The Savannah morning news., 1902-10-23
FIGHT FOR A CHILD
FAIR MEANS AND FOUL USED TO
OBTAIN POSSESSION OF
FAIR HAIRED LITTLE GIRL.
SECURED By STRANGER CLAIMING
TO BE A DETECTIVE.

Savannah From Her FOster-Par-
ents' Home at Egypt by DeceitfuI
Means, and Delivered to Her
MOther-Foster Father Followed
Fake Detective and Lodged Him
in JaiI-CIaimants Presented Case
to Ordinary Evidence Showed
That Mother Was Not Person
to Whom to Intrust the Custody of
the ChiId-The Little One Sent to-
Episcopal Orphans Home.
A sensational hearing took place in
the Ordinary's Court yesterday after
noon, in which a fake detective, a
hayward mother, a city detective, a
foster-father and a little girl were the
main participants. The case came be-
fore Judge McAlpin Unexpectedly, and
was as interesting as it was sudden
1t was a fight over the possession of
a fair skinned, blue eyed, golden hair
ed child of tender years, who had been
reclaimed by her mother after several
years of separation. The mother had
fraud, and her foster-father had come
to Savannah for the purpose of having
| her placed in a home or taking her
back with him to his home at Egypt.
The history of the child is eventfuI.
Mrs Minnie Flake, the mother, mar
ried widower about ten years ago. AS
the result of the marriage two chill
dren were born, Charles and Kissaiah.
the latter the little girl, who was the
innocent cause of the court proceed
1ngs. Flake and his wife separated.
Inc father taking the children with
nlm- The woman moved about to va
rious places, making no effort to re-
cover their possession.
Determined to Have Her ChiIdraa
Two weeks ago the husband died
Mrs. Flake, hearing of his death. made
inquiry as to the whereabouts of the
children, and found that they had
been adopted by the children of her
husbands first wife, the half-brothers
and half-slsters of the two little ones.
Then she set about to obtain them. Her
nrst step was to consult an attorney.
Mr.. w. S. Coburn.
Having no money to meet the ex-
penses of a habeas corpus proceeding.
the attorney advised her to make a
formal request on the foster-parents
for her children, and at her request he
wrote letter to the parties This
letter she placed in the hand of II
=. 1arborough, a friend, who offered
to go to Egypt and obtain the chill
dren.
Marlborough went to Egypt with the
latter and asked for the children. but
the foster-parents refused to surren-
der the little girl, the only one in their
possession, the boy being with his half
brother at StateSboro
Played Detective.
Then Marlborough conceived a ruse
ne represented that he was a special
Association, and, in his capacity as
such, demanded the possession of the
| enid. The erstwhile father of the
girl promptly surrendered his charge
!. shortly after the self-created detec-
tive had left Egypt, the foster-par-
ents or the child began to have mis-
givings about having surrendered her
on the statement of the stranger. The
! more thay thought of it, the nearer
they came to the conclusion that Var
borough was an imposter. The fos-
ter-father of the little girl, Mr.. Fab
rehpach, came to the city yesterdav
10 look into the affair. He enga ged
the assistance of Detective Murphy.
who, by dint of earnest effort. succeed
IN the ordinary's office, when
| Judge McAlpin, after care
| tul investigation of the case deter
mined that the mother of the child
! was not a mt person to retain her GUS
touy, ana committed the little girl to
the Episcopal Orphans Home.
The Innocent Cause of TroubIa
the little girl is a beautiful child
Her baby face, blue eyes, golden hair
and innocent smile bespoke not of tbe
| environment in which she has recently
| hVed- She was neatly dressed in
| Whlte, the only ornament about her be-
ing PLAIN gold brooch at her throat.
Whlch she had worn from babyhood
ana which bore the inscription
BABY. During the hearing of the
case, she was excluded from the court
| room.
| The mother alleged that the guard
| lans OF the child had treated her cruel
| ~. When asked about this the little
| girl said that she was treated we'll
| that she had been whipped. hut on1v
| rather live with her mother than with
| her half-sister.
| Under Evil Influences
The evidence at the trial showed that
| Mrs. Flake had been leading an i'm
/ iAOiS al me- anu lndI the little girl
| was being kept at a house surrounded
| With immoral influences. When the
| little girl was first brought to the citv
she was taken to a place which. after
| a short stay, her mother was REQUEST
| ed to leave. She afterwards took nm
her abode in questionable part of the
| city.
The mission of the foster parent to
savannah was to see that the child
| was provided for, and not allowed to
live with her mother. The ordinary
directed that she be placed in the Epis-
| copal Home. After the trial the worna n
remained in the office for some time.
weeping bitterly. The child, in charge
| of the detective, was taken away.
| Marlborough, the self-created detec-
| tive, is in Jail. A charge of vagra ncv
has been docketed against him. but it
| is probable that more serious charges
| Will follow. He denies that he made
any false representations, as does the
mother of the child. She says that
| she did not instruct him so to do. and
that she believes him too good a man
| to do such thing.
Sound Kidneys, Perfect Health.
The use of Smiths Sure Kidney Cure
| will produce both. Try a bottle and