Evening star., 1922-02-13
JUDGE TO DECIDE
BABES PARENTAGE
Woman Jurist Appealed To
by Two Women in Dis
{ puted Ownership.

Sitting in judgment in Juvenile
Court on March 1. Judge Kathryn
Sellers will decide the maternity of q
two women as their own. q problem
that confronted Solomon centuries
ago.
Dormato Mattio is the name given
the baby b. Mrs. Maria Antonfa Mat
to the United States from Italy last
July. She claims the child was born
to her Jufys30, 1921. soon after her
arrival In this country.
To Mrs. Eta Shields Peck OF Tux
edo. Md. the infant is known As Da-
the parentship Of the child.
Which In the Mother.
Which of the two women gave birth
to the baby is the problem Judge Sell
ers will have to solve. The case was
called before Judge Sellers by the
board of children's guardians Of the
District, which now has possession of
the child. but was continued to March
l. to give time for Mrs. Peck's hus-
band. Castor T.. Peck OF the Quarter
master Corps of the Army. who is sta
toned at Langley Field, Va. to obtain
furlough 10 come to Washington to
testify in the strange case.
6SCOTuluS " ndStiO StOEy. AS
told by Miss Sara L. Bucher. super
visor of the investigation department
of the board OF children's guardians.
the infant. which Is occupying We
center of the stage in the two wom-
ems fight for its possession. was born
to her. The Italian woman. separated
from her husband and in destituts
financial circumstances and with two
other children to care for. adver-
tised the baby for adoption.
Infant Given to Friend.
Meantime. the Italian woman turned
the infant over to her friend, Mrs.
Alfonso Dario. at 716 5th street. Then
Mrs. Peck; under the name Of Mrs:
Bucher. went to Mrs. Dario's home in
answer to the advertisement and had
the child transferred to her without
the usual legal ceremonies. and took
it to her home in Tuxedo Md,
Several months later Miss Agnes
Ferriter. social service worker con-
nected with the American Red Cross
in Prince Georges county, called at
the Peck home in Tuxedo. The con-
ditions under which the child was
housed caused her to make an in.
vestigation, and subsequently render
relief to Mrs. Peck and the baby
Miss Bucher said. Miss Eerriter also
made inquiries and was told Mrs
Mattio's child. which Mrs. Peck I'D
mitted having adopted. had died and
the infant now in her possession was
born to her.
The case of the baby was called to
the attention of the board Of chill
drens guardians when 1t was taken
to the Children's Hospital In Decem.
ber to be treated for an afiliction Of
the skin. Immediately the board be-
gan an investigation. and subsequent
~ had the baby committed to its care
by Judge Fillmore Beall Of the circuit
court or Prince Georges county.
Legal Battle Begins.
Mrs. Peck then began a legal battle
Tor the custody Of the child The
case was first called in the Juvenile
Court January IS and has twice been
postponed. Testimony developed
however. according to Miss Bucher
Mattio.
Among those who identified the
baby as belonging to the italian
woman was James Corby and Mrs
Dario. both Of 716 5th street, and Mrs
Mario De Marco. so1 5th street. mid
york avenue. through whom the
transfer is said to haye been made
was not able to identify the child in
court, 1t is said.
When the case is called before
Judge Sellers, Mrs. Peck will be rep
resented py nate y. Johnson, wash
tngton lawyer. Assistant Corporation
Counsel Lewis B. Perkins will repre-
sent the District
In an interview with a represent
ative Of The Star, Mrs. Peck stead
fastly maintained that the child,
which is the center of the legal bat
tie. is her own. She declared that
Mrs. Mattio's baby. whom she adopt
ed, was turned over to a friend
whose name she declined to reveal.
II know 1t is my child" she said tear.
fully. II can identify 1t by a scar on
it's head. They took it away from
me for revenge"