The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-07-29
''BABY IRENE
IS AWARDED .T(l q
CANADIAN G|.R'l| !
MRS. MATTERS LOSES
IN SUIT FOR GD;5.
Judge Landis Scores Canadian q TN
Hospital Sensational Case
Is Ended ss

CHICAGO, July 2S.-MarE11s i
Ryan, a Canadian working grlsWl1l
today declared by Judge K NJ ,IAndae y
of the United States. District Coextss
to be the mother Of a year-old ch4d;;
that also had been claimed By ME-
Anna Dolie Ledgerwood Matters, 91A;
a. dispute which caused half do3s
lawsuits was settled.
Ac a result Of the decision. No
RyEl is given custody OF Baby 49,
the child that had been .preseotedL3
the Probate Court here by Mrs 1
ters as the posthumous heir 70
husbands 100000 estate. Pr1ors9
Judge Landis' decision, suits Aent1
Mrs Matters charging perjury So
fostering a spurious heir on thoaE!ls
bate Court were dismissed in the 4t4t1
courts. Miss Ryan claimed that -
father OF the baby is q soldier oSsAn
Canadian forces, who Is now dghtl
in France. Is. 5s;sst
cisiop. said that where the qu1At1e
of maternity is involved the real m9ss
er will not stand mute" Thea 3u1
censured the Misericordia hospinfAt
Ottawa, Ont, the Sisters in chAryAA
it and certain attendants who, he stt
gave perjured testimony concernmS
the birth Of the baby. ,.i.;:st III
II was in this hospital that MI
Matters. widow of banker, clhlMe1
to have given birth to the child. tn
hospital attendants at first suppoHeG
her claim, but later repudiated sthAse
testimony and declared Markn
Ryan to be its mother, assertnGsMe
:, fol frnrn h0r and RfKl2
to the Chicago widow. :.sr:I
After Mrs. Matters had presenfe4
baby Irene to the probate court ~
posthumous heir and had later e0oe
acquitted Of conspiracy charge,eMl1!::
garet Ryan brought suit IN teda9Al
court for custody Of the child. afN3sssas
Swore She Was Mother. -
Mrs. Matters testified~in court O
day that she was the mother OF nael
Irene and gave reasons for gotnKst0
Canada, which were supported oyA
nurse, Miss Winifred Davis.
"I do not believe the reason Hh2
this act was done will ever be known;
Judge Landis said and then announced
his decision and ordered the nutSA
to give the baby to Margaret Ryant{
A bitter speech in which JudEo
Lands censured the Misericordia: hos:
pital of Ottawa, Canada, the sisters m
charge of it, the doctor and the NURSE
Mrs. Matters and other involved 2M
the case, Immediately preceded tho Do
cision. 80.
The crowd cheered the judges
words and he ordered the room cleaxs
ed. AS the spectators left the court
Miss Winifred Davis. Mrs. MattArL
nurse, struck an assistant statesS At,
torney in the face and shouted that
she would get Margaret Ryan.
Miss Davis was taken in charge.by'
bailiffs and led back before Judge
Iandis but she was dismissed afterex.
planning that the affair was an aecl.
dent. .t.,,z.,
The decision today by Judge Lanhiy
does not effect the estate Of Fred MAJ;
ters, late husband of Mrs. Matters @
the probate court previously held p4hy
irene not to be. the child Of Mrs. Nat.
ters. BY an ante-nuptial agreemens
!. Mrs. Matters was to receive $50so00
from the estate She also received one.
third of the estate by law. Tn0te
are twenty-six heirs to the balance q
the estate.