The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-11
r. W. Conn of Denver Begins
Action Here.
Seeks to Recover Five Year Old
Annalee McKinstry.
LITTLE GIRL is HERE
Mrs. E. w. Chance Has Posses
sion of Baby.
Claimed Mother May Become In-
sane Unless She Gets Her.

Habeus corpus proceedings were
filed in the probate court at noon to-
day to restore five-year-Old Annalee
Mck1nstry to her mother in Denver
Mrs. E. w. Chance. of 1885 Lincoln
| street. the childs aunt, is made defen-
| dant in the action
| Heartbrol1en and crazed by the loss
| of the little one, the mother is under
the care of physicians in Denver. r.
| W. Conn, who recently married the
woman, said today that he feared his
wife would lose her mind If the child
was not returned at once. Mrs. Chance
Will contest the writ in Judge Schoch s
court on the grounds that Annalee did
not receive proper care and treatm ent
While in the custody of it's mother.
Conn, who is a telegraph operator,
came to Topeka Sunday to urge the
aunt to permit him to take the little
persistent pleading, he abandoned the
task and sought an attorney. Tears
stood in Conn's eyes this morning as
he told of the separation of the babe
and its mother.
To his attorney Conn told how the
girls mother had worked in Den
Yer hotel in an effort to support her
self and baby. The child was left
with a respectable woman in Denver,
he said, while the mother was at her
work 1t was hard task for the wO-
man to provide for their needs. Then
Conn met the woman and often help
ed her meet the deficits in the month
ly bills. But Conn'S salary was small
and he went to Salt Lake city, where
he found employment at better wages.
Later Mrs McKinstry went to Salt
Lake and left the child with the Den
yer woman. Then came the separa-
ton.
q woman wrote to Mrs. Chance"
said Conn, "and told her that the
mother mad deserted the child. That
was just before we were married and
baby When we returned to Denver we
found that Mrs. Chance had been there
and had taken the child to Topeka.
'HThen my wife wrote to her sister
and was informed that the baby would
be returned to her in August. man
aged to sead her to Topeka to see the
child, but Mrs. Chance wouldn't let
-Annalee return.
'.One day after Mrs. Conn returned.
was called horne by neighbor. I
loss of the child. She was hEgging and
kissing the baby's picture and crying
as though her heart would break. l
called a doctor but there seemed to
was away at my work, my wife would
write little love notes to the baby and
found these scattered over the bed
when / returned home. at night.
"As | left for Topeka" continued
Conn. 4 was told by the doctor that
the return of the baby was the only
thing that would save my Wife's mind
and perhaps her life. I was at the
Chance home from o'clock until
o'clock yesterday. On bended knees I
asked her TO let me take the baby home.
She only laughed at me and told rae
she thought more of the baby than she
did of her sister and that she would
never let her go"
Conn, who is a rather promising
young man, said he would furnish the
court with references from city and
county officials and business firms in
Denver showing that the child would
receive proper care in the custody of
the mother He was anxious for an
Immediate hearing in the case that he
might return to his wife.