Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-29
ORPHANS COURT ORDER
RESENTED BY CITIZENS
Children of Couple Who Met
Tragic Death Taken From
Their Guardian.

Left orphans last October, when 9
freight train struck and instantly killed
| their parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Mason ]
Gray. near Tuxedo, Md. the five children
Of the couple. by order of the orphans
court In Upper Marlboro. Nd, have beer
committed to the care of the st. Vincent
| de Paul Society, near Baltimore
/ Shortly after the death of their par
ents. when il was learned that the very
roof over their heads might be lost, a
general subscription was taken and
enough money raised to insure the chill
dren an unincumbered home and slight
income.
Guardian Not Notified.
Tie order turning them over to the
society was passed, it is declared, in
the absence of Robert w. Wells, who
has been acting as guardian for the chill
dren for several months. Mr.. Wells has
announced he will take every possible
legal step to prevent the carrying out of
the order Immediately following the
order of the court. Mr. Wells brought
the children to Washington. They are
now with relatives of AIR. Wells, and he
refuses to divulge their whereabouts
Residents of Tuxedo are said to be up
Not only will literally signed petit
ton be sent up from Tuxedo, setting
forth the present comfortable conditions
under which the children are living and
the adviSabilty of allowing them to stay,
but many residents there who knew
the Gray family and know of the
care they have been receiving from Mrs.
Bette MckeOwn. an aunt, Will appear in
person before the judges of the orphans
court with a plea that the children be
left in their own home.
Pathetic Scene in Court.
The scene in the courtroom at Upper
Marlboro Tuesday was described as pa
thetic, friends Of the children protesting
against the order, several women being
in tears. Mrs. Mckeown was greatly
shocked at the order, it is reported, and
the children when notified of the court S
action were at a loss to understand the
purpOrt of the order.
Louise Gray. the only girl of the fam
lily, who is pupil at the Thompson
School in this city, had arranged to en-
ter the home OF Mrs. Samuel Shoemaker
here, but, hearing that her brothers were
to be sent with the ST. Vincent de Paul
Society, she refused to leave them and
Is said to have begged that something
be done to stay the order of the court.
Mr.. and Mrs. MckeOWn, who have been
caring for the children. proceeded to
Tuxedo from their home in Pennsylvania
to take charge as sOOn as they heard of
the tragedy which robbed the children of
father and mother.
Active in Raising Fund.
Mr.. Wells, who is given credit to a
large extent for the raising of the fund
which paid off the mortgage on the home
and left the children an income, expresses
himself as indignant at the action of the
court. He was appointed guardian by
the unanimous petition of all the relatives
concerned. it is explained. and has visit
ed the children once or twice every week
to investigate their condition and environ
ment. He declares he always found
them bright and happy.
Nr. Wells has taken the matter up with
those who subscribed to the fund for the
children, and he says he will see to it
that no par: of the money raised to pay
off the mortgage on their home or that
from which they now derive a small in
come shall be turned over to the or
phans' court or to any guardian appoint
ed by that court when such guardianship
demands the abandonment Of the home in
Tuxedo.