The Washington times., 1925-04-25
NEIGHBORHOOD
BO0TLEGGERS
ARE CURBED
Kansas Judge Takes Away
Children and PadIocks
Their Homes
BY KENNETH DUNCAN,
international Newa Service.


KANSAS CITY, Kan. April 21.--
Kansas, by due process Of law, il
taking children away from their
parents through the use of an old
statute which has been effectively
brought into play to curb neigh.
borhood" Bookkeeping.
The court records Of Kansas City
show that the remedy IL proving ef.
fective.
When Frank II. Thompson. hit
have been the youngest probate
Judge In the country, took office
last November to fill out an unex-
pired term for q few weeks, he
found himself face to face with q
not unusual problem. It was how
to force q respect for law on scores
of family" bootleggers who simply
grinned at q fine and continued
their business. One family, mother
and father, the Judge found, had
been before the court thirty-tWo
times in q year.
Judge Thompson discovered a
statute which had become obsolete.
It allowed the juvenile court to
remove Cu140ECu 1IOAI4 any tAOAf10 III
which the atmosphere contributes to
their delinquency. He believed he
had found the answer. But he
wanted to make it doubly sure. So
he consulted authorities to discov-
er whether the paddock law would
also apply to q private dwelling. He
found that it would.
Takes Six Children.
Then Judge Thompson took six
children away from the first couple
that faced him, made the children
the wards of the court, placed
them in the care Of various faml-
lies and ordered the home pad
locked for year. In this particu-
lar case the court made the action
In behalf Of the children effective
until they should become of age.
The astounded parents sought to
appeal found they had no case and
dropped out Of the court records.
Kansas woke up. Judge Thomp-
son served only from early Noven-
Der until January IL, when the
regularly elected judge took his
place on the bench. Judge Henry
Meade was Of the same type as
THOMPSON. and he has continued
the Thompson remedy.
Close to a dozen families have
been deprived Of their children
under the law. Some of the homes
have been padlocked. Some OF the
children have been made court
wards until they come OF age
others have been made court WARDS
pending evidence that the parents
are fit to care for them.
And the rule of the court in this
RAQanfIV MIS-.
Christians Sycoff had her five chill
dren, ranging from three to ten
wears of age, taken from her.
Pleads With Court
At the same time Mr.. and Mrs.
Mike Rusk lost their children
when the youngsters testified they
"got licked" il they did not go TO
the Sycoff home and get corn
LIQUOR for their parents.
Mrs. Sycoff begged for her chill
dren. She had not realized what
she was doing, she told the court.
But her story did not make great
deal OF impression on Judge Meade.
you cannot have them yet, he
ruled. after a few months, II you
have convinced the court by your
conduct that you can become mt
person to rear the children, the
court will consider it. But even
then you must get the parish
priest and not less than thirty OF
your acquaintances, whom the
court can accept, to go sponsor for
your conduct"
Judge Thompson first invoked the
law in the case of Joseph ziel and
his wife and their six children.
Since then the Zeils have not been
in court. Perhaps some day they
may have their children returned
to them, but the court will demand
strong assurances.