The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-23

tion aud q Wedding But the Infant,
Only a Few Months Old, Can Not Be
FouEd-It is Said That Barren woma o
Has Taken It to Fool Her Kich
Husband Into the Belief That She
Has Given Birth to an Heir at
last
Chicago. Dec 22-Au the elements
necessary for the fourdation Of a sensa-
tional French novel are found in the
strange story which surrounds tre disap-
pearance OF, and efforts being made 10
find. child born at the Hahnnemann
! hospital October so, last. The marriage
OF an estranged couple hangs On the re-
covery Of the child.
The aid of the Chicago detectivede de-
partment has been invoked by the pa
f, rents. thus far, however, without ac-
| conplisning anything save dra wing the
s.rangest stories from those who have
| disposed OF the child and are supposed
| 10 know OF its whereabouts.
The mother OF the infant. Nellie Dart
to come from an old and respectable
family in that neighborhood. il is claim
ed. stated 10 Superintendent ]. c. Burt
Of the hospital that II would be impos-
sihle for her 10 maintain the child, and
| asked il It would not be possible for
him TO provide a good home for il. He
replied, 50 he claims, that he knew OF a
woman through whose agency good
homes had been provided for infants. 1t
is claimed in behalf OF the mother, how
ever, that she did not indicate a pur-
pose to part absolutely with the child.
if she could possibly help 1t, but re-
quested the hospital authorities If possi-
BILE 10 provide some temporary home for
the CHILD. or al least keep 1t for her a.
the hospital for a short time.
On the afternoon OF November q.
when the mother left the hospital, Su-
perintendent Burk sent word to a Mrs.
j. Z. Burke. 1925 Wentworth avenue,
who, according to circular on Mr..
t Bur.'s desk, calls attention 70 the 'fali
and winter opening OF her private
home for infants"
II board children from birth" the cir
sirous will secure the best OF homes for
them on adoption" The circular fur
ther along states that ''all cases shall
be handled in the strictesl confidence
and privacy"
Mrs. Burke came Immediately and got
the child.
In the meantime Louis ]. Rhinehart,
also Of Peru, Ind, pressed his suit and
a reconcilia ton was effected between
him and the mother conditioned on the
recovery Of their child. This condition
was Of her making, CHE saying that she
could never live happily with him while
she thought there was child OF theirs
living under some other roof.
Accordingly she came on to Chicago to
secure the child, but could find out moth
ing concerning its Whereabouts save that
it had been given TO a certain wealthy
family, who were providing a home for
it, which was in accordance with her
wishes, It was claimed. She returned
ID Peru, but after consulting with
Rhinenarc, returned to Chicago last
week with II. P Loveland. an attorney.
determined 70 make another effort for
the recovery of her child.
A written demand was at once made
upon Mr.. Burt for the body OF the child,
and ne was further notified TO take TO
further steps looking to it's concealmene
or adoption. When Nr. Loveland wait
ed upon Mr. Burt with this demand and
announced his determination 10 take
every legal step toward the recovery OF
the child. the latter, according TO Mr..
Loveland, told him the following extra
ordinary story concerning the infant :
wherea bouts:
Il had been taken by a wealthy mar
ried woman residing on Drexel boule-
ward, whose husband was anxious for an
heir. Ii was the wife's purpose to de-
ceive the husband into the belief that
the child in question was theirs. To at
tempt to take the child away from her
now. 80 it was claimed, would be 20 GER
tainly wreck the happiness Of that house
hold. Mr.. Loveland was promised. so he
claims, that il two or three weeks time
was given, another infant would be
substituted for the one in question, and
nothing would be known of II.
The story was OF such an extraordin-
=
that the next day he went again 70 see
Mr.. Burt. taking with him a friend
named Palmer. and asked Mr.. Burt IL
he had not told MIN the story just de-
tailed 10 him the dag before.
Bon men say that Mr. Burt denied
that ne had told the story as originating
from him. but that ne had beer told the
story by some one else. the two men
being lei 70 understand that the story
had come from Mrs Burke.
Yesterday Mr. Bur, denied to repor-
ter that ne had told any such story as
this. but that ne had merely cited hy-
pothetical case. with the statement that
he had heard OF such things being done.
and thought il was possible il might
have been done in the case ot the child
in question. He denied any knowledge
of the cnild'. Whereabouts.
Detective Edward ]. Dodd. who mas
been working on the case. said yesterday
that Mr.. Burt had said 10 him that he
knew where the child was AMI could pro
duce it at any time before any court ot
record II called upon TO do 50.
This he denied to a reporter, saying
he had merely stated that ne was pre-
pared at any time % appear before any
cour, o. record sni explain his conrec-
tson with the case He claimed 70 know
nothing OF Mrs. Burke's character. BE-
y5ni the fact that shs wa- recommend
ed . him by a number os reputable ply
sscisns. He said the hospital did not
astemp. 20 assume any Jurisdiction over
the child. which fact he told Ks mother.
II the meantime ns-y efforts have
bAen made by Lovelsu6 sni :hs police
10 sac Mrs. Burke and get from her the
story 81 The chili's gherea Bouts. but