Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-07-26
MATTERS BABY IS
IN COURT TOLEARN
WH0IS|TSM0THER
Story Is One That Makes
Average Novel Plot Seem
Tame
INDICATIONS ARE IT
Is MAGGIE RYAN'S BABY
Claim Made Mrs. Matters
Wanted Baby to Secure
Inheritance

Chicago, July 26.--The fight for the
famous Matters baby by two women,
one fashionably gowned and beautiful
woman of society, the other a little
Canadian backVoods girl, was begun in
Federal Judge Landis' court today.
Mrs. Annie Dollie Ledgerwood Mat
ters, of Chicago, and "Margaret Ry-
am unwed war bride of the village
blacksmith of her Canadian home town,
We're the women. Both claim to be
mother of the child.
Sister st. Celestine, mother superior
of the Misercordia hospital Ottawa,
Canada, was the first witness. Talking
in low voice directly to Judge Ian
dis, she told of Mrs. Matters visit to
the hospital last July.
"Shc said she had to adopt child.
Her husband was wealthy, she told me,
but they had no children" said Sis
ter st. Celestine. "She said she want
ed it to appear as though the child was
really her own. She didn't want her
husband to know the truth
Sister Tells of Birth.
The sister then went on and told of
how Il baby born to "Margaret Ryan !"
her real name is not given for obvious
reasqns~-was tse;en to the room of Mrs.
Matters and an operation performed
upon the woman. "Miss Ryan, was
told the baby died.
Both Mrs. Matters and "Margaret 4"
were in court. The baby was brought in
shortly after their arrival. When n
court attache took it to Mrs. Matters,
Margaret broke down and cobbed.
Sister ST. Celestine was followed on
the stand by Sister Mary also of Miser-
cordia hospital. Her testimony was .
corrobration of the mother superior =.
The Matters baby case, to date, has
unfolded a story that would furnish q
de Maupaussant with plots for a doz-
on novels. 1t began when December
mated with June-when Frederick Mat
ters, Arcola, ILL.,, moving picture mag
nate, a man nearing 20, married Anna
Dollie Ledgerwood, a woman of 90.
And then Matters died. leaving n
100000 estate. A few weeks after his
death, Mrs. Matters appeared with n
baby.
Wanted the Estate.
1t was hers, she said, born to her at
Miscrcordia hospital, at Ottawa, Can
ada. Other heirs to the estate question.
etd hor claim of posthumous heir. In
the first place. they said parenthood
was q physical impossibility to Mat
ters
Physicians came from the hospital
and testified for Mrs. Matters. 1t was
her baby, they said. Then, months lat
err, Dr. L. c. Emile Bercard, chief OBJ
steariciau of the hospital came to Chi
cago, and said his conscience had trou-
bled him, that he wanted to change his
story.
This time he said he was telling the
truth. The baby was not Mrs Matters
at all. 1t was born to Margaret Bryan,
a young Canadian girl, who had sur
rendered to love when the village black.
smith in her town went away to war
with the Canadian contingent. The baby
was taken from Margaret at its birth,
DR.. Bercard said. and taken to room
where Mrs. Matters lay, Margaret was
told her baby had died at birth. She
lay listessly and sadly in her cot in the
public ward while Mrs. Matters. known
to the "poor ward,' as the "million.
aire ladyh crooned over child
DR.. Bercard detailed the surgical pre-
cations that had been taken to make II
appear Mrs. Matters was the mother.
When the trial of Mrs. Matters on
criminal charge began, the state sprang
a surprise. 1t brought Margaret Bry-
an to Chicago and the pretty Canadian
girl told the jury her story. But il did
not convict Mrs. Matters.