The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-07-29
CHILD GOES BACK HOME
Deputy Sheriff From Illinois Returns
With Heart Broken Little
Captive.

~ So"pCiACu ~ 1cdvc her sister,
Mrs. Edna Hall, this morning and in
charge of a deputy sheriff from Ed.
gar county, Illinois, return to her home
which she had left only a few days be.
fore to escape the cruel and inhuman
treatment of her step father. Those
that witnessed the parting of the two
sisters could scarcely suppress their
feelings and a suspicious moisture
was observable in the eyes of many
of the beholders as they turned their
faces away from the affecting scene.
But for a while it looked as though
the officer would be compelled to go
back without his little prisoner and
it was only with the consent Of her
elder sister that she went away, Mrs.
Hall having concluded to permit her
departure and renew the fight for
possession of the child later and in
her own home.
Last night Deputy Sheriff A. j.
Smith "a fatherly looking man. some
what beyond middle age, arrived in
the city and presented to Chief Jack
son an order signed by the little ones
mother appointing the deputy temper
airy guardian Of the girl and empower
ing him to receive her and take her
back. Attached to the authorization
was an attestation by the clerk of
the court of Edgar county that the
woman signing the order was the
mother Of the girl named in the order
and also that A. j. Smith was the per-
son delegated as her agent. Mr..
Smith presented the paper to Mr..
Jackson, who turned over, to him the
child, who with her sister, had been
in nominal detention ever since the
receipt of the first message directing
their arrest.
The deputy permitted the two to re-
main at the house where they had
been making their home for the past
few days and this morning called for
them and was heading for the depot,
intending to take the Burlington train
for the east, when he found himself
confronted by County Attorney Hath
horn and a Gazette reporter. Mr..
Hathhorn asked the Illinois officer to
produce his papers authorizing him to
take the girl out of the state, at the
same time asking him whether he had
a requisition. The deputy replied
that he had nothing, except the order
from the child's mother and seeming
to be greatly surprised when told
that he would need something more
effective than that before he would
be permitted to remove her against
her will or the will of the person who
had her in charge.
This momentarily "stumped' the
bucolic official of the Sucker state,
but he countered with the declaration
that he did not believe "a requisition
was necessary. A little explanation
Of the law by Mr.. Hathhorn convinced
the old man that he was mistaken and
he gracefully yielded, saying if any OBJ
was made to the child's re-
moval he would not attempt to take
her away, but that the mother was
determined to have her and if neces-
sary he would return to Illinois and
secure a requisition. He then admit
ted that as far as he was concerned
he would rather not take the child,
but had a duty to perform and would
perform it to the best of his ability.
He then addressed himself to Mrs.
Hall, whom he seemed to know very
we'll, and told her that it was for her
% say whether Fife should go or re-
After a little hesitancy Mrs.
Hall declared that she really did not
what to do, as she was a strang-
er here and also not as literally sup
piled with money as she might be.
After a little more thought she finally
consented to the child's return, say
ng that she would go back there her.
self next fall and fight the matter in
courts of her old home. The dep
lty thought that such was the wisest
saying to Mr.. Hathhorn that
he child's step father had not a friend
n the county, as everybody knew his
and also that almost every
,ody knew of his treatment of the
Although protesting, Fife con-
ented. but entreated her sister to take
Ter away as soon as possible.
From what could be learned it seems
hat the only interest the step parent
las in the little girl is a selfish, mer-
enary one. Considerable property
left to her by her father and the
tep father is anxious to retain her in
is keeping. as he is allowed a regular