Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-26
ENDS HAMMOND CASE|
Order Signed by Judge Mcvey
Closes Family Embroglio.
$4,000 DAMAGE SUIT DISMISSED
Custody Of Child Given to Parents Of
Mr.. Hammond and All Criminal
Suits Stopped-Has Attracted Much
Attention in ottumwa Circles.


Suits stopped-Has Attracted Much
Attention in ottumwa Circles.
The closing scene in the Jesse B.
Hammond divorce case, which has at
tracted such universal attention in
this city and vicinity, was enacted in
Des Moines when Judge McVey sign
ed a decree awarding the custody of
Ralph Hammond to the grandparents,
the $4,000 damage case
brought by Jesse Hammond against
DR.. e. B. Walston, bringing to an end
all the criminal action against both
DR.. Walston and Jesse Hammond and
removes the latter from the justice of
the peace litigation and bond requir-
ing him to keep the peace. The par
ties were formerly residents of this
city and the case has attracted quite
general attention in this vicinity.
1t is regular gunshot decree and
was designed to take in everything in
connection with the affair and put an
end to all the Hammond domestic diff
ficulties. The decree contains GER
tolu plipuldtiOho LAouS ny OCooO 41ohi-
mond, his former wife (now Mrs. e.
B. Walston) and the parents Of Mr..
Hammond. One of the most impor-
tant features of the decree was the
one placing the custody Of the child
with his grandparents. This has been
the bone of contention throughout the
whole trouble and has been most bit
terly contested by both the father and
the mother.
Custody Fixed.
According to the terms of the de-
cree ]. A. and A. E. Hammond, grand
parents of the child on his fathers
side, are to assume the custody of the
12-year-old boy, son OF Mr. Hammond
and his former wife. The child is to
remain in Des Moiney where he is to
receive the proper care and schooling
and is to be treated as though he was
their own son. After his public
school and preparatory education has
been obtained in Des Moines the in
strument provides thut the boy is to
be sent to some stapdard college Of
the state to complete his education.
1t will be remembered that when Mrs
Walston secured her decree for di
vorce she sent Che lad to her mother
in Topeka, Kan, where he was placed
in school and given all the advantages
possible. Later, on the charge of the
mother not being a fit person to have
the custody of Che child and that she
had spirited him outsfide of the state
and away from the jurisdiction of Mr..
Hammond. The return of the child
to Des Moines was accomplished by
Mr.. Hammond starting for Topeka
with an order from the court demand.
ing of the school authorities that the
boy be returned. Mrs. Walston ca
pitulated and promised that the boy
would be returned voluntarily and
Judge McHenry wired for Hammond
not to interfere. Since then the dis
position of the boy has been pending
before Judge McVey.
By the further terms of today's de.
cree, both parents are allowed to visit
the lad at pleasure, as often as they
wish, and Mrs. Walston is to be
treated by the lads grandparents
when she visits him, kindly and cour
teously. If she removes from Des
Moines, Ralph is to be allowed to spend
part of the summer vacation with hel
in her home, wherever it may be. II
is further provided that should the
Hammond grandparents remove from
Polk county then their custody of the
boy Is to cease He is to be kept
with them, in this county, however
until he is Ia years old when he may
apply to the court for guardian Ii
he desires.
Further Provisions.
i Continuing, in regard to the treat
ment of the lad by both parents AMI
their treatment of each other, the de
cree says:
1T is severally agreed by each o
the parties hereto that they will at al
times refrain from saying or communi
eating in any manner or form anythin.
to or in the presence or hearing of thu
said Ralph Hammond touching or con
corning the differences between tn
plaintiff and defendant or concerning
the separation and divorce between
tween them and the said Jesse Ham
mond; j. A. Hammond and A. e. Ham
mond agree that they will at all time
refrain from speaking derogatory t
the good name and reputation of tn
plaintiff or anything rejecting o
tending to reflect upon her good nam
7 or that may in any way lower or dis
5 parage in the esteem and affection G
, the said Ralph and the plaintiff like
5 wise agrees that she will at all time
refrain from saying or communicate
J in any manner or form anything de-
| rogatory to the good name and reputs
ton Of the defendant or anything +,
. fecting or tending to reflect upon tn
: good name or reputation or that ma
S in any way lower or disparage the d.
1 PENDANT in the esteem and affection
S said Ralph. And it is agreed that tn
/ said ]. A. and A. E. Hammond sha
4 be considered and treated as partie
a to the above entitled cause so far a
t that the court may include them in
|. Supplemental order or decree GOVERN
/ the provisions of this paragraph an
D enjoining and restraining them an
3 each of them and the plaintiff and d.
!. fendant from doing or permitting to /
{ done any of the things sought to /
e prohibited by this paragraph"
d Damage Suit Dismissed.
BY the decree the motion of M