Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1909-08-26

arguments in their habeas corpus
case. whereby they hope to avoid be-
ing returned to Topeka for trial on
this chage.
Governor HadIey win get into the
unusual case, too, tomorrow. He
win give Mrs Barclay and Gentry "A
rehearing in the Kansas extradition
proceedings. II he decides to recall
the requisition papers issued last
Sunday. the self-confessed kidnappers
will go free, but the baby still win
be under the courts orders.
In the meantime the baby is en-
ioying itself as a member OF the
household of the clerk of the Juvenile
court, unmindful of the anguish
and heartaches it is causing.
Story of chiId's Life
Thousands Of dollars have been
spent, hearts have been broken and
made glad, and the highest courts,
both state and federal. have peen
called upon to decide who shall rear
this child. Little Marion Bleakley,
now only five years of age. has led
life of adventure and turmoil, and
has caused heart pangs and gladness
in the lives Of those with whom she
has been identified.
Born in a sanitarium in st. Louis
in February, 1904, her mother desti- |
tute and in want, and hundreds Of
miles from home. this little girl be-
gan her career. The husband had |
deserted the wife and left the little |
woman to fight out her battle alone. |
1t was in a dark and shabby littiefl
room that the child saw the first
light of day.
When the mother came out from
under the influence of the narcotic,
which had been administered to her
she was told that her child had been
born dead. SO it was testified in
court A little grave was shown
her in the back yard Of the sani-
tarium where her first born had
been buried. Mrs. Bleakley was soon
able to leave the sahitarium. but
when she left for home it was with
4 the impression chat her child was
lying beneath the sod in the shabby
little back yard
But the child was not dead. IN
stead she was put in the worlds
fair baby Incubator.
When Mrs. Stella Barclay and her
husband. James G. Barclay, of Moline.
ILL.,. visited the fair, she noticed the
bright authenticated child in the IN
cubator. She inquired as to the par
entage of the child and finally de
cided to adopt the little one.
Meanwhile. the owner of the baby |
incubator learned the true history of
the child. He told it to Mrs. Bar
clay A letter was written to the
mother and a proposition made to
adopt the child. Mrs. Bleakley final
ly agreed.
Mrs. Barclay took the adopted child
to her home in Moline In the
meantime. the months that followed. I
she learned to love it as her off
spring. All her actions since have
shown her love for the little girl.
May 26, 1907. Mrs Bleakley be-
gan habeas corpus proceedings in the
circuit court at Moline, ILL.,. to have
the adoption set aside. After hard
fought battle, she was given posses
sion of the child The mother and
child then went to Lawrence to
make their home with Mrs. Ora
Thompson. Mrs. Bleakley's mother
Scene Shifts to Kansas
September 5. the Barclays began
proceedings ID the district court at
Lawrence, Kan, to secure possession
of the child. Judge A. W. Benson.
now associate justice of the supreme
court. offered his services free to
Mrs. Bleakley. After a hard fought
legal battle, District Judge Smart re-
turned the child to the Barclays.
When the decision was given Mrs,
Bleakley fell in faint and received
a bad cut on her head resulting from
her fall Her head struck on the
corner of table.
Out of sympathy for the mother,
the court allowed Mrs. BleakIey to
take her child home. At 6 O'Clock If
the evening of that same day, shed
was to give the child into the posses
sion Of its foster parents. A Law
renee minister was depufized to
watch the mother to see that she did
not escape with the child.
But Mrs. Bleakley managed to.
escape. Slipping out the back door.
while the rninister-deputy was iaedi-
tating in the parlor. Mrs. Bleakley |
climbed over back fence. she rush |
ed into house across the alley
which BY the way, happened to be
tenanted b. university fraternity.