Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-02-23
TALES OF WRONG.

In Judge Miller's court Thursday
arguments were made for and against
the transfer of guardianship of Elma
Gabrielson, the fourteen-year-old girl
whom the negro, Wyatte Barner, at
tempted to marry. The petition set up
that the mother is a person of loose
moral character and conduct, and i'm
properly qualified to care for the girl
Each side to the affair, the Gabrielsons
and the SwensOns, had several witness
es on hand who were examined as to
the treatmeEt of the girl in the past
The defense, of course, denied that the
girl had anything but pleasant home,
that she had never been mistreated or
made to do mans work in the field,
AID claimed that she had always been
properly clothed and fed and sent to
school. The mother and step-father,
However, admitted that they were
aware of certain relations existing in
their household since the negro took up
his abode with them, which on the
score of common decency we refuse to
print. The reason they assigned for
urging their daughter to marry the
black man was that they discovered
that she was in a delicate condition,
and they thought this the most honor
able course they could take If half of
the evidence introduced by the petition
er's attorney is true, there was a state
Of things existing in the Gabrielson
home before the people of the commun-
ity took matters into their own hands
and drove the negro out of the country,
that is beyond conception, of civilized
people, and the mothers heart is as
black as the negros skin, and she is
really more to blame for the girls pres
ent unfortunate condition than is Bar
ner. If they are true, and we hope
they are not, there is no punishment
too severe to be visited upon her. The
sneering smile and looks she bore at
times during the hearing may turn to
one Of more serious expression when it
comes to Barners case.
The girl is not good looking or bright,
nor could she be expected to be intelli-
gent, if she has lived as other people in
the community state she has lived, |
under circumstances that have kept
her from enjoying educational advan
tages. The petitioners attorney claimed |
that she had been intimidated by her
parents not to tell anything that would |
hurt their case, and her testimony and |
actions on the stand would bear out |
this assertion.
After all testimony had been intro
dueed, Atty. Edwards, of Marshfield,
made strong plea for the separation
of the child from her mother, and stated !
that the object of the petitioner was not
so much to secure tie guardianship of
the girl himself as it was to get her
away from her mother, and have her
placed in a home where no more shame
would be heaped upon her and where
she mig hit be well cared for The court
might use his discretion in this matter
he said and place her where he thought
best, so long as she be given a better
home than she now has. When he had
concluded Atty. Andrews, also of
opened plea for the reten
ton of the girl by her mother. He
palliated the conduct of Mrs. Gabriel
son and scored the witnesses of the
opposite side.
Judge Miller announced that before |
decision he wished to re-
view the testimony, which was taken
down by short hand reporter, and |
also read the gist of cases cited by the |
opposing attorneys, that had been de-
cided in the higher courts.