Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-20
STRANGE CASE PRESENTED FOR
LEGAL ADJUDICATION AT
WATERLOO.
NEGRO BLOOD ALLEGED;
BABES PARENTS WHITE
assSon IN Court to Remove 14-Year-
Old Foster Daughter From Custody
and Care Of People Who Raised Girl
as Own Because Of Presence Of Babe
of Questionable Color in Household.

Waterloo, Oct. 2o.-Strangest OF all
court exhibits win be 2-year-old male
infant.
Strangest Of AL questit ms upon which
a court in this country has been called
upon to pass will be the racial type
of the babe.
In Juvenile court Mrs. Myrtle Barr,
police matron has signed complaint
that a 14-year-old white girl is de-
pended and neglected.
This white girl has lived in the
rome where the infant OF doubtful
racial type resides since she was
babe In arms. She was adopted from
and Iowa orphanage. Her foster par
ents are to her like real parents. She
knows no other father or mother.
They love her, and she loves them.
But It is said the 2-year-old babe
has some characteristics Of colored
child. It 10 claimed by the state
which Is the complainant, that this
tact is tending 10 isolate the girl from
white society. It is commended that the
girls interests would best be safe
guarded II she were placed in another
home.
Says Babe IS White.
The girls foster parents say the IN
FAINT IS white; that he IS their own
child. The foster father says he Is
the father OF he babe whose color
has been questioned ny the state and
whose racial status may be deter
mined by district Judge sitting as
~, y
George D. Harris. assistant county
attorney, VINO handles the Juvenile
work for the state. IS looking after
the interests OF the girl J. c. Muir
tagh IS counsel for the girls foster
parents The parents DO not wish TO
give up the girl. Mr.. MrTtasn said
yesterday afternoon Witnesses would
be called to show the girl IS not ne
elected or dependent
Conference Held.
IN Judge G. ". Dunhau's cham
bers yesterday afternoon = confer
ence was held by attorneys and 9TH
ers interested relative 20 6 hearing
Judge Durham had tu-y a. work 4
his division Il was decided 70 hold
the Juvenile bss--og iz.sr, probably
today.
Judge =. c. Prsr. vno Is OFF,
tributor to the hons-And-aE SOCIETY
from which tire girl WAS PLACED II
the home IN Waterloo. vas st The con-
ference. The PHI was e: -hs court
house, with her foster mother.
Mr.. Harris today staset he would
ask that the babe be brought into
court 10 that the Judge eoul1 deter
mine his racial status
The state Gays tie babe has curly
black hair and brown eyes.
The state also received the report
that the mother veiied the child when
she took him out in his carriage. It
is said the adopted girl has had an
important part in caring for the babe.
II is also said negroes visit the home;
that the girls mates at school shun
her.
The real charge of the state Is that
the environment OF the girl Is not
such as to contribute to her best ad-
vantages. The girl makes no COM
plant, It is said, Of abuse or M-treat-
ment
The foster parents had been mar
riod and were childless for several
years before they adopted the babe
from the orphanage. To them the
tiny mite Of humanity was very prec-
ious. They nursed her and cared for
her as tenderly as tho she were Of
their own flesh and blood. When
Tic .;I; ;;voaIle old enough she was
sent to school and has since been re-
ceiving her education. The parents,
it Is said, moved west several years
ago. Soon after their return the boy
was born.
Delicate Situation.
This is an unusually delicate and
embarrassing case for the state to
handle" said Mr.. Harris today at
is necessary for me to charge that
the babe has negro blood, under the
complaint made. When l suggested
this to the mother yesterday she be-
came angry, stantly denying the i'm
putation. I shall have the babe brought
into court for the judge to decide"