The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-24
Mystery of Abandoned Child
Solved in Topeka at Last.
Illegitimate Girl Left by.One to
Save Family Shame.
10 PROSECUTION IN COURT
Father of Child Lives Outside
Shawnee Jurisdiction.
Only Grief Could ReSult-What
Would You Do!

Altho all the facts are known there
isn't one chance in a dozen that any
one will be prosecuted for abandoning
the little baby girl on the Silver Lake
road last Wednesday afternoon. That
is the situation for the simple reason
that knowing all the facts, county of
ficers do not want to prosecute.
Hugh Larimer, sheriff. learned all
the facts first and people thought it
peculiar that he Immediately lost all
Nheart in the matter.
Then Robert Carver. county attor-
ney, was given the inside information
and he threw up his hands and de-
clared that he would not issue a war
rant. Sheriff Lariner had all par
ties in connection with the case in Gus
tody Sunday but released them when
refused a warrant by the county at
torney.
From one man to another the in
formation has been passed and the
same impulse or emotion that moved
the sheriff and county attorney did
its work. One man after another has
shook his head and. buried in thoughts
of his own, stirred by pity and COM
passion, has said Don't do it,
There much back of the Ieav-
ing of the little mite of humanity be-
side the public road. Most of the
strings on the harp of human emo
ton were touched. Men and women
suffered and are suffering now. The
baby, the innocent cause, has suf-
fered less than any other involved. Its
future will be provided for and its
prospects are far better than they
would have been had it not been aban-
doned.
knowing these things and feeling
the full weight of them county off
GERS say they are willing to face what
ever criticism may arise from their
refusal to prosecute. Robert Carver
made that statement today.
Here Is the Story.
Here is the story, here are the facts
just as the county officers know
! them, minus the names and addresses
| They moved the officers accustomed
to other peoples troubles. TO pity
knowing them, what would you do2
The mother of the baby girl is
eighteen years of age and unmarried
She lives in town outside of Shaw
nee county with her old father and
mother who are poor but seIf-respect-
ing and universally respected in their
community. The old mother is bed
fast. Neither of them knows of the
daughters transgression.
The father of the baby girl is a
married man. father of several chill
dren in his own family. He lives be-
yond the Jurisdiction of the officers
of Shawnee county. They can't touch
him altho they agree he is the one
person involved who should be pun
ished. His wife and children know
nothing of the disgrace he has
brought upon the young girl
When the girl felt it was no longer
safe to stay at home, she came to To-
peka to visit a sister who works. and
told her the story. The country girl
went to local hospital, entered as a
married woman and after the baby
was born, remained here with il as long
as she felt she could stay away from
home without exciting suspicion. The
sister who lives here then assumed
the burden by putting the young
mother on the train for home and
promising she would find a good home
for the baby.
Sister Left the Baby.
The mother passes out of the story
with the departure of the train. Her
sister worried with the child, tried in
timid way to find a home for it, was
required to return to work or lose her
position, and became panicky. She
had no place to leave the baby while
she worked, no one to care for it I'm
her absence. The worry over her own
sisters disgrace. the fear of exposure
and her own necessity unnerved her.
She wrapped up the baby, packed
its belongings in grip and called
jitney She took the baby to the
! point on the Silver Lake road where
| it was found, chose place near .
farm house and left it where every
one who passed could see. The 1itney
driver protestep When ne learned
what she was doing but she maintain-
ed it was all she could do and that
some one certainly would find the
child within few minutes.
| Some one did. 1t has been learned
since that less than twenty minutes
! elapsed from the time the child was
/ left until Mrs. william Roller. the
nearest neighbor. spied the grip and
I found the baby.
That's the whole story.
Ruin Families.
! If the girl who really aba bandoned the
/ baby is arrested and prosecuted IL VIII
be an attempt to punish her for trying
\ to save her own family. even tho she
| may have used poor judgment in her
method. Exposure for the girl-mseher
will follow and ruin her life and the
/ Continued on Page Twob