The weekly soliphone., 1917-08-23

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Iception, and not wishing to create
"a scene, the sister permitted the
mother to depart and Immediately
notified the juevenile court, Banks
dale mounted police station and po-
lice headquarters by telephone.
| The -four. years of the life of lit
tie Marguerite Wahlquist have been
filled with experience not usually
falling to the lot of one so young.
Her mother, Leila Puryis, came to
Memphis from Paragould, Ark, on
a visit just before the child was
born. Immediately thereafter the
child was taken to the Leath Or
phan Asylum. and later transferred
to st. Peters.
agreed to provide for the mainten-
ance of the little girl, but for some
unknown reason neglected to make
the payments, and for almost two
years did not even visit the orphan
age to see the little one.
Thinking the child to be aban-
doned by it's parents as many chill
dren are, one of the sisters gave it
into the care of Mrs. Ollie Randlc
ton Upon investigation, about a
month later, st. Peters again took
charge of little Marguerite, because
Mrs. Trumper was not deemed a
suitable person to adopt the little
girl.
KIDNAPPED ONCE BEFORE.
About year and a half ago
Mrs. Trumper visited the orphan
age to see the baby, and, when not
observed, flew with her to the
street. where she boarded a wait
ing automobile and drove with all
speed to Lake View, Miss, intend
ing to catch train for New Or
leans. Juvenile court officers trail
ed her to that point and found her
in bed, with the child Struggled
close to her. She had missed connec-
ton with the train and was hiding
until the arrival of another.
On charge of kidnapping, Mrs.
Trufnper was tried before Judge
d. b. Puryear, in the first division
of the criminal court, and found
guilty. but because of extenuating
circumstances. mercy was recon-
mendcd by the jury and she was
sentenced to 10 days in the work
house. While at liberty on bond
she left the city and has never
been apprehended.
trial came in the fact that both
Mrs. Trumper and Mrs. Purvis
claimed the child as their own. This
claim on the part of Mrs. Trumper
was quickly broken down by the
records OF the institutions in which
the child had been since its birth.
AS the trial progressed, little Mar
guerite played with her toys, i'll
the court room, and paid not the
least attention to the two women
battling for her. Her love had been
won by the Kindness of the Sisters
of st. Peters, and only III them
did she recognize a mother. Judge
Puryear at this time rcmanded the
child back to st. Peters.
COURT REFUSED MOTHERS PLEA
About three months ago Leila
Purvis attempted again to secure
her child! After several intellect
ual attempts to spirit the little girl
away from the orphanage acting
in collision with another woman,
whose name could not be ascertain
ed-a habeas corpus writ was OBJ
tanned, on the ground that suit
able home had been found with a
brother-in-law of the mother. In
vestigation by the court showed this
to be but "a rusc. and again the
child was remanded to the charge
of the Sisters. because the home
claimed for it did not show that it
was going to the mother, and fur
ther that the brother-in-law was
not able to properly care for and
raise the child.
Little Marguerite is n charming
baby-she has worn her way into
the hearts of all the Sisters and
nurses of the institution-and two
excellent families near Memphis
have expressed strong desire to adopt
her into their homes as a child of
their own. The little love-chtld
has had much experience for her
years, and now, by the action OF
the mother yesterday Afternoon. has
entered into still another condition
,ub inh p.n 40 Gatt LODI onlV Inv ac-