The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-15
Mrs. Leslie Carter Makes a
Scene in Court.
She Asks That Her Son Be Not
Taken From Her.
THE BOY is SIXTEEN
But His Father Carries Him
Off Every Time
Tha His Mother Comes to Chi
cagO On Her Tours.

Chicago, Jan. 15.-"I am a woman
and I have a woman's weakness
am mother, and have a mothers
heart. I want to see my boy when
ever come here. He is my flesh and
blood. I love him."
Mrs Leslie Carter spoke these words
They came from her spasmodically, and
her big eyes were moist as she uttered
her longing for her boy. She had just
left the stage after the performance of
The Heart of Maryland" at the Great
Northern theater Tuesday night No
dramatic emphasis was placed on the
words, though she unconsciously repeat
ed some of her lines as the heroine of
the play when she said: Il am a wo-
man and have woman's weakness. -
The cry came from the woman and the
mothers heart.
She uttered these words because her
son may be taken out of the state by
his father Leslie Carter was given
the sole custody of the boy, Leslie Dud-
ley Carter, when he obtained a divorce
from his wife in 1883. Since then Mrs.
Carter has seen the boy occasionally
with the consent of the father. The
youth, for he is now nearly 16 years
old, saw his mother Sunday and Mon
day. But Mr.. Cater decided to take
him away yesterday to New York, and
sent word by the boy when he went to
see his mother last.
This nerved the mothers heart for an
appeal to the courts. On a petition
signed by Mrs. Caroline Louise Carter,
Judge BrentanO granted a temporary
injunction late Tuesday afternoon re-
straining Leslie Garter from taking the
boy out of the state. She told the court
that the decree of divorce provided she
should not interfere with the boy. She
said that she had not, but that she had
only seen him a few times since 1889.
She told the court the boy was extreme
ly fond of her and the deprivation of
hi ni.afx cd l1sar- fa1
strain and interfered with her work
in her profession. Her mothers heart
saw a possibility of relief in the statute
which provides that the court shall re-
tain jurisdiction of the child and enter
such orders as it sees fit.
But her mothers heart sees more
than this. She believes that the youth
is old enough to judge for himself, and
that if the boy is allowed by the court
to show his preference he will turn
to his mother. She wants this more
than anything else
Il wish he were 90" she. exclaimed
ly come to me-
Il have nothing to say" she contin-
ued. Il want to see my boy whenever
1 come here He brought me word
from his father on Monday that he was
going away and 1 could not bear it,
Mr. Carter said it was true he intend
ed to take the boy with him to New
York. He had allowed the youth to
see his mother, he said. on the day she
arrived in Chicago and had sent him
again on Monday to the Virginia hotel
to see her and to take the message of
his intended departure. At o'clock
Mr.. Carter had not been served with
the injunction. He would not say
whether such an injunction would
stand. He did not talk much.
Il have always allowed the boy to
see his moher when she came to Chi
cago alone" he said. But 1 have al
ways taken him away when she came
her with a theatrical company. The
court did not stipulate that l should al
low his mother to see him at all.
| have done it of my own free Will, and
1 will continue to do it when she is not
here with a theatrical company"
When asked if he thought the boy
wanted to be with his mother, Mr.. Car
ter said:
L must decide for him now"