The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-12
Courts OF Milwaukee and Kenosha in a
Clash For the Custody of Three
Year Old Hazel Oberst.
MOTHER BECOMES EXHIBIT A.
Two Rival Actions for Divorce are Filed to
Settle the Domestic Troubles of
MIR. and Mrs. Henry Oberst.

The courts of Milwaukee and Keno
sha counties have FLASHED and hard
legal tangle has been brought about
which will undoubtedly strain the re-
1ations between the courts Of Kenosha
and Milwaukee and between the differ
ent court commissioners of the city of
Kenosha. The contest is all over the
custody of a bright eyed little girl
three years of age. Her name is Hazel
Oberst and she is the only child of Mr..
and Mrs. Henry Oberst. In order to
secure the possession of the little girl
two rival divorce suits have been filed
and half dozen orders to show cause
have been sent ort by Circuit Judges
and Court Commissioners.
The fight is the outgrowth of the
domestic infelicity of Mr.. and Mrs.
Oberst. Oberst was formerly we'll
known plumber in this city but he has
for the past few years been a resident
of Milwaukee. His child wife who
married him at the age Of only fifteen
years was formerly Carrie Pabst, a
daughter.of Julius Pabst of this city.
The hghtsfor the possession of the lit.
tie daughter was started by Mrs.
Oberst on the 30th of Oct. when she
filed in the circuit court of this county
an action for divorce and demanding
the custody of the child. The summons
and complaint ia the suit was served
on Oberst at his Milwaukee home the
same night and later in the night it is
alleged that Oberst secured search
warrant and made an effort to secure
his little daughter. But the mother
was too quick for him and the child
was Struggled out of Milwaukee by
Mr.. Pabst and brought to Kenosha.
In her suit Mrs. Oberst claimed fail.
ure to provide and desertion. On the
following morning Oberst filed in the
circuit court of Milwaukee a counter
suit for divorce which was of most
sensational nature. He claimed that
the little girl whom he had made his
wife was habitual drunkard and tina,
she had worked as barmaid in a no
torious resort in Milwaukee and de-
manded the custody of the child
Judge Williams on the same day issued
II order demanding that the wife ant
child appear before him on Saturda
and show cause why the child should
not De delivered to the husband. II
the meantime before the serving oil
the order of Judge Williams Court
Commissioner Hastings issued an
order demanding that Oberst appear
before him and show cause why the
child should not be awarded to the
wife.
Just half an hour before this hearing
was to have been held this morning
Court Commissioner ]. G. Slater issued
a restraining order restraining Attor.
ney Baker from taking up the matter
before Court Commissioner Hastings.
The attorney for Mrs. Oberst refused
to pay any attention to the order and
the hearing before Hastings went on.
In'the course of the hearing the charges
made by Oberst against his wife were
brought up and for the first time in
the history of the courts of the county
a woman was introduced as evidence.
Mrs. Oberst was presented to the court
under the title of Exhibit AZ to prove
to the court that she was not what her
husband had claimed
Court Commissioners Hastings held
with the wife and awarded her the
custody of the child pending the hear
ing Of the case and ordered that the
husband pay sixty dollars for court
expenses. Before this hearing was
over Court Commissioner Slater issued
another order demanding that attorney
Baker appear before Judge Belden on
Nov. 10th and show cause why the
action in Kenosha county should not
be dismissed pending the result of the
action in Milwaukee. Mrs. Dberst
makes complete denial of the sensa,
tional charges made against her by
her husband and is preparing to fight
the case through all the legal entangle-
ments brought about by the many
motions.