The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-02-14
FIGHT BEGINS
FOR BABY PEER
Mother of Lord Banff, in Court,
Denies Charges of Board Of
Children's Guardians.

A legal battle featured by doctors,
women baby experts. detectives,
deputy United States marshals, and
even a male hair dresser. began In
the Juvenile Court today, for the Gus
tody of three-year-old Lord BanfH,
son OF Mrs. Irmasula Ogilvie, 2413
Pennsylvania avenue northwest, and
reputed heir to $40, 900, 900 estate in
Scotland.
MOTHER FLASHES HATRED.
The mother, blonde and statuesque.
in a blue broadcloth gown, and
swathed in black furs, sat nanked by
her two attorneys, flashed hatred at
the women representatives OF the
board OF children's guardians, and
ever and again interrupted the court
proceedings to hurl defiance and con-
tradiction at the witnesses who were
swearing she did not know how TO
rear her son.
Once. when the baby peer was
brought into court, to be Identified.
the mother sobbed and stretched out
her arms to him. Little Lord Banff
did not notice her at first. He WAS
busy looking out In puzzled fashion
over the crowded courtroom.
Then he caught sight of his mother,
stretched out his baby arms, and
gurgied. Although three years and
four months old. he cannot talk.
A Saynn atf MT hasr ~ Kim
cat. and asslshe passed ths-ys'fvsher'
rose. patted little Lord Bsnn. and bein
her arms outstretched as he v.as car
ried, stu reaching toward her
SHE sHRIEKs DENIAL.
Again. when Miss Sara l.. Busher. of
the Board of Children Guardians.
told of finding little Lord Bann
strapped to his cage-like bed IKE an
animal, In filthy clothes and 90 dirty
bedding. the mother rose and half
shrieked a contradiction. Her attor-
neys pushed her gently back IN her
chair and urged her to regtraia her
self.
A hint that the prose,utiog. head
ed by Assistant Corporation Counsel
l.. b. Perkins, may attempt 10 prove
that little Lord Banff is not really
Mrs. Ogilvie's child---its birth was
never reported to the health Officers
by her-came when Samuel Lidoff.
professional hair dresser. was called
to the stand. He testified mat the
golden, almost henna -coiored hair.
which crowns the head o. the baby
and which matches the hair of it's
self-declared mother, as not a nat
uraI color. He said tho baby's hair
had been treated to an application
of peroxide and ammo nia--that II
had been bIeached thoroughly. and
that its normal color was dark
brown.
Lady Bann sneefed al him.
PHYSICIAN - CALLED.
The prosecution called pr. Louis G.
Acker. physician of the Board OF
Children's Guardians. 10 prove Lord
Banff had not been given proper care
by his mother. The physician testified
that the child was subnormal both
mentally and physically; that 1t could
barely walk, ard could only gurgle
baby sounds, inst, " talking as II
should.
To combat THE, lady 5anfr's attor-
neys summoned Or. Henry Yaeger.
children's specialist But DR.. Yaeger
turned out 10 he more a witness for
the prosecution thar for the defense.
He not only bore ont all that DR..
Acker had said tint added that Lord
BanH showed ulipl stakable signs Of
undernourishn ht. lack of exercise.
and lack of fresh air. and that he also
gave evidence OF having taint in his
blood.
The attofprys for the defense who
called bim were quick to let him go.
EvidenDS thar the present weakly
conditiouH g.; the child was due to its
lack of care was introduced through
testimouy Of Miss Mary Gym, pres
ident 90 the Child Welfare Society.
Little Eord Bsnff, then swaddling
clothes baby. was brought by his
mothyt 10 the Society physician for
ex rs nation, she said. The latter
c'ftf ,ented on the remarkable beauty
40 90 child, It's perfect physical con-
and the fact that II was one
''I' few babies he had examined
ygs absolutely normal
soy FEEDS FROOM BOTTLE.
tNtsa sara bucher. who with two
UfgHtr y. S. Marshalls, and two de-
kslvos seized Lord Banf at its
4 h,hUrs home on January 2S. last,
faid he found the baby strapped to
tts bci so IL could move only a few
inchcs, Later she said. she tried to
give the child a drink. but IL did not
know how to use n glass. Although
nearly three and a half years old, II
was Etill accustomed to being fed
from a bottle.
Banks Play Safe.