San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07

MIS-. LSttua DiluWln AudulS, Oh L OIL
| Worth, was not the natural parent OF
S-yeatold Shirley Frances ellis,
Judge Royal Il. Watkins, of the
Ninety-first District Court, Saturday
awapied the child 10 the care and Gus
J0dy OF her parents by adoption, Mr..
ana Mrs. Rene ellis of Dallas.
Judge Watkins denied all the ale.
cations on which Mrs. Adams based
habeaS corpus proceedings for the Gus
,ody Of the baby. and refused mo-
ron by her attorneys ASKING that
the suit be dismissed.
irhe verdict was received without
demonstration.
Mrs. ellis seemed at first. not TO
understand the result of the two-day
,-ial.
Finally she Rugged little Shirley to
her breast.
I'm 50 happy she exclaimed.
Mrs. Adams and her husband de-
/ parted without comment.
Their attorney gave notice that he
would file 4 motion for new trial,
and take the case TO the Fifth district
court of appeals il it is denied.
Judge Watkins verdict settles. at
least for the present, one angle in the
strange quest for the Fort Worth
bargain baby the child of Mrs.
Adams.
He declared in making his decision
that if new evidence is found by the
claimant or her attorneys, the case
will be reopened.
The search for Mrs. Adams baby,
born in maternity hospital in Fort
Worth, three years ago. became u
matter or considerable importance.
According TO evidence ut various
trials. several babies were taken from
the home about the time Mrs. Adams
child was born.
Mrs. Darrah Testifies.
Mrs. Adams and her attorney ex-
pressed themselves here as being firm
in the belief that she was the mother
of the ellis baby. who was brought
here by her adopted parents from the
Fort Worth institution.
Judge Watkins decision was reach
ed Saturday after sensational and
dramatic testimony by Mrs. Agnes
Darrah Weaver, Fort Worth woman,
suffering from a fatal malady, and
said to be the only one outside of fos-
ter mother, who knows where the
Adams baby is.
| Mrs. Weaver was carried into the
court room on a couch, giving her tes-
timony as Judge Watkins and the
Lawyers lowered over her.
According to the known facts in the
case, she secured from the Fort
Worth maternity home, where the
Adams baby was last seen. both the
bargain baby" and another child.
and gave them to the women who now
have them in charge.
In addition to her testimony con-
corning the ellis baby. the dying
woman furnished another sensation
when she declared that Mrs. Helen
kingsbury, who. Mrs. Weaver de-
cGaed, is the foster mother of Adams
child, was in the vicinity of the court
\ ieom Friday and possibly was Il spec.
tator TO the efforts Mrs. Adams made
to have the ellis baby awarded to
her.
Following her testimony. Judge
Watkins announced he would reach Il
decision Saturday morning.
He gave the Adams attorney addi-
tlonal time TO produce in court Robert
Hayes, of Grand Saline. alleged father
of baby Shirley, before announcing
the result of the proceedings.
I Children on Stand.
At one time during the testimony.
Jack Baldwin, aged D. and baby Shir-
ley, were placed on the stand before
Judge Watkins in order to show there
was family resemblance.
AT other times the shoes were strip
ped from the feet of the baby under
contest TO show that her toes were
webbed. An effort to show that
webbed toes were a characteristic in
the family of Hayes, alleged father of
the child was made.
I'VE object TO that testimony, as
Mr.. Hayes toes are not in evidence
Before the court" Mrs. ellis attor-
ney declared.
Mrs. Weaver, holder of the bargain
baby secret was brought here from
Fort Worth in an ambulance.
She lay on the couch in the court
room. testifying in a voice scarcely
audible.
Twice under the questioning of
plaintiffs counsel she broke down and
wept.
At other times she paused while
the bailiff supplied her with water.
Il got both the ellis baby and the
Adams child from the maternity
home,' she said.
Mrs. ellis child was born August
30 and | gave her to Mrs. ellis, Sep
TENDER ].
After that she was cared for for 10
months by my sister, Mrs. Blanche
Smith.
Other Baby i'm Louisiana.
The Adams baby is now in posses
SION OF Mrs. Helen Kingsbury, who
lives in Louisiana.
she loves the child and is my best
friend.
Il have vowed never TO tell where
Mrs. kingsbury lives, and L never
shall"
Questioned by Judge Watkins, who
left the bench and sat by her side
Mrs. Weaver asserted that when the
real bargain baby" was found. il
would be discovered that an operation
had been performed on the left ear
which had grown to the head.
| Questioned by the attorney as Ia
whether she had not been instructed
to tell the story about Mrs. Kings
bury having the real baby, Mrs
Weaver declared tearfully:
81 am not taking dictation from
anybody.
am accountable only TO God.
do you think. that sick as / am
and knowing i can't get well, | would
tell lie?"
She further swore that she only
revealed the name of Mrs. Kingshury
because, "they (pointing to Mrs
Adams and her husband) have tried
70 take my own baby. Ruth. away