The San Francisco call., 1897-03-07
Mrs. Mary L. Martin Is to Act
as Mother Pro Tempore
in This Case.
Mrs. Holstrom AMI Mrs. dArtnay
Faced Each Other in Judge COT.
fey's Court Yesterday.


Judge Coffey hoped, would supply to the
child habiliments appropriate to her sex,
Mrs. Sarah d'Artnay, mother of the
child, was in court, as was also Mrs. Mary
Lucinda Holstrom, the foster-m other, and
as they faced each other it was apparent
that there was 20 love lost between them,
no matter what may be their affection for
the baby girl, Effie.
In the preliminary stage of the proceed
.ngs there was a scene which threatened
to develop into free fight, because the
bitter feelings which exist be tween At
torney Eugene Deuprey and Special Off
Ger Kane of the Society for the Prevention
OF Vice. In their ardor they were led to
overstep the .boun ds of propriety.
THE child was taken by force from the
residence of a private citizen by this fell
low Kane, who is come to be known as a
regular kidnaper," remarked Mr.. Deu-
prey.
You're liar" mildly responded Kane,
who stood in the rear of the room. The
remark was not in Mr.. Kane's ordinary
tone. and so the words were not heard by
Mr.. Deuprey, but were caught by the court.
Both gentlemen were severely chided by
Judge Coffey. He told them that they
ought to be fined $500 each and sent to
jail for two days.
On account of the opposition to her ap-
pointment Mrs. Barron Withdrew her ap-
pllcatlon for the position of guardian or
mother pro tempore of the little girl, and
Mrs Mary L. Martin, who lives at the
Girard House in Oakland, was introduced
TO the court as proper person to assume
that responsibility.
She testified that she was moved to
make the offer voluntarily on account OF
an article which she read in THE CALL,
giving the particulars about a little girl
being incarcerated in the City Prison in
the vicinity of murderers and other male
factors. She said she had often read of
cases where children were i'll treated, but
no other case had appealed to her sympa-
thies as this had.
Attorney Matt |. Sullivan drew out the
admission that Mrs. Holstrom asked Mrs.
Martin to apply for the custody OF the
child, but the lady insisted that she had
not made up her MIND TO do so until she
read an account of the case in her N orning
paper. Mrs. Martin presented recon-
mendations from Judge Ham and the
Chief OF Police of Oakland and other re-
putab citizens showing her to be a
proper person to have charge of the child.
Another quarrel occurred between Mr..
Kane and Mr.. Deuprey, and the court
compelled both OF them to sit down. MIR.
Kane was reminded that he was not an
attorney, and that he has no business to
stand in. q threatening attitude while
witness is giving testim ony. He was re-
quested to desist from this custom here
after.
Mrs. Mary Lucinda Holstrom, the foster.
mother, was sworn. She ad dmitted that
she had cut the girls hair and had
put her in boys clothes, saying that
she did so because Mr.. Kane had threat
ened to seize the child the first time he
had a chance to lay hands on her, and fer
fear that the threat would be carried out
the little one had been disguised. She
thought she was justified in doing so.
Mrs. Holstrom also confessed to Mr..
Sullivan that Mrs. ValkeRbe berg was on
her way to Fresno with the little girl
when arrested, but she said she had no
intention of taking the child outside the
State of California or beyond the iurisdic-
ton of the court.
When asked If she was willing to have
the child placed temporarily IN tnecar e
of some good society Tor the protection OF
children, she burst out:
mo, no; don't send her to any society.
Let some kind woman have her. don't
want Mr.. Kane to have anything to do
with her. He dragged her from me one
morning before she had ner breakfast, and
he wouldn't let me dress her or kiss her,
and said l had no right to touch her, al
though l had loved her and cared for and
nurtured her for four years just as If she
had been my own"
The court and all the lawyers were try
ing to stop the flow of words, but it was
useless 10 attem pit to stem the tide until
the tears came to their rescue and hers.
Then she wept as if her heart would break
and it was noticed that quite numb ber In
the courtroom suddenly required the
services of their handkerchiefs.
Judge Coffey looked distressed, Tor be
has mans dislike for scenes. He waited
patiently until the lady regained her COM
posure, and when she said that all sh G
wanted was for the baby to have its rights
! she was assured that the court would do
Aeverything possible in that regard.
1 Mr.. Deuprey said that II Mrs. Martin
Ahould not prove acceptable, he would sug-
gest Mrs. c. l.. Benton OF 406 Sutter street,
Mrs. J. Z. Young of ia Cum berland street,
or Mrs. Ramsey, editor of the Pacihc
Youth.
Mrs. Sarah d dArtnay, a neatly dressed,
quiet and good-looking woman, was sworn
and testified that she is the mother of little
Etfie and lives in Dixon. in this State. She
had no objection to letting Mrs. Martin
take the child provided none OF the parties
in interest are permitted to visit her pend
ing the hearing of the application for per-
manent custody or adoption.
Judge Coffev said: How about your
self? Win you also forego visiting the child
i'll the meantime
''Yes, provided Mrs. Holstrom is also
prohibited from seeing her" was the re-
ply.
Mr. DeupIey CON mmeDteQ somewhat Sc
verelv on this, saying it might be Mrs.
d'Artnay's disposition toward the child.
but that Mrs. Holstrom had other and
more tender sentiments. She wanted 10
see the little one and minister TO its
needs.
tWell, I'll allow both mothers to visit
the child at all reasonable hours" was
Judge Coffey's humane decision, and he
signed decree constituting Mrs. Martin
the legal guardian and custodian of little
Effie until further order OF the court. He
warned Mrs. Martin 10 be jealous in the
discharge of her duties and TO guard her
charge well, for it is evident that Mrs.
Holstrom is a shrewd and sperate
woman, that she has d great affection for
| the child, and would obtain possession OF
Nthe child by any means in her power.
Mrs. Martin retired to Judge Coffey's
cham bers, when, in less than ten minutes,
she manifested her fitness for her position
as guardian by having the little one
laughing and romping among the law
books and Transcripts on appeal and other
legal bric.a- brac that cumb Der the apart
ments Both mothers were excluded, and
were told to call at the Girard House IN
Oakland if they want to see the child. The