The Detroit times., 1917-02-16
NEGRESS
IS LOSER
IN COURT
Judge Murphy Denies
Mrs. Jackson Custody
of White Girl
CHILD TO RETURN
TO CHICAGO
Negro Attorneys Are
Mentioned In Kid
naping Charges


to have full opportunity to grow up
into clean and useful womanhood
was the paramount issue At stake,
Circuit Judge Alfred J. Murphy
Friday morning dismissed habeas
corpus proceedings BY which Mrs.
Camilla Jackson. an aged Negress
whose home In In Chicago sought
to regain custody of Marjorie Del
bridge. the pretty 14-year-old white
child whom she had reared from
baby
In Diminishing the petition. the
court ordered the child returned
without delay to the juvenile court
OF Cook county, III.
"Disregardlng other issues which
have arisen In this case. let me I'm.
press on all who are interested In
II. that they should have but one
object In view" said Judge Murphy.
THAT is to see that the child Mar
jorie shall receive what the state
owes TO her-an opportunity to
grow into decent and useful wom-
anhood"
This judicial comment came after
Robert z. Hogan. assistant states
attorney OF Illinois. had openly
charged in court that the two Ne
gro attorneys OF Chicago. who rep
resent Mrs Jackson. were directly
responsible for the kidnapping OF
the child and her removal beyond
the jurisdiction Of the Cook county
courts James c. Cotter. one OF
the attorneys under FIRE. represent.
ed Mrs. Jackson. and denied that
he was implicated in the sudden
disappearance Of the girl from the
home OF white family in whose
charge she had been placed by the
court.
An action for contempt OF court
is now pending against Mr.. Cotter
and his partner" said Mr. Hogan.
''and while We have no objection 10
letting Mrs. Jackson visit Marjorie,
we do not wish 80 place the child
In the hands OF these attorneys. for
fear that IL will only end in her
committing perjury"
Mrs. Jackson. under examination
| OF Mr. Hogan. admitted she had al.
ready received $500 for caring
for the child, and she said that 81.
0s0 was still due her from an uncle
OF the child, named Davis, who
agreed 10 keep up the $40 weekly
payments after the death OF Mar.
iorie's mother. Selma Delbridge. an
opera singer Mrs. Delbridge died
when Marjorie was ak years old
=-i R:dsst=svH visit Marjorie tfIr
evening 81 her d:sapTearance. Jan.
26'" asked HoEan
Yes. | talked 10 her and she
went down 10 the doorway with
me-" said Mrs Jackson. II went
away and I didn't see her again un.
Ill they found her here In Detroit 4"
Negroes Testihes
hdiJOiAt hdS nNatrd tHhl Two men
took her into an automobile after
she had gone to the doorway with
Mrs. Jackson.
Il cared for her since she was
week old" testified the aged Ne.
gress II sent her TO public school
and to Sunday school. and | had her
take music lessns, too. She was
such a good girl. She would mind
every word I said. because she knew
! was the nearest thing 10 q mother
she had. And why these juvnile
cot people want TO take her away
from me dunno. unless II 10 be
cause I'm colored and she's white"
Attorneys for Mrs. Jackson at
tackled the detention OF the girl
from numerous angles. They at
tempted TO show that the Cook coun
~ court had never made a formal
order naming a guardian for the
child
AN opinion was handed down
four days before the girl disappear.
ed. and that opinion declared the
child 10 be delinquent" declared the
assistant states attorney.
Where Is the opinion" demand
ed Cotter. vainly searching the nles
Hogan had brought from Chicago.
TITS not In tho flles," replied Ho-
gan. but was In court when Il
was written. and furthermore. Mr..
Cotter. you were there, too, and you
got copy OF It."
Judge Murphy then took a hand
N the examination. Under his ques
lioning. Cotter admitted that the
Cook county court had jurisdic ton
Cotter declared. however, that Ho
gan. acting both IA states attorney
and ~ attorney for the child. was
treating the girl as a criminal.
We want her IN charge of her
custodian. Mrs. Jackson" he said
We're willing TO have her 90 back
to Chicago. with Mrs. Jackson"
We're not" shot back Hogan.
we want TO take the girl back
there 10 establish our case against
the lawyers who conspired to take
her from our Jurisdiction
Mrs. Jackson vept bitterly when
the decision came. Marjorie, who
had heep aftttnr tua aeats errx,, ~