The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-12-22
SENSATIONAL CASE LAID BARE
Miss Emily Humphrey Charges That
Spaulding, Mrs. Hergert and Mrs.
Starr Disposed Of Little Son Born to
Hex Last April


Kenosha this morning when it became
known that DR.. John 5. Spaulding,
health officer of KenosAa and one of
the best known practicing physician
of the city had been arrested in Chi
cage late Wednesday evening on Grim
anal charge of a very serious nature
connected with the disappearance of a
child of Miss Emily Humphrey, resid-
sng at Is Eagle street in Kenosha. Dr..
Spaulding was taken into custody as
he alighted from train in the North
western station in Chicago and taken
TO the West Chicago Avenue Police
Station where he gave bonds in the
sum of $4,000 to secure his appearance
at an adjourned hearing, John R. Nc
Gill brother law of DIR. Spaulding
was hurTiedly summoned to the police
court and gave the bonds required for
the release of the Kenosha man. Be-
fore the arrest of DIR. Spaulding Mrs.
james II. Starr a Chicago woman and
a daughter of Mrs. Jennie Hergert of
this city had been arrested on similar
charges and it was stated that a, war
rant had been issued for the arrest of
Mrs. Hergert who resides at 564 Ere
mont avenue in this city. The police of
Kenosha have not as yet been asked to
arrest Mrs. Hergert.
The story of the arrest of Spaulding
and the troubles of Miss Humphrey
came as blast from a clear sky in
Kenosha as few people in the city had
any hint that such sensational case
was to be brought to light. The young
woman in question was up to the first
of the month employed as an operator
in the offices of the Kenosha Home Tele-
phone company but when efforts were
made to reach her at her home last
night it was stated that she was in
Chicago visiting with friends Miss
Humphrey is said to be seventeen years
of age and her mother Mrs. Catharine
Humphrey is trained nurse.
The formal charge made against
Spaulding and Mrs. Starr is one Of con
spiracy it being alleged that they con-
spired to kidnap the infant son of Miss
Humphrey. After her arrest Mrs. Starr
showed willingness to make a clean
breast of the whole story. She stated
that Miss Humphrey was brought to
her home in April of this year and
that short time later she gave birth
to child, a little boy. Miss Humphrey
was cared for at the Starr home after
giving birth to the child and two weeks
later arrangements were alleged to have
been made by which DR.. SpauIding
claimed he had obtained home for the
child in respectable family. AS this
would allow her to return to Kenosha
Miss Humphrey is said to have agreed
to the arrangements. Mrs. Starr stated
further that in May the doctor and
her mother took the child from her
home and left it on the door steps of
an orphan asylum in Chicago. She
claimed that the doctor rang the bell
of the institution and that short
time afterward the child was taken into
the institution. 1t died a month later
at the asylum. Miss Humphrey return
ed to Kenosha and worked in the offices
of the Telephone company. Later in
company with her mother the Hum
phrey girl went to the Starr home and
learned that the child had been taken
TO the orphan asylum and that it was
dead. At this time it is alleged that
Mrs. Starr confessed to Miss Humphrey
the part that she and her mother had
taken in the disposal of the little boy
The girl went to the States Attorney
of Cook county and asked that Mrs
Starr, Dr. Spaulding and Mrs. Hergert
be arrested on charges of conspiring to
kidnap the child. The warrants fol-
the arrests are said to have been issued
81 week ago. Mrs. Starr declared that
DR.. Spaulding had paid board for Miss
Humphrey at her home for FIVE weeks
at the rate of seven dollars week. Af
ter his arrest DR.. Spaulding made siren
uous efforts to prevent the facts in the
case being given to the public declaring
that he had prominent connections anc
that the exposure of the case would
bring great pain to them.
1t is alleged that DR.. Spaulding tolG
the police that he did not give the
child to the asylum but gave it int
the keeping of an eastern man whom h,
had met at the Saratoga hotel Tn,
name of man who, formerly lived il
Kenosha but who died recently wa
also mentioned in connection with tn,
case.
1t was also alleged in the many stor
les told by the woman that money hat
been secured from Kenosha men fol
the care of Miss Humphrey and tn,
disposal of the child but no mention 0.
these charges was made in the war
rant on which DR.. Spaulding and Mrs
Starr were arrested.