The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-17
Authorities Could Separate
Her From Child and Her
Husband, But Never Would
She Give Up Doggie.
so SHE RETURNS TO
HER SMALL DWELLING
Robert Shoop, However, Will
Be Taken to the Hospital
And Little Girl Will Be Sent
To Some Home.

This morning the sympath1eS OF
those. who heard the appeal of Mrs. AL
fee Shocp, to be allowed to retain the
custody of little four-year-old Ruth
French, child of alleged unknown
parentage, We're first akin to pity, but
such feelings were slightly dispelled
when the woman demonstrated more
affection for her pet dog than she did
for the child of her husband.
Impelled by good motives to assist
this poverty stricken family in every
way. the officials of the charitable Or
ganizations of the city proposed that
Mrs. Shoop and the little girl be taken
to the Home for Friendless to spend
the rest of the winter while the hus-
band, Robert Shoop, an old rag picker,
be taken to Reid Memorial hospital for
treatment for poisoning to one of his
legs.
They FIatIy Refused.
When the family was visited by the
township trustee last week, at their
two room hovel. on the extension of
South High street, near the south cor
poration line of the city. his good mo-
tives were shot full of holes by the
flat refusals of Mr.. and Mrs. Shoop to
accede to the proposals made. The
result was that the Shoop family was
cut off the charity list of various Or
ganizations.
Even more drastic steps than first
anticipated we're then instituted. The
authorities decided that the French
child should be sent to a state institu-
tion to be cared for and educated, and
papers for her transfer were made out.
This morning, the child, with Mrs.
Shoop, who calls it granddaughter.
were brought to the township trustees
office. Rev. c. Huber, pastor of St.
Paul's Lutheran church. who is one OF
the officers in the Associated Charities,
was present and the woman was i'm
PEELED to relinquish claim on the child.
Mrs. Shoop said that the reason why
the child was not kept in cleanly
condition was for the reason that the
pump was not working properly and
they could not draw water.
Many Tears Were Shed.
When the time came for the woman
and the child to part, the sympathies
OF those present were moved by the
scene. The woman endeavored to re-
main impassive to the separation and
was successful until she had finished
putting on the child's overshoes and
had said goodbye. At this point the
child forgot the pleasures of doll
and some candy given it, and set up a
vail heard over the court house. The
woman also shed many tears.
She was asked to accompany the
child to the Home for Friendless. but
refused. Rev. c. Huber started out
with the child and had much difficult
ty When last seen. the child was
still continuing its uproar of objec-
tions to the enforced separation.
1t is believed that the woman fear
ed if she went to the Home for Friend
less that she would be placed there
in confinement. 1t was proposed to
her by Mr.. Howarth that she go to her
home and encourage her husband to
go to the hospital and have his leg
treated. At first the objection to this
was most strenuous. She did not
want him to go there because, she
thought the authorities would cut off
and the necessity of it was impress
ed upon her mind and she promised
that she would get her husband to go
to the institution.
She Wanted Her Dog.
When trustee Howarth suggested
that she so to the Home for Friend
less, while her husband was at the
hospital, he almost lost the ground al
ready gained. She broke out in hys-
terical weeping and when the cause
of her objection was finally obtained,
1t was to the effect that she had a pet
dog at her home. also some chickens,
which she would not desert. She said
that the authorities might take away
her grandchild and separate herself
and husband. but that never would
she leave the dog. The little pet
which she says she has possessed for
several years was not present but the
authorities do not think enough of it
to allow it to become a part of the
household of the Home for the Friend
less. Mrs. Shoop will be allowed to
remain at her home with the dog and
chickens.
Au0 pdIculdSc Vi TIE AISlo gill
would not be divulged by Mrs. Shoop.
She told Mr.. Howarth that it was left
at their home several years ago.
Shoop proposed to the officials that
IL they could get the officials of the
South Side Improvement association
10 return $50 which they have paid
on their home, they would leave the
dtE.