The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-24
Mother and Year Old Son Sep
arated by Court.
Parent Goes to Epileptic HOspi-
tai at Parsons.
BOY BECOMES PUBLIC CHARGE
Have Been Together Through
Many Heart Breaking Trials.
SEQUEL to damage Goods
Story Told in Court.

story IOlQ In court
.'Wilbert, this looks like the part
boy
That is the way Mrs. Lula James.
victim of harsh circumstances, bade
goodbye to her 11-year-old son. an
other victim. And then, from her
window in the county jail. she watched
him until he turned a distant corner.
With the turning of that corner her
only child, the boy who had cared for
her through, spells of insanity and who
| had shared the hardships with her,
passed out of her life. For on the
next train she left in company with
Mrs. S. H. Abbott, matron of the
county Jail, for the state hospital Tor
epileptics at Parsons.
Mrs James was declared insane
after a hearing in probate court which
brought to light what Judge MacF'ar-
land considers the saddest story of
human events he has listened to in his
| court room. Hers was the story of
disease, insanity and death told in
probate court the other day. Briefly,
| the evidence was that as Lulu James
she married a veteran of the Spanish
| American war; that from him she
| she gave birth to the boy and that
through carrying for the boy the
| wife's mother contracted the disease
and after seven years fsuffering.
died. Lulu James has suffered for
eleven years and is now declared in
sane. The boy is mentally defective.
Taken to County Jail.
After the mother had been declared
insane she was taken to the county
Jail and the boy to the detention home,
just north of the Jail.
| That night the boy heard his moth
er at an upper window and walked
over to the jail.
Mamma, Mamma" he called. She
went to the window.
Are you lonesome ?" asked the boy.
Don't be lonesome. There is my
window right over there with the light
in it. I'll be there all night and if
you get lonesome, mamma, just re-
member I'm over there thinking about
you
The next morning the boy was at
the jaiI with a bottle of milk for his
mother. He had gone out and bought
it of a milkman with pennies he earn
ed selling papers.
told the rnatron "but I'll drink ii be-
cause my boy bought it with his own
money
The boy was allowed to see his
mother again just before she was
about him all night.
"Wiibert'' she said, this looks like
the parting of the ways for mamma
and her boy
"Oh, mamma. it can't be-" sobbed
the boy 81 can't get along without
Asked Her Dead Mother.
Boy" replied the mother, her hand
on his head, II saw my mother AGAR
last night and che wrote on the wal
in letters of black chiffon, 1t would
not be best That was in answer to
my question about having you with
me-"
The boy dried his tears but held tt
J his mother She was dry-eyed ant
i calm.
:. Mrs. Abbott she said. you o.
some one must see that this child hai
treatment that will make him right
1t is through no fault of his that he il
;, not normal. He must not grow up t,
be another Bissen and cause the los
>, of some innocent life. When 1 an
CHANGER
Then she turned to the lad.
"Oh, boy" she said, you must G,
now. Tell your mother goodbye. Yol
have been so good to me and now
can't do anything for you. Be "a
She didn't finish, but turned away
And the boy walked blindly from tn
Jail.
The mother walked to a windoy
and watched her child as far as sh
could see him.
Never Had n Chance.
What have I to live for?" sh
asked of Mrs. Abbott. ''All L have il
the world is my boy, and now 1 mus
n be separated from him. 1 have give
/ him up and may never see him agair
/ What will happen to him? He neve
IL had half chance. oh, Cod
MrC 10
clear following the hearing in probat
. court and the history of her case i
that sometimes for weeks she doe
not suffer an attack of insanity He
) suffering incident to the separatio
from her only child was as real a
=, that of any other mother. She is nc
= in the dark about her own conditio
nor that OF her boy. She talked wit
Mrs. Abbotc at great length about he
case.
- Once" she said. Il felt an attac
y coming on and told my boy not t
q worry and not to call anybody in, ju.
= to keep me covered up. Days, 1 don
Ii know how many days later, 1 re
turned to my right mind. Wilbert wa
&c there by my side.
He wanted to get me something
eat, and 1 remembered that there Ia
. not been scrap in the house when
'e was attacked. Why Wilbert,' 1 sal,
you haven't had anything to eat sine
- I've ben sick That's all right, man
= ma, he said, I am not hungry Thu
J., is the kind of a boy he has b@-2 to n
and now 1 have given him up. Poo
"A boy, what will become of him? ?"
Odd Fellows Attention.
of Ind