The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1903-10-07
After Eight Long Years Of Searching
Mrs. Starr-RObbinS Gets Her
Lost Child.
An Inhuman Condition OF Affairs at the
OwatOnna State Public School
for Children.

Redwood Falls last Friday after
noon. and a cold-blooded super
intendent of one of the Minnesota
state institutions had some OF the
iron-will of autocratic power taken
out of his heart. A child,
lovely daughter, returned to the
mother where it first found nourish-
ment, and from whom she had been
separated for eight or more years,
with tears of JOY streaming down
it's cheeks, and with tears OF regret
for it's foster parents, all make up
the story.
In 1895, John Starr and family
were residents of St. Paul. Mr..
Starr died, leaving his wife, Mrs.
GLADYS Starr with four children in
destitute circumstances. She strug-
gled to support herself and flock
the best she could, but was finally
taken i'll, and her friends advised
her of the Owatonna school for
INDECENT children. The state agent
of the school, about this time,
promised and agreed that if she
gave the children over tothe school,
that in case she became able to
provide for them within one year
the children would be returned to
her upon her making such showing.
Within one year she made applica-
ton to Supt. Merrill, and three OF
the children, two boys and one girl,
were returned to her, the fourth
one-the baby-Myra Pearl Starr
was refused to her, the superin-
tendent stating that she had been
adopted and was beyond recall.
Merrill became ugly as Mrs.
Starr became peremptory in her
demands, and even when Mrs.
Starr secured legal advice, was
obdurate, and the board of control
claimed no power to bring about
the disclosure. Detectives were
brought into play, and for seven
years the mother continued her
search, sparing no expense. This
year the search was rewarded.
The child was found at Copenhagen,
New York, with Mr. and Mrs. Levi
Trumbly, they having secured the
child from the Owatonna school
through sister.
Supt. Merrill told Mrs. Starr,
when the demand was first made,
that the child had been adopted,
when, as a matter of fact, the adop-
ton did not occur until May 5, 1900,
years after the statement was made,
and as soon, as located, Mr.. and
Mrs. Trumbly gave their consent
to the return of the child to it's
mother, even though their mutual
regrets were apparent. When this
consent was obtained the party
came to Redwood Falls, where Mer
rill was attending the Methodist
conference and after securing his
consent to restore the child, j. S.
Robbins, the husband, who has
worked with Mrs. Starr in the
matter, gave Merrill one of the
worst public 'roastings' ever
dished up to man in the Hotel
Francois.
In 1898 Mrs. Starr was married
to John S. Robbins, wealthy mer-
chant of Willmar, who has furnished
his wife the means, and worked
with her faithfully in securing the
lost child, and to day there is a
united and happy family at the
Robbins home in Willmar.
Too much credit cannot be given
to Mr.. Blomberg for his persistent
work in the matter. When others
have given up he continued, and
with Mrs. Starr-Robbins the credit
is equal. The details leading up to
the disclosure of the whereabouts
of the child cannot now be made
public.