Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-16
BABY HEIRS ARE
SPIRITED AWAY
IN A MOTOR CAR
Aunt Receivers the Little
Claimants of Rich
Barnard Estate
RELATIVES CONTEST
Prominent Persons In
volved in Attempt to Get
Custody of, Tots

N HE spiriting away of three little
children from a beautiful home at
- Ali Palmetto drive, Pasadena; an
apparent race for the control and GUS
tody of the youthful heirs to a $50O,00O
fortune, with a San Diego state senator
acting for the dead mothers relatives
in the east, among them Mrs. Booth
Harrington, wife of the well known
novelist and playwright, and the final
location and recapture of the little
ones at the Glenwood inn, Riverside,
and their return to Los Angeles in care
of their fathers sister. Miss Helen
Barnard of 2711 Glendale place, Los
Angeles, was brought to light by court
proceedings Monday afternoon and the
recovery of the children yesterday.
The struggle for the custody of the
children was the sudden sequence TO
the death of Mrs. Julia Fletcher Bar
nard, who died at her home in Pasa-
dena last Friday, leaving an estate
valued at $500,000 and sick husband
]. A, Barnard, in Brookline, Mass,
where he had been undergoing treat
ment. The children involved in the al
legged ktdnaping are Hilda, years old'
Julia 6 wears old, and Agnes, years
old. The state senator VINO Is salp "
have taken them from their Pasaueha
home to Riverside under Instructions
from eastern relatives Is LeioS "a
Wright of San Diego.
Had Visited Husband
Mrs. Barnard returned February Z
from Brookline, Mass, Where she ildo
boon visiting her husband, retired
conitalist and making arrangements
fo1. his return to Pasadena Mr. bar
nard. owing to sickness, was compelle9
70 ryo to Rrookline for treatment, anu
has heen there for the last five mohtns. US
Mrs. Barnard had arranged LOT mn
to leave there February ~, WHICH he
will do. ,,,7,, ra+,,rn
+o pasadena she died. Following the
news of her death. Mr.. Barnard was
informed of the supposed intentlohs
of his Wife's brother and sisters IN III
dienapolis, S. J. Fletcher, MIS- booali
Tarkington, wife of the Wen kIloMn IT3,sn
author and playwright, ana MIS- Mlss 80 r,i the
Tietcher. to gain the possession OF tne
Hh;,Sren II is supposed that they ar
| rived In Pasadena yesterday. 20
ITro,, receiying the information OF
IT., p,rife's relatives intentions, Mr'
barnard telegraphed A. G. Wells; gen
eral manager Of the Santa te raliloe TAN -,
and brother-in-law OF Mr.. barnaro' co..
arn1v for letters of guardianship lor
sla oobiidren Immediately so that they
nieht he safe from any atteinpt VI
his wife's relatives to gain possession
VI M Wells made this application
Nsondav afternoon before Judge HlVes
of the superior court, put OWNS "
the absence of Mr.. Barnaru tnS -
toSv of the children was AWARDED 7t9 70
his sister, Miss Helen Dbl iA''N -
Ellendale place.
Learns of Escape
Tn nossession of the papers Wnlch
entitled her to the children, MISS nan &
nard went to Pasadena MoIluay aiooi,
GSo Immediately went to the resluence
os +ba late Mrs. Barnard, AL palmetto
S,.,ya where the children had been anu
we've supposed to be, under Ine "a
Of a French governess, pending tne
arrival of their father. Much 70 Mise
Rarnards surprise and astonlsniiieIne eI.1
tha children were not there, ana she
liz Ine informed by the governess, who
,',os arranging to leave the house, that
nan had come there and tolo ner
that she was discharged ana thaI He
had taken the children away.
Miss Barnard then began thorougn
| search for the missing children. ohe
| INQUIRED at the neighboring houses anu anu
norId learn nothing as to Wnen the
=
tb;ne about them. It was feared thaI
the chiIdren had been kidnapped ana
that IN that case they would Dc taken
| to some nearby town until q tram
could be boarded taking them east
ward Miss Barnard at once notined
oil the towns along the southern coast
~ the missing children. 1t was not
until II o'clock Monday night tnat the
1rhareahouts of the children was
learned. when at that time a message
was received from Riverside sayiHs
| that the children were tnere' staying
at the Glenwood inn.
Found at Riverside
Miss Barnard Immediately lett Los
| Angeles for Riverside, where she found
the three children at the hotel ana also
discovered that they had been orouent
there by Leroy A. Wright, state
| sanator from San Diego and VINO Is
said to be the attorney for the eastern
relatives and acting under thelr IN
str,,ctions 1t was also revealed that
the narty did not reacheRiverslde unIi
10.45 o'clock, indicating that the cnii,
dran were secreted in Pasadena until
| q fter dark before being taken away:
Misc barnard returned to Los An
coles this morning with the chliuleh
n Is understood that MI. pal iiai ~. u
will not prosecute wright, as ~ ,istad l.
only the frlendliest relatiois era eA,Serd
SntSyeen the relatives Of Mr.. Barnard
80 his Ieife. Although there were
a,',1,ors some time ago of Impending
d;vorce proceedings in the 6arllalu
cnr,atlS Il was stated last night thae
tpsara had not been the least estranse,
s.ont between Mr.. and MrS. belin"i"
a,r;,,o tha last four years.