The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-06-18
Wife of Gypsy ViOIinist Would
Purchase Child of Mrs.
Elizabeth Albert
Hastens With Husband to Oak
land TO Secure Treasure,
But Must Wait
RigO Willing to Buy Likely Lad
and Would Make Him
Musician


Mrs. Katherine Rigo. wife of the ia
nous Gipsy violinist, is ready to buy
The baby Of Mrs Elizabeth Albert the
4 poverty stricken German widow, who.
: order 10 raise enough funds to pay
her passage to Germany to visit her
dying mother. has offered her child for
sale. Negotiations Tor its purchase
were opened yesterday and the musi-
clan and his wife hope that today will
see them the proud possessor of
healthy baby boy.
All day yesterday, the RIGGS, accom-
panied by DR.. Cowan. a woman physi-
clan. hunted through Oakland in an
endeavor to locate the child. and finally
finding 1t at the home of Mrs. Nichols,
sos East Twentieth street, immediately
fell in love with it and offered 20 pay
spot cash for it.
For some months past Mrs. Rigo has
felt that her japanese poodle, her dia-
monds. maid. automobiles and paint
ings We're apt to pail Yesterday, on
learning Of Mrs. A1Dert's offer, she
went TO her husband
Jack" said she. II want that baby"
All right my dear" said the amiable
Rigo. When do you want to start?'
Trio Goes Baby Hunting
tDr. Cowan was commandeered to ex-
anime the child TO see # it was healthy
and the trio set out baby hunting. The
child had been left at Mrs. Nichols
home. but the latter had moved. IN
deferred Rigo engaged coach and,
after q great deal OF trouble, succeeded
in locating the home.
The baby was there and ready for
sale He and Rigo ehummed on the
spot. and while the musician and the
child explored the mysterious wheels
OF an expensive gold watch, Madame
Rigo. the imperious. went on tour of
investigation through the home.
1T was a horrible place she said.
Heaven knows how many children
were there Most Of them were poorly
dressed. the house was bare and dismal
and the dirt and filth are indescrib-
able"
Rigo. unacquainted with the laws of
the land. was ready to pay the money
for the child and obtain receipt.
How muchT' he asked
Seventeen dollars" said Mrs. Mich
ols
He was going TO pay the money there
and then and walk off with the boy. but
Mrs. Rigo Interposed. asking. if the
mother could be seen. It was then ex-
planned that the mother had not been
near the baby for three months and
that before the baby could leave the
house the bill for it's board, amounting
20 sI7, would have to be paid. Also, st
would be necessary to obtain the moth
ers consent. Both Rigo and his wife
were bitterly disappointed that they
could not secure the child right then,
but were somewhat comforted when
Mrs. Nichols told them that she would
see the necessary parties and endeavor
10 have the baby ready for adoption to-
day.
Would Make Him Musician
Il would like to get that boy" said
Rlgo, ne is a gentle fellow with large
eyes. And IL I get him I will make him
q musician much better than myself"
we are anxious to adopt the baby"
2i Mrs. Rigo, "and both of us will be
extremely happy il we can do so. This
is my FIRST experience in baby hunting
and ii has made me heartsick. 1 think
St is a crying shame that these poor
little ones should be kept in such sur
roundings as those found in the home
Their clothes were torn. they were
dirty and II was all 1 could do to keep
my seIf-controL I do not know if it is
any better or any worse than other in
stitutiOns Of its character. but surely
there are enough good people in this
world who are WILLING to better the
lives OF these motherless little folk"
While making the deal for the pur-
chase Of the Albert baby Rigo called all
the children of the home around him
and quietly presented them with sundry
nickeIs and dimes