The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-22
JAP CHILD GERRY MEN HAVE.
TORRTED OYER BY MOTHER IN
FAR OFF NIPPON,
VINO Can't AFFORD to Have Her Little Taxa
sent HOme-AcrObats Attempts t.
Recover Child Entrusted to Him Fail,
but He'll Take Her Home Some Day.

bul ~ hono AhNA hIODlC SOhlC ray
reported for TEE S in by Jlhei Haslguchi.
There Is at least one mother in all Japan
to-day who is worrying what is becoming
Of her eleyen-year-old daughter In America.
Two years ago Mrs. Inami entrusted her
little one, Taxa, her proper name being
Yore, to a Japanese acrobat, who Is now
In New York for q term of three years.
A combination Of circumstances alienated
Youe from the acrobat, and shs is now cared
for by Supt. Jenkins, Of the Society Of Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Children, aud his
wife in their home. Yone is apparently
happy there, as she holds a place Of the
daughter of the house. but Mr.. and Mrs.
jenkins are happier, since they have not
their own child.
But Mrs. Irami in Japan would not
tolerate that. She must have her child
back a year hence, when the term Of agree
ment with the acrobat expires. So she
writes letters to him, demanding that the
child be taken out of the Society Of Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Children and brought
hack to Japan. And The acrobat In New
York is now In o very peculiar position,
saudwiched as he is between the mother
and the Society Of Prevention Of Cruelty
to children, which society fatty refuses
to give up the child, at least to him, II not
to somebody else.
There is a long story TO be told about
the child. II Charles Dickens were living
he would add another volume to his COM
plete works, after he had heard of the story.
But to be brief.
The Japanese acrobat had q wife when
he came to this country. But after a while
her affection was alieuated from him
and she fell in love with an American,
Pryce by name, who was a theatrical mana
ger, or, more properly speaking, Pryce fell
IN love with her. Adivorce suit was brought
up and the Japanese acrobat was obliged
to part with his wife. Since this divorced
wife was a stepsister to Yone, she got the
child to herself, while her divorced hus-
band got his own daughter to himself.
The Japanese acrobat was not alto
gether satisfied with this arrangement, but
he acquiesced for the time being. Pryce
and his Japanese wife, accompanied by
Yone, went to France. There the Japanese
wife died. In June, last year, Pryce re-
turned with Yone to New York. The
Japanese acrobat was not In New York
then, being on his tour in Mexico. But he
had his Japanese lawyer in New York, who
represented him in the attempt to reoover
the child from Pryce.
After several conferences were held be-
tween the Japanese lawyer and Pryce
nothing definite had been accomplished.
The Japanese lawyer was very much
chagrined, and appealed to Consul Cen
.eral Uohida for help. Mr.. Uchida, in his
official capacity, called Pryce to another
conference, In which the American, as
clever as Witte, presented a counter PROPOSE
ton. He would give up the child il the
Japanese acrobat would pay him a sum of
money for the care of the child for a year
as 1t was purely a private affair. The only
part be would take was in reference to the
disposition OF the person of Yone. The
negotiation was put to an end.
Here 1t was where the S. p. C. c. came in.
The society is said to be always anxious
to get hold Of children. And it was not
otherwise in the case of Yone. As soon as
the officials of the s. P. c.. c. heard the story
Of Zone and the complaints Of Mr.. Uchida
against Pryce they searched for the child,
and the search was fruitful Of result. The
question was as to what should be done
with her in the absence of the Japanese
scro bat.
The S. P. c. C, was puzzled; Mr.. Uchida
no less. But, since 1t was MIR. Uohida
that made tho request to the society to
lake charge of .Yone, at least temporarily,
he was obliged TO make first move. So
he made it. He prevailed over the society,
or the society allowed itself to be prevailed
over, in the matter Of keeping Yone In
the society until such time as he shall have
uaI a fnnIU from Nhn rnnfhn. Mr.,
mani, in japan for n letter which he con-
templated upon writing and delivering
through the Department of Japanese For
eien Affairs.
With his .'etter, the japanese Govern
mont officials asked the mother neither
she would send some money for the ex-
Censes Of taking the child back to Japan.
But she could not raise the money then.
She answered the question by a question
whether the japanese Government would
not pay the expenses for her. But the
Government was not very anxious TO take
back the child at its wi expense.
So a decision was reached. The mother
end the japanese Government wished that.
II money could not be raised in America
for sending Yone back to japan, she be
decision was forwarded to MIR. Uchida.
At the same time friends and relatives
of the mother sent a letter to the acrobat,
saving:
We came TO the conclusion that, since
you have taken Taxa from this country in
your care by the three year agreement,
You must take care of her and bring her
after the expiration Of the term bach to this
Whatever people may lave to
say, No matter what Consul General Uchida
and the asylum Is. P. c. c. folks ms say,
you must fulfil the terms Of agreement.
However much may have to spend, |
You must, at all events, bring the child back
with you. Besides, last rear, when Mrs. In-
was called to the Government office here,
she requested the officials to ask the Con-
sui General in New York to give the child
70 you. l believe you know about that.
So, whatfyer may happen, you must re-
member that u mind. has not been and
will not be changed a whit from last year.
You must bring Taxa back to Japan. Other
you will be reproached by Mrs. Inami
and Mr.. Tomita."
When the acrobat received this letter
he was back in New York. Apparently it
was through his sense Of duty to Yone's
mother, as we'll as his desire TO know Just
where he is at, that he began his active
His first plan Of operation wa to find out
where one is, how she is being treated;
his second plan was to see whether she
could not be taken out Of the s. P. G.. G.
and left in care of Mrs. Beddow, a woman
who keeps an apartment house in Third
avenue, near 112th street; his third plan
was, il he could not take her out, TO ascer-
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