The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-28
WOMAN TRIES
TO TEAR BABE
FROM MOTHER
Police Frustrate Bold Attempt
at kidnapping On Street in
Broad Daylight
ADOPTED CHILD SOLD
BACK BY FOSTER MOTHER
Latter, Dissatisfied With Bar
gain, Seeks To Forcibly Re-
gain Possession of Tot

| An attempted kidnapping In broad
daylight, and just block from police
headquarters, was thwarted by Pa
trolman George Cuddy,, Friday after
noon. and the strange history OF little
Katherine Bell-Ackerman-B Butler, aged
three. was revealed TO Lieut.. August
Dornbrook, by the warning claimants
for the child. Lieut.. Dornbrook shooed
the whole excited party out OF the
station. and told them that they would
have TO fight the matter out in the
civil courts, warming them that any
more motion picture dramas to DO
pulled on on the main thorough
fares OF Detroit would result In some
body going to Jail.
James Butler, saloonkeeper at No.
s Catherine-st, and his wife. Emma,
the mother OF little Katherine, were
walking at Library and Monroe-ayes..
with the pretty little girl In a gocart,
when Mrs. Estella Alderman, OF No.
$40 Monroe-aye.. suddenly appeared,
grabbed the child from its cart and
started away with 1t
Mrs. Butler seized the child's legs
while Mrs. Alderman tugged at Its
body, and the child was pulled one
way and the other until Butler joined
in the struggle. and Patrolman Cuddy
seeing the excitement, came on the
run and took the whole vociferous
party to headquarters.
= There Mrs. Alderman cried that
the child was hers by legal adoption
and she had the papers" TO prove 1t.
To which Butler acQuiesced, but add
ed that she had sold the baby and iti
effects back to him for $35, and that
he had her receipt and waiver OF al
claim TO the child. Mrs. Alderman
did rot deny that, but still maintain
ed Chat she had the adoption papers
and wanted the child.
Lieut.. Dornbrook turned the child
over to Butler and advised Mrs. Ack.
erman to take other measures II she
wanted the baby.
Butler produced his receipt, and
Strengthened out the tangle, Saturday
morning.
Butler married Mrs Emma BELL,
mother of little Katherine. In Septem-
Der, 1910. After the death OF Mrs.
Bells first husband, the young woman
found herself unable TO supprt little
Katherine. who was ten about a year
old, and she gave the child to John J.
Alderman and his wife, Estella, for
adoption.
When she married Butler, she
pleaded with him to get her child back
for her, and he started overtures with
Mrs. Alderman, last September.
Mrs. Alderman finally signed n
paper which Is self explanatory, and
apparently "clinches" Buffers claim
TO the child, on Sept. 2s. The aper
reads:
I, the undersigned, hereby
agree to give Mr.. James Butler
his child which had adopted. and
everything belonging TO said
child. such "a clothing, shoes, etc.
IN consideration whereof said Mr..
james Butler pays me the sum OF
S35. (SicEed) Estella Alderman,
John J. Alderman, Lawrence Ev-
ert
Evert Is brass polisher who was
witness to the TRANSACTION, says
Butler.
Alderman is fireman at the water
works.
Little Katherine, meanwhile, IL safe
In her own mothers care, and Butler
says that he will fight any effort that
Mrs. Alderman makes to take the
child away
"And I don't think there Is court
in the land which would take ahild
away from the mother chat bore II,
and who loves II and wants T. now
that she IL able TO take care Of ifr
saws B1tler.