Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-03-26

mat was the nluden message Deuluu
the actions of Judge Frank Lahr Of
Juvenile court late on Good Friday aft
ernoon as he withheld judgment on
little mother who won her fight to rock
to sleep her own baby, although the In
FAINT will never look up and smile into
the face OF her legal father. The little
girl mother, named Mabel, faced a charge
Of child neglect and battled against
petition Of the board of children's guard
ians to place the baby girl in an insti-
tuition.
Today and on Easter Sunday morning
bright-faced 13-months old baby girl
will look up into the eyes of her mother,
who does not wear a wedding ring. To
that baby the little woman who holds
her is mother. And this same woman
will have the right to nurse and caro- for
her baby as long as she is good woman.
GIRL MOTHER REARED
IN AN ORPHANS HOME.
Mabel, the little mother, had been
reared in an orphans home only 20 fall
| by the wayside when allowed to face
| the world A child was born to her.
I This tragedy Of life was rehearscd sn
Judge Lahrs courtroom under the most
unusual circumstances.
On one side were representatives IF
the Mothers A.d Society, Who had iled
petition asking that the Board of Chill
dren's Guardians have custody of Mabel's
baby.
Lined up in earnest opposition to the
petition were about twenty four men and
women who are members of the Brook
side United Brethren Church at Eleventh
and Olney streets, Of which the Rev. J..
/ &. Parsons is pastor.
These members of the church had OBJ
tanned the services Of Attorney Joe VII
liams of this city to aid the mother.
These church people paid out Of their
own pockets for the legal service to
aid Mabel, it was explained to the court
Members Of the Mothers Aid Society
and even a court official testified that In
their opinion Mabel was not At person
to have charge Of her little daughter.
ATTORNEY QUESTIONS
WITNESS BRIEFLY.
To one Of these women who had so
testified, Attorney Williams asked on
cross examination:
Are you a motherF'
mo"
Have you ever been married."
NO"
THAT is all, said the attorney in dis
missing the witness.
Members Of the church told Judge Lair
! that, In their opinion, the little mother
was qualified to care for The babe which
she had brought into the world under
such tragic circumstances.
90, husband Is a dairyman," said one
woman member Of the church who Is a
mother Of two children "She has worked
on the farm where we live. We are will
ing to take her into our home. give her
food and clothing. l VIII give her half
OF the proceeds from my little garden
and from the sale Of eggs from my chick
ems. A bed, clothing and something to
eat Is about as much as some Of us get
out Of life. That which we have to offer
she is welcome to-
Other members Of the church said they
were willing to give financial aid II neces
sary to Msble and 10 assist the dairy
mans wife in seeing that Mabel was
given the needed encouragement to lead
the right kind Of life.
JUDGE IN DECIDING
APPEALS TO MOTHERS.
Softly but sternly Judge Lair weighed
the case and said:
Mabel must be a good woman. She
has been the mother OF one illegitimate
child. She has been reared IN an or
phanage. She is an institutional child
When allowed to face the world she did
not have the standards which you and l
possess am not blaming her now. She
must lead the right kind OF a life from
now on. The State demands II and So
ciety is ready 20 aid.
Sometimes l think that we parents
are In the hands Of a receiver when T.
comes to matters pertaining to our chill
dren. She has never had the constant
care and correcting attentions of a
mother.
"You mothers here know what constant
correcting It takes to properly care for
our children. Many times we fear and
fight the thought that probably our chill
dren have set up new standards for them
selves.
"a policewoman only yesterday spoke
Of the immortality there IS among young
people today. SO many young girls wear
their hearts on their sleeves.
mabel has not done right in the past,
She Is now required and charged to
bring up her own child in a proper
way. 1t isn't how we bring up ours chill
dren In the eighth grade or the high
school which counts, 1t is how we have
reared them from the cradle that de-
cides the question. Her baby is now
only thirteen months old. Now is the
time to act The State has an interest
In Mabel and her baby and so has so
ciety"
BUSINESSES PETITION
OF CHILDREN'S AID.
courtroom wept.
49, ~.l ~