The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-19
JUDGE WILKINSON
 RESERVES DECISION
 INBLACKBURN CASE
Able Argument Made By Opposing Counsel and Case Is in the Hands
 of Judge Wilkinson

At the conclusion of the ar
 guments of attorneys in the
 Mary Blackburn hearing,
 Judge Horace c. Wilkinson an nounced that as he desired to
 look up some legal points he
 would reserve his decision un.
 til 2 o'clock this afternoon, when he will render it with a
 written opinion on the case.
 The hearing of the habeas corpus
 rroceedings brought by Mrs. Monnie
 Moore. seeking the custody of her 1S-
 year-old daughter. Mary Blackburn.
 HOW residing with her grandparents.
 MT. and Mrs. John W. Blackburn. at
 Fayette. was commenced in the circuit court Monday before Judge Horace c. Wilkinson and the evidence was con cluded late Thursday evening.
 Yesterday the day was taken up
 with the arguments of the attorneys. each side being limited to two and a
 half hours each. Judge Hugo L. Black and Crampton Harris represented the petitioner, Mrs. Moore. and Attorneys P. c. Beddow and John H. Bankhead were counsel for the respondent, John W, Blackburn.
 | The arguments of the attorneys were very able, both oratorically and from a legal standpoint. Mrs. Moore was moved to tears several times during the argu- ment of MT. Beddow, who was unsparing in his remarks concerning her past life. Champion Harris opened the argu- nent with a strong plea for the child to be given to her mother not only as her natural guardian. but that the mothers love and affection for the child had prompted her to lay bare her life's secrets and suffer the onslaughts of the grilling cross-examination of the attorneys for the grandparents. He referred to the advanced age of the grandparents and suggested ito the court that in the natural course of events they would soon pass away and the child would be left again to the care of strangers. He argued that the welfare of the child demanded that it be given to her own mother and said that even if the acts charged to Mrs. Moore in the past were true. the evil dence before the court was overwhelm- ingly convincing that she was living a proper life now.
 Mr Beddow followed Mir Harris, and he was unsparing in his denunciation of Mrs. Moore, picturing her as vam- pire, and declared that according to the evidence she was unfit to have the GUS tody of her child. He declared that she had brought her former husband, Dr Blackburn, to disgrace and death by her conduct and dwelt at length on the alleged love affairs of the woman. In reference to Mrs. Moore's experience as a motion picture actress, he declared she had learned we'll to act the part ot l a heartbroken mother. and that from hel ability to shed tears on any occasion she should be called ''the weeping vii. | low He urged the court to leave the child with the grandparents at Fayett with those who loved her and had cared 1 for her for some years
 l Dealing largely with the legal aspects of the case, John H. Bankhead followed MT Beddow. He cited the law bearing on the case and referred to the fact l that Mrs Moore had, while the child was I of tender years, voluntarily given her | up. and that it would be against the best interest of the child to take hei away from the safekeepng of her grand parents, who loved her and had cared | for her, and urged the court to leave her with those of her choice
 The closing argument by Hugo L. Black was very forceful and during the course | of his argument he cited many court decisions that had bearing on the case l He argued at length on the fact thai a mother had the first claim on hei own child, and referred to the fact that whatever errors Mrs. Moore may have | or may have not, committed in the past \ her reformation had been clearly estab- lished by the evidence of over fifty wit
 nesses who testified in her behalf.
 < f1.1. t1-.x 4l.- l At the close of the arguments the at the decision of Judge Wilkinson, but he announced the reservation of his decision ! until this afternoon.