The age-herald., 1898-06-08
N ROLE OF A MODERN SOLOMON


 son in the famous contest instituted by Lilie Park against Mrs. Dora Hooker for the possession of the one-year-old baby of which both women claim to be the natural mother.
 The hearing which was begun In the city court Saturday last has attracted great attention and the case will go on record as the first case of the kind ever tried in the courts of Alabama.
 Judge Wilkerson in being called upon to decide the question, occupied the rather unique position of a modern Solomon and while he was not asked to decide the ma ternity, but merely the possession of the child and unlike Solomon of old, his wis dom was not put to the task of that wise man, who ordered his executioner to hold the babe aloft by one of its legs and with his sword to cleaye it in two, in the pres ence of it's alleged mothers in order that the true love and affection of the real mother would show itself.
 Wise Test
 It will be remembered that when the executioner raised his sword to do Solo mons bidding the natural mother threw herself at the feet of the wise man and
 
 but to spare it's life, while the contestant stood coldly by ready to witness the sacri- flee in order to carry out her unholy pur- pose.
 The evidence of the petitioner tended to show that on May 2S, 1S97 Lillie Parks, an inmate of a house of prostitution, gave birth to male child. Emma Osburn, the keeper of the house attended to the wants nf "a inf of hn inD nf the mother to give it proper attention. The child at several times was given into the possession of negro woman, who took it to her home and there cared for it. About the 20th of October following Mrs. Hooker called at the house of Emma Osburn and there arranged with it's mother to take possession of the child and according to yle mothers statement, to keep it until fuch time as she might call for it. It was agreed that Mrs. Hooer was to send a negro woman for the child the next day and it was accordingly delivered.
 Wanted It Back
 This was the last the mother saw of the child until about two weeks ago. when she made a demand upon Mrs. Hooker for her baby, which was denied, Mrs. Hooker claiming that the child in her possession was her own natural child and not the child of Lillie Parks
 Habeas corpus proceedings were at once instituted by Lilie Parks and in her tes- timony she promised that if she were given possession of the child she would leave her life of shame and return to the home of her father and there rear the baby in the ways of righteousness. Her father also took the stand and with trembling lips and tear stained eyes he said that he was willing to take his way ward daughter and her illegitimate child back to his home and bosom.
 |, nf he fri m birth. The child of Lilie Parks is al- Jarnes Satterfield. This act of the peti- tioner furnished fresh target for attack and the respondent introduced witnesses to attack the character of the man, which was alleged to be bad
 Tn answering the writ Mrs. Hooker, the respondent, made affidavit that she was the natural mother of the child and had given birth to it, thereby giving her the right of possession. The testimony intro duced her behalf indicated that she had given birth to the child on October 21, 1897, and that well known physican or the city, who has since died. attended to the birth. The child of Lille Forks is al- legged to have died.
 In rebuttal the petition introduced evi- dence to show that no record of the all legged birth of Mrs. Rockers child has been filed with the health officer. and also that the alleged birth was a myth and had
 
 claim to the child.
 The character of the respondent was also attacked, witnesses being introduced who swore that she was addicted to the liquor habit and that she used obscene lan- guage.
 No evidence was introduced to show that the child had ever been mistreated by Mrs. Hooker, but rather that she displayed great affection for it and gave 1t every atten- ton.
 The evidence was completed yesterday at noon and the attorneys then began their arguments, making strong appeals for their respective clients, which brought tears to the eyes of many of the spectators.
 During the closing address of Attorney Meade for the petitioner. she sat with bowed head and sobbed bitterly as he feel ingly summed up the evidence and plead ed for the return of the little waif.
 Judge Wilkerson's Decision
 At the conclusion of Attorney Meade's ad- dress Judge Wilkerson promptly gave his decision in an able opinion in which he stated that he had not been called upon to decide the question of maternity. He re- fered feellngly to the environments sur- rounding the birth of the alleged child of Lilne Parks, and of her promise to lead a different life if given tHe possession of the child. and to rear 1t in a proper manner. He condemned her act in marrying man who. according to the evidence, was not a proper person to take a hand in rearing a child He gave as his opinion that she was not a fit person to be given the care of an infant, when 1t most needed a tnoth- CTS care was neglected and given unto the keeping of a negro woman.
 While not passing upon the maternity of the child. he said that If Mrs. Hooker were not the natural mother, her course could not be too severely condemned, but that