The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-19
CHILD-CRY In Vain
Chubby Boy Pleaded To Be
Kept With His Mother.
Court Takes Him From Parent.
Possibly Forever.
TOO MUCH FOR THE OFFICERS
They Did Their Duty and Then
Turned Their Backs.
Trouble Grows Out of a ''White
Slave" Charge.
TOO MUCH FOR THE OFFICERS

Perhaps Lottie Parker isn't the ideal
mother; perhaps she has. done the
| things her husband charges in his di-
| vorce petition. But she is a mother
and possesses that quality which holds
the love of her child. And when Hugh
Larimer, sheriff, obeying a court or
| der, took the chubby little hand of the
boy from her and placed it in the hand
of the boys grandmother, Mrs. I. w
| Parker, today, he turned his back.
kBig Bob Miller listened to the boys
screams for a half a minute and dis
appeared.
| Clarence Parker says his wife is ev-
| erything but a model mother She
! does wear her skirts a trifle short, her
/ lips may be a little too red and her
name does adorn some of the pages of
| Shawnee county court records
| Yet she once kidnapped the child
| took it to western Kansas, followed it
| to Topeka Sunday when the sheriff
| brought it back, and remained with it
| constantly until the law stepped in
| and separated her from it. Even then
! she followed beside the boy and his
! grandmother until they went into an
attorneys office in which the mother
| had no business.
Mamma. mamma don't let her
| take me- screamed the little fellow
while the mother stood helplessly by
! She Could Do Nothing.
| She could do nothing. The sheriff
/ could do nothing for her. The grand
| mother held an order from Judge
| Dana upon which the ink was scarcely
| dry inStructing the sheriff to turn the
child over to his grandmother. I4ottie
| Parker, the mother, was not even
| given chance to attend the hearing
at which her child was taken from
| her.
What can I do now?" she asked
Sheriff Larimer as the grandmother
and the screaming child started out
the courthouse door
There's only one thing 1 know Of"
said Larimer. "and that is to go to
an attorney and have him bring an
action to set aside the order"
He Called 'Mamma.''
Everyone except the small boy
| thought the party was over but at
| the door he baked. He's small but
| he pitted his strength against that of
| his grandmother and she was una bic
! to take him thru the door. He braced
bis little feet against the sill and with
one hand against the jam stood his
ground and call for his mamma"
The mother glanced at Sheriff Lari-
mer, he nodded. and she hurried to
| the child's side. He released his grip
on the door and took her hand. To-
gether the three went down the steps
and down the street, mother and
grandmother not speaking to each
other but doing their utmost to Sooth
| the child.
| There was another parting but it
was accomplished with out so much
| display upon the boys part. He was
whisked into a door by his grand
mother, his mother brushed his cheek
with a kiss. and hurried on up the
street, her handkerchief to her eyes
Niekels, promises of candy and the
prospect of seeing Grandpa Parker
did not shake little Dick Parker's
resolution
When she left him he stood with tears
streaming down his cheeks, his baby
arms outstretched, crying Mamma.
But her back was turned and she was
going--out of his life forever, perhaps.
| The separation today is just an in
| cident in the Parker divorce case.
C1---ence and Lottie Parker, the
parents, are probably thirty years old,
| or thereabout now, and have been
married for years. Their married life