The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-12
TAUGHT To
DRINK, IS
CLAIM
District Committee Hearing
DiscIoses Alleged Practices
of Guardians.

of Guardians.
How children taken from their
mothers by the Juvenile Court and
placed with the Board of Children's
Guardians to be EARNED out" are
led into life of vice, was told
members of the House District
Committee today at the hearings
being conducted on the Brookhart-
Free bill to establish a parental
court in the District.
Returned Drunk She Says.
A score or more mothers told how
after their little ones had been taken
from them. some against their
wishes, they had been denied the
right to see them One child was
taught the use of Intoxicating
liquors after she had been wrong
fully taken from her, the mother
alleged, and returned to see her in
her home last New Year night under
the influence OF liquor.
Mrs Augusta c. Cole. giving her
address at 1884 Tenth street north
west. made this startling statement
to the committee. Her husband. she
said, was paralyzed. She had five
us
tried to support her family on the
$25 a month which she earned as a
charwoman.
All five of her children. she testi-
fled. were ':snatched" from her by
the Juvenile Court operation. She
later found that the Board OF Chill
dren'S Guardians was paying out
siders $50 a month each for their
care. Had It's money been given
her, she declared, she could have
taken care of her family.
Privilege of seeing her little ones,
she said, had been denied her until
she consented to pay SIS to the
Board of Children's Guardians. After
the payment she was permitted to
see two Of the children. Subsequent
ly she paid as much as $40 at differ
ent intervals.
On New Year night last, she
testified, her daughter, Dorothy.
came to her home with another
little friend who lived at the same
home where the daughter was
EARNED out" Goth children were
under the influence of intoxicating
liquors. They declared, according
to Mrs. Cole. that they were given
drinks every night by their
'.farm" people.
Beaten with a Poker"
Dorothy, according to her mother,
had been beaten by the women
with whom she lived. After finish
ing the family washing, the mother
says her daughter told her, she
was ordered to scrub the floors
When she refused. it is alleged
that she was beaten with a poker.
Testimony was given tending to
show that the Board of Children's
Guardians has no authority to col
lect sums of money from the moth
ers Of children turned over to them
by the Juvenile Court. This was
brought out by Mai. Walter c..
Burns. attorney, acting in the in
terests of the mothers. He also
brought out that there was no
provision under the law for trials
by Jury when the mothers cases
are considered by the court
Mrs. c. A. Rudd, 434 Sixth street
northeast, told the committee that
her adopted daughter, Mildred,
thirteen years old. had been taken
from her by the Juvenile Court and
placed in the home of a woman in
Silver Springs. She testified that
she owned her own home and other
property in Washington and had
sufficient means to properly take
care of The child.
Spent 81 900 on Case.
She had been denied the right to
see the child. she said, who had
been adopted by her husband and
herself with proper legal proceed
ings. She has spent, she said,
more than $1,000 in an effort to
get the child again. She does
not know where the daughter is at
the present time.
Harry G.. Brook, former caretaker
Of the Board of Children's Guardians
also testified He said that he had
frequently paid money from his own
funds with which to furnish proper
medical aid to inmates of the institu
ton. He said that conditions were
deplorabie and that the children
. were in many instances only hall
cared for.
Judge Kathryn Sellers, of the
Juvenile Court, and Miss Ella West
director of the Board of Children's
Guardians, were both present today
They are expected to give their testi
mony later and present witnesses
who will give their side Of the case.
Congressman Walters of Pennsyl
vania acted as chairman today In
the absence of Chairman Focht
Other members present were Lam
pert, Sproui and Blanton.