The evening world., 1903-01-08
Boston Physician Seeks TO
Have Record Of Its Birth
Expurged from the Files
of the New York Health
Department.
HEARING HELD IN SECRET,
Dr.. LederIe Takes All the Wit
nesses Into His Private Of
flee, Against Protest of Mrs.
Martin, Who Denies All the
Charges.

In a peculiar suit started to-day before
Commissioner Lederle, of the Health De-
partment, DR.. John Mcleod Martin. a
prominent Boston physician, is endeav-
oring to prove q baby was not born to
his wife. as testified to by the records Of
the Health Department. The infant u
now in jamaica, L. L. where 1t is being
held for a s21 board bill.
There IL a provision in the laws estab-
fishing the Bureau of Vital Statistics
tina the Commissioner of Health can at
any time hear evidence as to the authen-
ITCHY OF statements on which the records
are based, and may, at his discretion on
such evidence. alter the records to oil
form with the evidence.
Holds Hearing in Secret.
This DR.. Lederle proceeded to do this
afternoon In his own peculiar way. DR..
Martin turned up with his lawyer and
took a seat In the Health Commission
er's office. A few minutes later in came
his wife, who says she Is the mother of
the baby, accompanied by her lawyer.
As she passed her husband she glow
cred down at his black whlskers and
exclaimed, There's the villain" Then
she turned her back on him and sat
down. When DR.. Lederle was ready 20
take up the investigation he ordered
the contending husband and wife and
all the witnesses into his private Of
ace. declaring that the hearing would
~ No. -A-ans - AL~ -.LAtln .,---ss SAa.
ested. Mrs. Martins lawyer protest
cd, but that didn't do any good.
The row over tho baby is the result
ofaa quarrel of q years standing. The
couple have not been living together
for some months
Says It's n Bogus Baby.
DR.. Martin. who Is n fellow OF tho
Royal College of Surgeons OF England.
and of the Royal College OF Physicians
OF London. has been in Boston since last
January. and In that time his connec-
lions with the English societies has en-
abled him to build up o large and
Temunerative practice.
he denies that a baby girl was born
to his wife. as the records Of the New
York Health Department show, and init
"-~-N13 "fsN-N tfS AA@tA Win tho va
ID spurious and adopted for the purpose
OF extorting money from him.
Mrs. Martin. who was Elizabeth Starr
Keefer. a noted magazine contributor
ana woman's Christian Temperance
Union worker. OF Boston. Is now in New
York n will defend the action brought
by her husband. To q reporter for the
world she said:
'Dr. Martin and I were married in
Providence In 1899. after being engaged
two years. We then went 10 England,
where he studied for his fellowship.
While there We occupied a SIN
gle room, n he would not let me
play solitaire, read a book or tho news
papers. saying the turning OF a page,
the rumplingS of the paper or the laying
down of q card annoyed him in his
studies. Soon no was Without. money,
nj I pawnedtmy watch and paid the
board.
said She Supported Him.
II got employment as head teacher at
Hothbury College. My husband. when
left alone. moved to better lodgings, and
7 turned over to him the sovereigns in
mo- pay. keeping the shillings for my
SKI Then he insisted on coming TO the
college and living with me.
."rhe doctor got an appointment on
the Psntnsular and Oriental steamship
1laiacca, and he would not lot the COM
pany pay me any part OF his salary while
he was away in the East. I went torPariI
IN December, 1900. and taught English,
. son of President Loubet being one OF
my pupils.
Il was doing very well when my hus,
band returned from the East in the fal
Of 1901 n insisted on my going TO Bos,
ton with him. There we went to live a
NO. 2Ss Warren street. and he built III
4 good practice. His brother did no
like me. and then he complained tina
hs could not lay UP anything for his ole
nEe and support me. too. and no virtu
ally put me out
TIE Child Hers, She Says,
He drew up articles OF separation
whereby ne was to pay me 500 a montl
Tor ten months, and thereafter $40
month. He ray me SIS, and I told hin
~ my approaching illness and h
nnpare6 at me. ! came to New Yor,
and vent 70 work establishing ageneie
% Long Island for q medical company
- worked up until the time OF IN
|FIh OF my baby, and circumstance
EtFs sHeh that I had 10 return 10 wor
IIffa days later. DIR. o. Agnew Spiel
* Ne. 1ss 11ast One Hundred and Eight
.l.1ads attended me. He and the nurse
grove that the child was mine"
sssEy Of the Midwife.
#<4 Lena q. Rickert. the midwife
.441 home az No. 1ss East Forty-hft
..|||| the baby IN dispute wa born. wa
#t % eupeer before the Heat
|&41nff. but made q deposiuol
a 1tf homo ~ An Evsutn