Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-18


I the press Of late regarding a mat
which was caused by a girl named
,..or Henry being held al Boston and
,.oorted. Inasmuch as these articles
zoe been very abusive TO the elder IN
~. case. !, Emuel Bachman, OF Shelley,
..l II my duty in vindication OF my
~ and IN defense OF the Mormon
church 10 make reply, giving a fun
"a clear account OF the case In order
,5st all fair minded people may learn
Ire true condition.
In company with Elder James King
,,Tost River, Idaho, with whom ] have
tssn intimately acquainted for many
lars | visited Mr.. and Mrs Frederick
IL Henry az their home I'm Scotland
rpre % 1905, for the first time Elder
King who had been laboring In Edin-
bprgh for a year, was acquainted with
mem. During our conversation which
vas directed AT times 10 Idaho. my
home Mrs. Henry proposed that / take
her little girl home with me- saying
nat inasmuch as they were IN adverse
circumstances she was sure her giH
susan would ind a much better home
han they could ever provide for her
Al first thought little Of Il thinking
Inc woman was Joking. but. finding her
N be In earnest, consented 10 take the
child upon the express condition that
they relinquish all right 10 the girl
and freely give her 10 me so that |
could adopt her as my own. This tho
mother willingly and gladly did The
father Was not present and for that
reason nothing further was done.
returned TO Kilmanock. Scotland.
ms field Of labor. after instfucting
Elder King 20 consult Mr.. Henry re-
esrding the adoption OF the child and
II was agreed that he advise me as
soon as he had seen Mr.. Henry which
ha did. on July ! returned 10 l1din-
hurgh and was met az the depot hy the
PARENTS and the girl. They thought I
was all ready 10 start homeward and
rad the girl ready. Elder James
King was also present After brief
conversation. Mr.. Henry. Elder King
aud myself visited n law firm and
sought advice regarding the law OF
adoption In Scotland and was advised
that there was no special law regard
Ing that matter, but that children were
adopted by the common law which re-
Qulred an agreement from the parents
setting forth that they freely con-
sented to give the child, the same to be
Witnessed by two disinterested par
ties. We were also Informed that Il
was not necessary 10 have the papers
acknowledged by a notary public |
told the attorney that / understood
the adoption laws Of the United States
required regular process Of law and
felt that there must be some mistake
IN the matter, but ! was Informed that
they had given NE the law Of Scot
land
Not being satisfied we visited an
other very prominent law firm and
placed our case before them and re-
ceiVed the very same reply as before.
These attorneys cited q case where
several children had been adopted from
one family. Even with the advice
and counsel Of two law firms. I did
not feel satisfied but decided to lay the
matter before the American consul at
Glasgow. Accordingly on July 8, I
visited the consul I'm company with
PRESIDENT James Brown Of the Scottish
mission and presented my case before
him. was Informed for the third time
mat there was no special laws In Scot
land regarding adoption, and that the
attorneys had advised me correctly. I
let the matter rest and returned 70
kilmarnock whore / had the papers
drawn up and sent them TO Elder
James King at Edinburgh for execu-
Hon.
II will be noted that / was not pres
Ont at that time when the contract
was signed. being 100 miles distant. so
could not use any unfair means or
coersion as has been intimated but 7
left the matter entirely with Elder
King and the parents 20 do lust as
they pleased In the matter The con-
tIact was signed and mailed 20 me and
] arrived in Glasgow July Z and met
the parents with the child. IL should
be borne In mind that Glasgow Is
rcarly loo miles from Edinburgh. and
that the parents had made this Jour
rey In order that they would De sure
% meet me and not miss the OppOr-
iunity Of giving me the girl They
we're very DESTROYS that ! take her.
feeling perfectly willing and ploascd.
knowing as they said. that she would
De well cared for.
They delivered the girl to me In the
presence Of President James Brown
and lady who came with them. At
O'Clock we boarded the train for
Leicester, England. whore I visited
among friends for two weeks. during
this time We lodged AZ the home NJ
Mrs. Wolley SO Marley road. While
30 Leicester ] received advice to be-
very sure TO have everything done
necessary In order that there would be-
no trouble. In company with Elder
\. C. Waddoups OF Bounuful. Utah. r
visited the American consul az LciceS-
Ner who examined an my papers and
declared that they were As good as
The English laws could make them.
He also told me I had done an that
was necessary, and assured me that |
would have no trouble In landing in
America.
While IN Leicester the girl contract
"a a severe cold which settled IN one
eve and caused 4 10 become much in
famed. When examined on the boat
The dtoctor gave me some medicine TO
apply and instructed me % keen her
on the deck as the raw sea breeze