The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-18
MOTHER KIDNAPS HER BABY.
PEOPLE WHO ADOPTED 1T AND
FATHER AFTER Her.
Baby Is Irene Helen Hayes or Thurston
Police watch Steamships rs woman
Showed Ticket for EurOpe-Queer
sequel 10 Romance Begun In Cork.

baDy IL irene neiPH nhyes VT IHuTstVu
Police watch steamships rs woman
Showed Ticket for Eurnpe-Queer
Sequel 10 Romance Begun In Cork.
Irene Helen Hayes or Thurston, a child
of ~, years, was kidnapped on Tuesday
by her mother. Contra, Office detectives
and the police of Harlem were hunting for
the pair yesterday at the request Of the
child's father, Ernest Hayes and of Mr..
and Mrs. John b. 1hurston Of 258 Fast
125th street, who claim that they legally
adopted the baby last December Particu-
laTSatch was kept on the steamship piers
fl was suspected that the mother in
ldvd to take the child abroad,
Ernest Hayes. who lives at 1853 Fast
wenty sixth street and has good place
with the Gorham Manufacturing Company,
will let the Thurstons keep the child II 1t is
recovered, although he says the adoption
papers are without his signature, and he
was unaware Of the transfer Of Irene until
after it had been made. Some legal knots
may turn up IL he should contest the adop-
ton agreement, for he says that he does
not care to say whether he was married
to the baby's mother or not.
IL met her in Cork, Ireland, four years
ago." said Hayes last night. "Her name
was Nellie Smith and she was II years old.
Three years ago ! came TO this country
and went to work as a siversmith. She
followed me, and We went to live at 1854
East Fortieth street. Irene was born
Dec ~, 1902. Her mother was always
known as Mrs. Hayes, my wife. We did
not get along very well last summer, and
the child was sent to board with the Thur
stons for couple OF months. Then We
took her home.
"1he child's mother sailed for Europe
about Dec. 9 last to visit relatives, telling
me that she would take Irene with her.
1t was not until the mother returned from
Europe alone, in January, that found out
that the day before she sailed from New
York she went to a lawyer In Nassau street
and signed adoption papers giving Irene
to the Thurstons. Mrs. Thurston. who
liked the little girl very much. paid the
fees and gave the mother $lo.5O for the
child's clothing.
About April 1. ! won't to the Fortieth
street fiat one night and found 1t locked.
The furniture had been moved and my
child's mother was gone. l have never
seen the woman since.
Mrs. Hayes called at the Thurston fiat
Tuesday morning and said she would like
to take her daughter out for walk. Mrs.
Thurston objected, saying that Irene was s
and finally won her point. Night came
and the pair did not return 30 the Thurstons
went to the former home Of the Hayeses
on East Fortieth street and asked Mrs
Struben. who lives there, II she knew where
Mrs Hayes had moved to. They we're told
directed to an address in West Fifteenth
street and 80 on. 1t was Of no use.
while Mrs. Hayes was here asking me
to let her take Irene said Mrs. Thurston
last night, -she took from her stocking a
pink paper which she said was passage on
the steamer Cedric. to sail Friday
and daughter, the Thurstons told the police
Of the East l26th street station early yester-
dav morning. They notified Hayes. who
went to Police headquarters for talk
with Capt. McCauley Of the detective
bureau and later went to the District Attor-
ney's Office to see one OF the assistants
Mr. Smythe. who is an acquaintance OF his;
"Im determined to get possession Of the
child, If only to return her to the Thurs,
tons" said Hayes. "The mother has tried
to give me a bad character. She told the
lawyer who drew up the adoption, papers
that was drlnkard who hated children.
She told the Thurstons that / could not
sign the papers because had abandoned
her and Irene and had left the country.
She also told them that she was worth
millions, which was a good joke.
The missing Mrs. Hayes is about S feet
8 inches tall and weighs about l45 pounds
She has brown hair, blue eyes, prominent
child has very light hair and blue eyes
When she left home she wore pink SILK
dress with white trimmings, a white bril-
liantine coat and a white lace hat.