered the letter. stat
ing that there was a farmer named Bride
well. W ho had two daughters, one OF
whom bad married recently, and her hus-
band had shot himself on the third day of
his marriage. They had been absent from
their home for several weeks. but had
recently returned.
So confident was Mr.. Parkman, that the
parties mentioned by his informant were
the proper persons that he addressed n
Communication to Brideweli accusing him
of the affair. Bridewell immedi lately
responded, acknowledging he was the
party, and said he had given an assumed
name. They bad never intended to desert
the child, he said. but he was a poor man
and it was hard for him 10 get the money
together. The letter was a most pathetic
appeal to take care OF the Child. Later
came another epistle, written in red ink.
and headed al Marshall, Va. 1t was fro.l
the child's mother. and hers was. indeed,
a touching plea. The two letters did not
agree, however, the father stated that
his daughter was out of work and the
girl saying that she had work in Wash
ington, which took her travelling with a
lady as maid, and that she intended to pro-
vide for the little one. The father VS.
advised to take the CHILD but did cot
do So. He, however. sent some money
and the Board of Children's Guardians
looked after t until the 22d OF this month,
when 1t died and was buried in Potter's
field