The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-09
ROBBED OF HER BARNS
EVEN THE DEPUTY SHERIFF HESI-
TATED IN HIS DUTY.
Mrs. Julia Petit Suffers at the In
stance of the Board of Chill
dren's Guardians.

Recently the Board of Children's Guard
ians procured an order from the Circuit
Court giving the board the custody of the
three children of Alonzo and Julia Petit,
No SIS Spring street. Yesterday the order
was placed in the hands of Deputy Sheriff
Grant Brown, with instructions to serve it
on the mother of the children, and also to
take the children to the boards home at
Irvington.
I'm all my experience l never before felt
so much like quitting job as l did this
morning." remarked the deputy after he had
carried out his instructions. The three Pet
tit children are Ida Rose and Thomas The
eldest is Ida Petit, aged nine, and Thomas,
aged five, is the youngest. The deputy learned
from Mrs Petit that she recently brought
a suit for divorce from her husband She
claimed that it was Petit who had been
instrumental in causing the Board of
Guardians to bring suit for possession of
her children. When the deputy sheriff an
nounced his mission to Mrs. Petit yester-
day morning, she was greatly affected.
He has done it at last" she exclaimed,
breaking into tears. The deputy, after
glancing about the rooms and noting the
neat and tidy appearance of the mother
and children, was puzzled, and, after talk
with the woman, was at loss to under
stand why the children were to be taken
from her. The faces of the little ones were
bright and clean and their little frocks
showed a mothers care. After the sheriff
read the order of court the mother began
to weep violently and the two younger
children clutched at her skirts and began
to cry piteously. Ida Petit, the older
daughter chung to her and sobbed in
heartbroken way but presently, when the
girl found that her mothers grief was aug
mented by her own tears, she dried her
eyes and began trying to comfort the moth
er. Mrs. Petit pleaded with the deputy to
be allowed to keep her children a little
longer, promising to bring them into court
at the proper time. Deputy Brown said he
would see what could be done and sought
the nearest telephone. Learning that the
arrangement proposed by the mother could
not be made he returned to the house and
directed the weeping woman to get her
children ready. The grief of the mother and
says he never witnessed more pitlful
scene. Finally the mother set about to get
She brought their hats from the wardrobe.
brushed the hair of the little girls and
combed the curly locks of the boy. Then
they all had another good cry and chung to
forever. Deputy Brown made Mrs. Petit
very happy by telling her she could go with
Bathing her swollen face the wretched
woman made herself tidy and followed the
children to the home. Deputy Brown left
them at the institution.
II suppose, of course, the board has
good reason for taking those children, he
remarked later, but I'll confess l can't
figure out what the reason is It's the worst
piece of business I've ever been mixed up
in"
Mrs, Julia Goodhart nor Charles F. Cof-
fin, when called on last evening, knew
nothing about the case whatever. Rev. n.
A. Hyde and Frank w. Flanner are both
out of the city. William A. Joyce, who Is
the detailed patrolman for the board, said
1.-THE case has been filed for over a month,
and L suppose the sheriff has not acted in
the matter, inaSmuch as court does not con-
Vene until September. / remember the af-
fair very well. / investigated the case
when it was brought to my notice, and
found the father of the children drank
mother said she kept up the family by one
bcarder. whose name was Burgan. But
the neighbors told me that the relations be-
tween Mrs. Petit and Burgan were too IN
innate. This was over year ago. Besides
this woman whose name l do not care 10
give now staid at the Petit home and paid
board amounting to about So week. This
woman is now out of the city so as not to
be summoned as witness in the case. Mr..
and Mrs. Petit have not lived together for
some time, and l understand a suit for di-
vorce has been filed.
1T is my duty to investigate all such
cases that come to the notice OF the board,
and if / am satisfied the parents are not
fit to keep the children l report the facts
at once to the board If one of the parents
Is capable of supporting the children and
gives them the proper treatment drop the
0ac