The San Francisco call., 1897-03-20
DR.. Marion Thrasher De-
noupced a Remark by
Attorney Deuprey.
Judge Seawell Warned the Dis
putants to Beware of Con.
tempt Proceedings.
Little Effe V. R. Ho strom's Custoi y
Will Soon Be Judicially D.
termined.

shall nave the CUSTODY OF ner-MTS. LOU
Holstrom, her foster mother, or Mrs.
Sarah d'Artenay, VINO was Sallie c. Ma
guire, an unmarried woman. at the time
of the child's birth.
The opposing petitions were read. in
which each woman accused the other OF
being an improper person to have charge
of child of tender years.
1t usually happens that this case leads
to some kind of an outbreak whenever it
comes up in court, and yesterday was no
exception. During the examination of
Mrs. Sarah Thrasher, wife of DR.. Marion
Thrasher, there was some contention be-
tween the witness and Attorney Eugene
n. Deuprey in regard TO the NUMBER of
times that Mrs. Thrasher visited Mr..
Deuprey's Office.
IL was at his office only once, and he
knows it, declared the lady.
"I say that she visited nv Office three
times" responded Mr.. Deuprey.
That's a Iie," shouted DIR. Thrasher
from the rear of the room.
Judge SeaweIl directed the bailiff to
preserve order, and that official prevented
further trouble by stepping between the
belligerent gentlemen. They were warned
TO beware of punishment for contempt of
court. They may hear more of this mat
ter at the conclusion of the trial.
The first documentary evidence in the
case was writing, by which Mrs. Hol-
strom obtained possession of the child ip
December 1892. 1t reads as follows:
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 21, 1892
To uhom IL may concern: l this day in the
presence of the witnesses herein mentioned
convey and bequeath my blue-eyed dark
haired girl baby, born December Is, 1892. at
Mrs. Lou Holstrom OF Empire City, Or, to
raise, to educate as her own child, and TO
adopt thus legally. and to inherit the said Mr..
and Mrs. HoIstrom's property as legal heir.
SALLIE Z. MAGUIRE
Witnesses: NJ. Thrasher, NJ D., Mrs. NJ Han
cock, Mrs. NJ. L. Rankin.
/ aece pit the conditions above.
MRS. Lou HoLsTRoM
Mrs. Sarah d'Artenay, formerly Miss
Maguire mother of the child, was the
first witness. She testified that she is
married to Philip d Artenay, who is res
ident of Dixon. Coiusa County, and is a
blacksmith by trade, owning his own
shop. She said that her husband is will
ing TO have the child come into his house
hold; that she has been married for near
ly four years ana has had no children.
She said that she heard that Mrs Hol-
strom wished to give the child up, and
she wanted it back. She said she gave
the child to Mrs. Holstrom freely, but
now wishes to have it returned. She ad-
mitted that she signed the paper soon
after the birth OF the child giving the Gus
tody to Mrs. Hoistrom, but said she got
no money. She asked Mrs. Holstrom TO
pay Dr.. Thrasher for his services at the
confinement, and she understood that S5
or $40 had been paid on that account by
Mrs. Holstrom.
Denial was made bv Mrs. d'Artenay to
ali suggestions that Or. Thrasher and his
wife were interested in the taking of the
child. She said Officer Frank Kane knew
H.
Dixon, bur there was no conspiracy.
When Mr.. Deuprey asked if she did not
know that such an act was kidnapping an
objection was interposed by Attorney
Matt /. Sullivan, and the question was
ruled out by the court.
Mrs. d Artenay said that Mrs. Holstrom
told her she had palmed off the child on
her husband as her own. When asked to
give up the child Mrs. Holstrom said she
wouldn't give il up for 81, 600, 600, but
Mrs. Holstrom's mother thought $1,000
would be enough.
DR.. Marion Thrasher told the story of
the transfer of the infant from Mrs
d'Artenay to Mrs. Holstrom substantially
as set forth in the written contract He
said he wrote out an adoption paper. He
thought it was legal at the time. No COM
pensation was paid to Mrs. d PArtenay Tor
the child. Some money was paid to him.
but that was for his fee as physician.
About two weeks sfterward Mrs. Hol-
strom called on him and told him that she
had been playing off sick, pretending to
be in confinement in order to deceive her
husband; that her husband expected her 10
bring baby back TO Oregon and this was
the baby she would take and impose it on
him as their child.
Last August" he said, 81 met Mrs.
Holstrom and she said she was going to
get divorce and marry man who didn't
like children, so she intended to put little
Efiie or z. " as she called her into an
orphan asylum. Then l told her if she
thought of putting the baby in an orphan
asylum l would like to have the child
back so that / could return it to its true
mother, who was looking for a child to
adopt and would prefer to have her own
baby If possible.
Mrs. Sarah rhrasher confirmed the story
that Mrs. Holstrom had said that she
wished to make people think it was her
OWE, that Mrs. Holstrom got up out of bed
when she had been pretending to be sick
About year and half ago Mrs. Holstrom
told the witness that she adopted the child
because her husband had accused her of
associations that would preven. her from
having children. and she wanted this child
to show him SO that it would convince him
that he was wrong. On one occasion Mrs.
Thrasher called and told Mrs. Holstrom
and Mrs. Lighthall, mother of Mrs. Hol-
strom, that If they wanted to give the child
up The witness desired TO get the little one
in order 10 deliver it to lis mother. The
response made by them was that they had
paiG SIS month for milk for the baby and
that they ought to have $1,000.
Mr.. Deuprey wanted TO know why Mrs
Thrasher concealed the identity of Mrs.
d Artenay when she took the child out
driving with her in August, 1885, and Mrs
Thrasher said she thought IL was honor
able. Mrs. Holstrom and Mrs. d Artenay
did not meet and she did not introduce
them.
On one occasion the witness and her
husband went to Mrs. Holstroms house
and asked if she lid intend to put little
Effie in an orphan asylum, and she ac-
knowledged that she had lold DR.. Thrash
er that such had been her Intention.
Mrs. Martin of Oakland, who has the
temporary custody OF the child, asked to
be relieved of that duty, saying that she
had not been able to get a nights sleep
for more than two weeks, because the baby
persists in fretting and crying for one OF
the mothers
Mr. Deuprey tried to have her say that
the little one is yearning for the care of
her foster mother. Mrs. Holstrom. but the
court thought it would be better to defer
that question. and finally Mrs. Martin
consented to keep the child Tor anoth er
week, when the dispute will probably be
4 ettled.