The times., 1897-07-07
USED A BORROWED BABY
Mr.. Southwick Makes Sensational
Charges Against His Wife.
TOLD HIM THE CHILD WAS HIS
Government Printing Office Clerks
Answer to His Wife's Suit for
Reveals an Interesting
Story Alleged Deception Discov-
cred When the Child Died.

Charges OF sensational nature charac-
terlze me answer filed by Harvey j. South
wick, Government Printing Office eu-
ploye, to the suit recently brought by his
wife, Nora c. southwick, asking that he
be compelled to contribute to her support,
and also that be be enjoined from entering
the house occupied by her.
In her suit the wife alleges that her
husband deserted her October 10, 1885,
and that he has not since contributed 10
her support. she further alleged that he
had forcibly entered the house where siie
was sta ying and carried Off furniture CT
various kinds, including wedding presents
which belonged solely to her.
In his answer, filed before the supreme
court of the District yesterday, South
wick not only denies every allegation Con
tanned in his wife's suit, but goes further
and makes sensational charges, which, II
sustained, contain the elements OF most
peculiar story.
The particular feature OF SouthwicS's
answer is his statement regarding the
singular conduct of his wife in attempt
ing TO deceive him as to the birth of :heir
CIlIu All HIS SNaNNS
that on June l., 1896, his wife told him
that she was going to a hospital 10 secure
treatment for the prevention OF pre-
mature child birth. He says she went
to local hospital, where she remained
four weeks. She then came home, and,
he says informed him that the child
would be born in September. On sepuem-
her II, '96. she informed him that the
child might be born at any IIGe, and
she announced her DETERMINATION To go
To q hospital He was under the iIupres-
sion she was going to Columbia Hospital,
but he says that as her conduct had 80
far alienated his affection for her that
he avoided her on all possible occasions,
he did not accompany her to the hos
pital
On the day following he received a note
from her stating that she was at Garfield
Hospital. He says he went to the hos
pital on the following Sunday afternoon
to yisl, her, and when applying for per-
mission to see her he was surprised to
| find her entered on the hospital blottef
as ''Mrs. Morris widow, and baby" He
saw living beside her a young baby
| He says he asked her why she had en-
tered her raIne at the hospital as Mrs.
| Morris, but sue would give him no salts
| factory answer
He returned home and he says ne was
| informed on September 81 that the child
| was very ill. When he called the follow
| ing day ne was Informed that the child
| had died that afternoon, and that his
| wife had given directions that il be buried
| in Potter's Field He says he counter
mandcd that order and had the body sent
| to Albany, y. Y, after asking the attend
| ing physician for death certificate.
| He received the certificate, which gave
| the child's name as James Earle South
| wick and its age as three weeks He
| says he was astonished and demanded Sn
| explanation.
He then learned that his wife had the
child with her when she entered the hos
| pital He says he demanded of her what
she meant by such an attempt TO deceive
him, when she confessed that the child
| was not her own, but was the iIlegitiInate e
child OF young woman in the hospital
where she had previously been for trent
Inent.
Thus. he says, he only escaped by acci-
dent of death from being fathered by her
| with the child of a stranger
This deception on her part, he states,
was the climax of all previous and subse-
quent difficulties which led TO his lie
parture on October l ., 1896
With regard to his wife's complaint that
he had failed to support her, he says be
has proof that between October 10, 1896,
| and July /, 1897, he advanced to her a
total sum of S34O. 80 for her support
With regard to his alleged forcible entry
OF the house where she was sta yiug, he
declares he went there in company with u
| constable who carried a writ of replevin
in which was specified every article which
he took from the house. The instrument
also states that his wife is forty-five
years of age while he is only thirty-two
He says that the complainant had nc
reason to believe that he would not con
tinue to support her, and that the suit
ought not to have been brought against
him. He further says that ne had nomesns
of knowing from personal obServa ton the
falsity of Eer statements regarding the
child and that he implicitly believed all oi
them. He finally concludes with the re
quest that if the court should allow heI
aIirnony it should not exceed $50 Der TnOn n