The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-13
Possession of the Jaeger
Baby Blackens the Char
acters of Father
and Mother.
DAILY AND WELLER DRAMATIC
Baby Comes to Court in the
Arms Of Its Foster
Mother.

f1He papy Jaeger habeaS corpus case
was argued this morning before Justice
Liprincott in the Supreme Court. VIM.
Jaeger, who claims to be the father of
the child, and his. mother were the first
to arrive in court. They had with them
Jaeger's other child Mrs. Leo Wanger-
sheila, who has adopted the baby and
wants to keep it, came In a few minutes
later with the little fellow in her arms
and accompanied by her sister and Mrs.
Jaeger. the child's mother. The child was
dressed in white and it's pretty face
framed In golden curls made an attractive
picture. The boy is evidently very much
attached to his foster mother. At inter-
walls ne threw his arms around her neck
and kissed her. Supreme Court Commis-
sioner Nugent had submitted the testi-
mony to Justice Lippincott. who, how
ever, had not had time to read it.
Lawyer Weller opened the argument for
the petitioner. The issue, he said, was
narrowed down to a very small compass
The answer to the petition sets up the
clairn that the respondent expects'to hold
the child on the ground that Jaeger IS
not the father of 1t. The testimony,
however, Is uncontradicted, that William
Jaeger was the legal husband Of the
chil6s mother. and the child was born In
lawful wedk,ck. Under such circum-
stances it makes no difference who Is ths
father. The ch1d was born ON December
g. 1898. The mother had testified that she
and her husband parted on March II, 1883.
Jaeger was arrest ed on September 26, 1893.
for non-support, and after that he paid
his wife 81 a week. After the child was
born the sum was increased to So a week.
That, to Mr.. Wellers mind. was conclu-
sive evidence that he had am
interest in the welfare Of his
wife and the baby although his
his wife was bad woman. Jaegar had
good reason for leaving his wife. She
was continually under the influence of
liquor and neglected their other child.
After the baby in dispute was born the
mother went to Brooklyn to her sisters
house. Jaeger went over to see her,
and that shows that he WAS net bad
man. He was willing to provide for her
and support the child, although he was
not willing to live with her. He didn't
see his wife again until 1895. when he met
her in the street under the influence Of
liquor. That was October 20, and he
had not been able to ind any trace of
the child until that : lime Els wife
threatened 70 have him arrested again.
and he told hersifs She would come tc
HoEoken he would support her. While
she was drunk she pointed out to him
the place where the child was. he went
in and saw the child In the barroom-
just think of it. said Mr..
Weller. the child was IN the
barroom. The respondent alleges that he
told her he would make her a present
of the child, but it is evident that he
didn't do anything of the kind. There
is only one question to determine, Mr.
Weller said. and that is the fitness of the
father to take care of the child. Under
the law the mother would be entitled to
the custody Of the child until he is seven
years old, If she were fit person, but
she is not. Jaeger confesses that he has
been arrested several times, but no crime
was ever proved against him. He Is q
thrifty. Industrious man, and able to pro-
he takes care of her and he testified
week. Mrs. Wangershein has no money.
Her husband keeps a saloon and she
sometimes tends bar.
dy wife of a bartender?" asked Mr.. Well
Ter, dramatically. Counsel then drew
a picture of the child being taken to his
grandmother's house and the two chill
dren, he and his brother, playing around
the floor together. He said it would be
wrong to separate them. In closing Mr..
Weller said that Mrs. Jaeger lied when
the child was indentured to Mrs. Wanger-
stein. She told the Freeholders that the
child's father was dead.
Senator Daily, who appeared for the re-
spondent, made an eloquent appeal and
scored Jaeger mercilessly. He said that
the child is lawfully In Mrs. Wanger-
shein's possession by indehture. The
child was born in hospital. On March
II Jaeger heartlessly abandoned his wife
and the infant and left them without q
roof over their heads. Their whole mar
ried life was scene Of absolute cruelty
on Jaeger's part His affection was all for
probable that all the trouble was due to
the mother-in-law. Mrs. Jaeger, after
being, abandoned, was obliged to go to
She left her husband threatened % kill
her. He attempted to stab her with a
knife, but stabbed his mother instead. :.
Senator Daily. "The chsld Is In the GUS
tody Of Mrs. Wangershein by indenture
from the Board Of Freeholders. It was
by its mother. Jaeger never showed any
solicitude for the child until now. He
left II to StdrVe or De brought up sur
TSs 1Ssapsiss fact that 0s e S paid a'ssssssss
that he had abandoned the child and its
mother. The mother was finally forced
to send 1t to the Almshouse. 1t was in
a IitiGbl .condition when Mrs Wanger-
shein saw It there and poured out her
was crnaciated and starved looking and
presented such a picture OF misery that
Warden Ryan was surprised when Mrs.
Wa:ngershefn offered to take it.
Look at It now" said the Senator. 1T
Sthes fifteen months Mrs. WangersfAin
has had It, and you can see that 1t is
well cared, for and happy. Yet this de-
generste man would come now and claim
Il When Jaeger saw the child In the bar
roems ass Mr.. Weller said. although it
was not the harroom but room at the
and another lady were there and the child
was playing. Jaeger said to Mrs. Wanger-
sshsdn then that she need not be afraid,
that he would make her q present of tbs
child and never trouble her again. He
only wanted tossee the child to use hira
as evidence I'M his divorce suit. Jaeger,
Senator DAILY said, Is an absolutely unfit
man to have the custody Of the child.
T0 take It away from ITS happy home
trayesty on Justice, q trayesty on humane
Justice, Eippincott win dscide the case
next Saturday.
People buy Hoods sarsaparilla year after
yotE good sto take It now.