Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-12
MRS. WELSH GETS
ACCESS TO SON
Legal Battle Covering Nine
Months Ended in Court
Today.
HAS SEEN HER SON TWICE
IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS
Denied That She Attempted to
Poison Sons Mind Against
His Father.

]
After a legal battle Of nine months
in the local Chancery Court, Mrs.
Virginia Lee Welsh, Of Manila,
Philippine Islands, today won the
right to visit her son, at stated inter-
walls, and to correspond with him
regularly. The son is Martyr Baker,
whose father, Henry cambridge
Baker, Of Elizabeth, was divorced
by Mrs. Welsh in October, 1911.
Mrs. Welsh was the only witness
called today before vice-Chancellor
Stevens, and she told a touching
story of her efforts to see her boy
and communicate with him during
the past two years. A large volume
of correspondence between Mrs.
Welsh, her former husbands at
torneys and others involved, was
also introduced.
"IIe Is my only child" said Mrs.
Welsh on the stand, land have seen
him but three and half hours In
the last two and a half years.
The mothers eyes became wet with
tears as she continued: mo, l never
tried to poison the boys mind
against his father I told him we
both loved him dearly but that his
father and l could not get along. l
told him we both had his interest at
heart notwithstanding our circum-
stances. The only thing l said to the
boy about his father was that | did
not believe / was treated fairly"
Mrs. WEIGH received a final decree
Of divorce from her wealthy husband
on October q, 1911. She then agreed
that Mr.. Baker should retain GUS
tody of the child, she stated today,
because she was not able financially
to provide for the boy as Mr.. Bakers
means permitted. The son is now
thirteen years old and is attending
the Hill School at Pottstown, Pa
Mrs. Welsh later married Thomas
Carey Welsh, a former United States
official at Philippines, who is a law
yer of considerable repute in that
country now.
Ralph e. Lum, attorney for Mrs.
Welsh, introduced large volume OF
correspondence to show that the
mothers letters to her son from the
Philippines to New York were CEN
sored, and that in many cases 1t
was evident that the boy never re-
ceived her letters. Mrs. Welsh told
of leaving seventy-fve postcards ad-
dressed to herself with Francis A.
Woodbridge, of New York, who repre-
scented Mr.. Baker.
The mother declared that she wrote
brief messages from the boy to her.
self on these postals with the re-
quest that, even if her son did not
sign them, the cards were to be
mailed to her so that she could learn
of his condition. Woodbridge prom
Used that the boy should mail these
Il o~IH 10 Ito
Welsh testified, but not one of the
missives arrived at her home in
Manila.
Vice-Chancellor Stevens announced
that he would make an order allowing
the mother the custody of the boy
during half of his coming Christmas
vacation. The boy will be sent to
Boston on December rs and remain
there with his mother until January
of next year.
The mother also requested an or
der giving her permission to have
the boy with her for SIX weeks of his
summer vacation In 1915. when she
proposes to journey to this country
again from the Philippines. This re-
quest was also granted and will be in
cluded in the e-chancellor's order,
subject to any change in circum-
stances when that time arrives.
Edward A. Day, of counsel for Mr..
Baker, announced that the son was
in Newark this morning and could be
examined by the vice. chancellor If
the latter so desired. The court de-
cided that he would not change his
order no matter what the boys pres
ent attitude toward his mother is.
Mrs Welsh then asked permission to
see the boy for few minutes today
In Mr.. Days office.
At this request Attorney Day con-
suited with Mr.. Baker and then an
nounced that as Mrs. Welsh was to
have the boy with her soon he did
not see the necessity of the visit to-
day. Mr.. Lum was on his feet In an
instant prot esting.
This is barbarous and an outrage.
What harm can come of the mother
seeing her son for few minutes in
the office of Mr.. Bakers own couns
sel?"N
After a brief argument it was
agreed that the mother and son
should see each other in Mr.. Days Of
fee. Mrs. Welsh was allowed to en-
ter the lawyers office unaccom-
panied and spent some time there
alone with the boy.
Attorney Lum explained to the
court the time and expense borne
by Mrs. Welsh In her visits to this
country to see her boy. The trip
takes from five to seven weeks one
way, he stated, and costs at least
$500 per return trip. Mr.. Lum asked
for the conditional order regarding
the 1915 vacation, because he de-
clared the terrible uncertainty of
matters in the past has repeatedly
caused Mrs. Welsh to be confined to a
hospital, a victim of nervous prostra-
ton
The vice-chancellor made the con-
ditional order regarding the 1915 visit,
despite the persistent objections of
Mr. Bakers counsel that circum-
stances must change in two years
from now and the order would be in
valid.
81 would prefer the court to rule
that this mother must never lay eyes
on her child again during the rest
of her life than to leave the matter
unsettled and uncertain" declared
Mr.. Lum. ut would be far better
II such an order was made by your
honor than IL this mother was to I'M
dergo the same uncertainty that had
been thrust upon her for the past two
years."
The court suggested that when the
boy is somewhat older it may be
deemed beneficial to have him make
the trip to the Philippines to see his
mother, and, at any rate, the court
would assure Mrs. Welsh that she
would have permission to see the boy
any summer that she might visit this