The Washington times., 1921-08-24
FATHER Of
STOLEN BOY
FLAYS WIFE
Haske Also Scores TweedaIe,
Ship Board Executive, for
Part in "Plot."

Letters referring to Alonzo Twee-
dale, general comptroller Of the Ship
ping Board, as Contemplate cur"
and charges that Tweedale attempt
ed by threats to gain legal custody
of his 4ive-year-old son, "Jack," were
filed in the District Supreme Court
today by Frank P. J. Haske, en-
ploye of the Shipping Board, in an
swer to a suit for limited divorce
filed by his wife, Mrs. Elsie Wall
Haske.
Abducted Three Times.
The filing of this answer revives
the Haske kidnapping case, in which
Jack, jr.," was thrice abducted, once
by his father. once by the Maryland
State police and third time by his
mother. Previously the boy had been
living with Mr.. Tweedale and others
in Washington Grove. Md.
All sorts of charges and denials are
made In the answer. Haske alleges
that his wife is addicted to profanity;
that sometimes she has drank to ex-
cess: that she keeps an untidy home;
that she deserted him and that fur
Their she on several occasions left
the baby's soiled clothes in the bath
tub. which, he says, he was COM
PEELED to wash, in order to keep the
apartment in a tidy condition.
It was in a letter, alleged to have
been written to Haske by his wife on
December 9, 1916, from Atlanta, Ca,
that Tweedale is referred to as a "con.
temptible cur" Tweedale's wife is Il
sister of Mrs. Haske.
MIR. Tweedale called upon the de-
PENDANT at his office in the Shipping
Board in New York and demanded,
under threats. that he sign a paper
turning over the custody of the son to
him." declares the answer. 1t con
tinues:
Refused to Sign.
"Mr. Tweedale refused to let the de.
PENDANT read the paper. and defendant
refused positively under any circum-
stances to sign 1t, and stated that II
his position depended upon his signing
the paper, he was ready to resign"
Haske said this took place in the
presence of a Mr.. Mggin, an Official OF
the Shipping Board in New York.
Both Haske and Mr.. Miggln come
under Tweedale's office in the Shipping
Board.
The entire court action appears to
center around the custody of the child.
Nineteen months ago, according to
Haske, the boy was abandoned In a
family home. Haske then states that
Mrs. Minnie Reed. sister of Mrs.
Haske, took the boy from the home
and removed him to Washington
Grove. Since then. Haske says, the
boy has lived with Mr., Tweedale, Mrs.
Reed and Mrs. George l.! Seaton.
Haske says repeated attempts to gain
possession of the boy have failed. He
attempted to gain possession Of the
boy some several weeks ago, but his
attempt was frustrated when he was
held up, by State officers. The petit.
ton alleges that Tweedale directed the
action in which he lost possession OF
the child after 1t had been turned
over to Maryland Court State officers.
Denies Allegations.
In his answer, Haske makes many
denials.
He denies Mrs. Haske's charges
that he failed to support her; that
Mrs Haske's charges that he con-
tinuously and persistently abused and
mistreated her are untrue and he
denies Mrs. Haske's charges that nc
kept company with men or women
who drank to excess; that he brought
drunken friends to their home. In
proof of this, Haske submits several
affidavits
daske says his wife Is IAN indiffer-
ent, slovenly, and untidy house.
keeper" He declares on n number
of occasions when he came home he
found the house dirty and cleaned
II up himself.
The answer states further that
CONTINUED on PaSe Q, Column 81