Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-19
xn51e1 Scientists Construct o. Picture of the Oh
way us A10ther Is Still Liuinn and Is O. Woknnz

about himself. repeating merely what he
had told the police. Among the three
hundred children in the home he was
marked for his dciicacy and refinement
OF manners and speech. he knew GER
tain gRmes. such os hide and seek.
Before adopting the boy. the ShepaTds
wanted, if possible, TO find his parents.
Before taking the child into their home
as their own child they naturally wished
10 discover Of what kind Of people he
came. what was his inheritance. that
there was no hereditary faint. Thus the
$500 search began When the parents
could not he discovered, the Shepards did
the next hest thing The boy was sub
jected to a rigorous physical examination
The physical examination revealed that
the lad WAS in excellent physical con-
ditton. His blood was untainted; there
were absolutely no traces of disease. His
muscles were firm and strong. One in
teresting fact was discovered. There
were evidences OF a nasal operation
probably, the medical men decided, for
adenoids
4 psychologist tested the boy He re.
sponded 10 all tests. His mind proved
alert ana bright
Finding him Sound as dollar" with
the mystery of his origin unsolved and
the $4,000 quest fruitless. Mr. and Mrs.
SHEPARD went through the legal for
malities OF adoption.
How We Knew fiis Father
Is 0eed and fhO Mother Living
In their search the detectives emploved
by me Shepards evolved various theories
regarding the boys origin Was the bows
rather living? Yes, said some. 1t was
his brother. the big boy" who took him
away from home and his father-the man
who bought him 10 New York City.
Jhe father was brutal and rough, cared
little fer the child, and was glad TO be rid
OF him. The mother, In that case, was
dead. They had 10 find the father.
FROM the facts cited, we know the
father OF this boy is dead
what OF the mother? The mother is
alive.
If the boys father were alive and If
the child had been familiar with him, he
would have spoken Of his father. It was
mereiy OF & man that he spoke. That
man bore no ties OF affection or kinship
TO the boy.
Some OF the detectives concluded the
ihother was dead. From the evidence we
nave, we know the mother is not dead.
ne boy spoke CT his mother
was the boy, as some of the detectives
concluded, illegitimate? We know that
many mothers who have not entered we'd
lock desert children OF whom they are
tshamed, or whom they cannot support.
Would devoted mother cast ner. child
adriit? Would respectable woman send
her boy into the world, to surfer the mis-
fortunes Of chance? no, said some. The
mother was probably a disso.ute woman.
The mother Of Finley Jay Shepard,
~ IS not dissoiute woman. The
boy is not i!leg;timate. How do we know
ms! When found the boy wore clothes
which, while poor, showed r woman's
care The socks we're darned, A dis.
soiute woman. of the type who deserts
end, would hardly bother darning
SOCKS The coat which he wore had beon
maze over from an Older sirl's This coat
"aS made over by Il frugal, industrious
woman 1t was made by the boys
mother
he adaptation of the little girls coat
reFea!a that the mo her lived in diraiy
INFO sFished circumstances Nevcrthe.
!eSs "Ae was So;icitous for her son, and
YOU'D not permit him to suffer from cold.
'o0f rs she was, she never let him suffer
from Lack OF food. We know that she de-
PfiNed herself in order that the boy
hisht never go hungry. His robust
hedith' i's clear skin, the very pink of
physical condition in which he was found
ic'esls lie fact that he never missed
i'icdlS' after his adoption the chiids an
pctiia Impressed MIR. Shapard "The
10Y, Said me, eats like day laborer."
me mother 81 this boy was married.
for there was another child, Girl named
,Wahnolyn Mary, II was sister Gwen
o"iSns old coat that the mother made
over for the hoy. a mother. of the char.