The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-07-07
JUDGE ONLOCRS
Grip ON THROAT
SEPARATES coARBaTANTs WHO
FOUGHT OVER CUSTODY
or CHILDREN.
il1rom rhur.anvIs AarertIser.l


After forcibly taking the right hand
Of Police Captain Charles w. Baker
from the throat Of John w. Hall,
Judge W. J. Robinson yesterday acted
the part of Solomon by temporarily
dividing up the custody Of the two
children who were the subject Of
dispute which caused the men to mix
up in the Judiciary building, yesterday
morning.
John w. Hall is the father and Cap
tain Baker the stepfather of Pauline
and Thelma Hall, aged about ten and
one-half years and eight, respectively.
When the Judge unlocked Bakers I'm
gers from Hall Is throat he found that
his right hand was covered with blood.
This came from cut on Halls face
which was made by q ring on the finger
of Mrs Baker, formerly Mrs. Hall,
who took part in the struggle as soon
as she saw the two men scuffling.
While she attacked her former hus-
band Mrs. Baker screamed loudly and
the two children added their shrill
cries so that in moment it seemed as
if every person in the building, outside
of the staid Judges, was attracted to
the corridor outside the courtroom of
the third judge of the circuit court,
whore the encounter took place.
Judge Stops Fight.
Judge Robinson wasted no time in
stopping the trouble. Baker had quite
grip on Halle throat, but the Judge
caught hold of the police captain g
thumb and forced it back. This COM
PEELED Baker to loosen his hold.
Baker, you are a sworn officer of
the peace and is this the way you
break the peace yourselfi" said the
Judge sternly.
The police captain looked around to
see who had wrenched his thumb so
violently and was addressing him.
When he saw it was the Judge he i'm
'mediately resumed command of him
self and said, 81 am very sorry, you
must excuse me. "
The trouble primarily arose because
/ of what Baker considered too excess
sive tenderness by Hall toward his two
daughters The latter had been brought
to the courthouse by their mother and
stepfather in connection with the hear
ing of a case concerning the custody
of Pauline, the elder girl. The father,
not having, as he said, seen the chill
dren for some time, started to caress
them. Baker considered he was a lit
tie too impulsive; that Hall was, in
fact, "mauling them around" He
therefore attempted to stop the dem
onstration.
Halls Face Scratched.
Hall Immediately sought to hit the
captain who took hold of him by the
throat. The children screamed, their
mother rushed at Hall and scratched
him on the face with her ring, while
Assistant District Attorney Rawlins
Detective Harry Lake, Interpreter Cam
ara and others sought to separate the
men. With the assistance of the Judge
this was done.
Court was then resumed and Judge
Robinson severely reprimanded the par
Elephants in the struggle.
The case which called the Hall ani
Baker families to the courtroom wai
instituted by Mrs. Wiihelmina Baker
formerly Mrs. Hall, who was represent
ed by Attorney Clarence w. Ashford
while Attorney Lorrin Andrews appear
ed for Hall. Mrs. Baker wished to bl
given the custody of her elder daughte
Pauline
The Halls were divorced Septembe
%, 1905, and Mrs. Hall, who later mar
ried Capt Charles H. Baker, was givel
the custody of her daughter Thelma
the younger of the two children. NJ
provision was made by the decree TO
the custody of Pauline Hall for tn
reason that in 1901 she had been legal
ly adopted by Father Sylvester. Il
May, 1905, Pauline and Thelma were
Mrs. Baker alleged, kidnapped by Hal
: and taken to California. Father Syl
9 vester died in 1907 Hall returned from
5 California with the children in 1910
Since that date both Pauline and Thel
ma have been in the custody of Mrt
: Baker.
Both Want Girl.
Hall recently started proceedings i
Judge Robinson Is court to be give
control of Pauline. Mrs. Baker oppose
i this. She alleges that Hall is intend
J. ing to leave the country in the nea
!: future and TO take Pauline with hiI
: and to deprive her permanently of th
o custody of the child. She says that he
d husband, Captain Baker, Is abundant
u able to take care of both girls, has bl
y come deyotedly attached to them an
:, greatly desires, as does Mrs. Baker, tina
the children should not be separated
; She alleges that Hall is for man
reasons untitled 10 exercises the right
of custody and education over youn
girl of the age Of Pauline, She assert
that Hall is Of a coarse and cruel dil
n position, and has a wife living as Oh
result Of a fourth marriage, but thu
y the fourth wife Is separated from hin
She further alleges that while the latel
Mrs. Hall WAS Of the head of the hous
hold III California she WAS nnhln6 an
. cruel 10 the two children 9in q eerl0l
= degree,
y Mrs. Baker also claims that Hall
Z lnanelally unable 70 provide Tor Pa
y line . suitable home mainienanee al
education, or any home, malnlenanl
u aud naneailon a ~ comparable 70 thl
= shleh captain Baker Is able aud d
! slfea % provide for the girl
o 0hilaYsn 0lye AYlaenes-