The San Francisco call., 1897-02-04
BITTER TEARS Of
AFOSTER MOTHER
Mrs. Holstrom Weeps Over
the Loss of Her
Little One.
Dragged From Her Arms by
o fcer Frank J. Kane Last
Monday Morning.
Acts Of Brutality Alleged to Have
Attended the Seizure of the
Pretty Baby.

''They dragged my baby from my arms,
and now they are going to take her away
so far that I'll never see her again.
sobbed Mrs. Lucinda Holstrom in Judge
Troutts court yesterday when the Jud ge
declared that he had no power to help the
grief-stricken woman who stood before
him.
II was one of those scenes so common in
the courts of the land, when a tender
hearted magistrate does not see his way
clear to extend the assistance he would
like 10 give, and when even if he did so
his act would entail sorrow on others, for
there are always two sides to case like
this.
Mrs. Holstrom had sued out a writ of
habeas corpus for the recovery of a sweet
little baby girl who is now something
more than years old.
Readers of The CALL will remem Der the
account that appeared in these columns
several days ago concerning Mrs. Hol-
strOm' S troubles. She obtained possession
OF child by paying $40 TO the mother, or
rather TO the attending doctor, and sup
posed she wouldanever,be disturbed inthat
possession. The written contract 10th a t
effect was witnessed by Dr. Marion
Thrasher and others. but Mrs. Holstrom
neglected TO take out formal letters OF
guardianship or adoption and that is why
she Is mourning the loss of the little one
she has cherished so long.
Frank J. Kane, an officer of the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children,
was cited to appear and show cause why
he did not deliver the child, Eva r. Y.
Holstrom, to hel foster mother.
Mrs. Holstrom in presenting her petit
ton for the writ alleged: THAT said child,
VINO is now little over years of age, was
given TO your petitioner in said City and
County when it was only six days old blythe
mother, who was an unmarried woman,
and your petit ioner for more than
four years last past has nur-
tured, maintained and cared for
said child; and said child has never known
any other mother than Your petitioner;
that on the 1st day OF February, 1897. Frank
j. name, under the fraudulent and false
pretense that your petitioner was not fit
and proper person 10 have the custody of
said child, forcibly and without right and
without cause seized and carried away said
child from the custody of your petitioner
to the great detriment and injury of said
child"
In Mr.. Kane's reply he said he was not
bile to comply with any order of Judge
Trout TO produce the body of the child in
court for the reason that he gave the lit
tie one to its mother on the 1st of Febru-
ary at the corner OF seventeenth and
Howard streets, before Mrs. Holstrom be-
gan her habeas corpus proceedings.
Attorney Daley wanted to have the
writ dismissed at once, but the court
allowed Attorney Leonard S. Clark to
cross-exsmine Mr.. Kane. The officer tes-
titled that he gave the little girl to her
mother at the corner of Seventeenth and
Howard streets last Monday. He doesn't
know the mothers present name, doesn't
know where she lives, does't know where
the child is now, and could not find her.
The chiId's mother is now married and
wants her child.
$50 you put this child into the custody