The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-05
MOTHER Wins
fight FOR GIRL
SIZE KIDNAPPED
indianapolis Couple Loses
Court Battle for Lass
They Adopted.
INDICTED IN ABDUCTION
Mrs. Maxine Brown Also
Files Assault, Battery
Case Against City Man.
INDICTED IN ABDUCTION

Case Against City Man.
A mother, who three years ago
kidnapped her blue-eyed, blonde lit
tie girl from an Indianapolis cou-
pie who had adopted her when she
was only Z months old, today, in
an East st. Louis court, won the
right to keep the child.
The mother is Mrs. Maxine Nc
Claim Brown, wife Of an East st.
Louis electrical engineer; the child,
Betty Lou McClain; and the In
dianapolis couple Mr.. and Mrs. Ed
win T. Mckenzie, % S. Grace st.
While the mother has the child,
now six years old, to keep without
fear of nolestation from the adopt
ed parents, she still faces a grand
jury indictment charging KIDNAPPING
returned in Indianapolis two years
ago.
j Tragic Story Revealed
The case further was complicated
by charge of assault and battery,
filed by Mrs Brown in East st. Louis
today against Mckenzie, charging
that he struck her in an argument
over the child at the East st. Louis
city hall Thursday. Mckenzie is at
liberty under $500 bond.
Back of the court routine lies
tragic story.
The father of Betty Lou was
killed in an automobile accident at
Danville, Ill, three months before
she was born.
The mother attempted to earn
her own way after this tragedy but
gave up the struggle when Betty
Lou was Z months old, and con-
sented to adoption of the child by
the, Indianapolis couple.
Fortune smiled upon the actual
mother few years later, however.
She remarked and could not con-
quer the longing for her baby. She
went to Indianapolis little over
two years ago and took Betty Lou
from the McKenzies.
Authorities Seize Child
The McKenzies. Indianapolis po-
lice and the Family Welfare So
ciety, which had aided Mrs. Brown,
began search for the child which
led to half o dozen cities in various
parts of the country. The grand
jury here returned the kidnapping
indictment. Recently a woman op-
erative of the Welfare Society 10
Gated the mother and child in East
st. Louis. The law ripped its way
into the home where the child was
living happily with the mother and
today's court tangle resulted.
The welfare operative caused
Juvenile Court authorities to seize
the child. Mrs. Brown Immediately
filed habeas corpus proceedings to
get her back.
Thursday Mrs. Brown sat in a
corridor waiting for the hearing to
begin. Betty Lou was playing in
the hall. According to st. Louis
dispatch Mckenzie Snatched up the
child and fed down city hall steps.
stop him, stop him, he's taking
my baby" the mother screamed.
Court attaches caught Mckenzie
and restored the child to the
mother. Later Judge Borders or
dered the child in custody of the
court until the case was settled.
Mrs. Brown charges in his affidavit
against Mckenzie that he slapped
her when he grabbed Betty Lou.
Arrested on Kidnap Charge
The long hearing dragged ON
through the day. Thursday night
a deputy sheriff arrested Mr.. Brown
on kidnapping charge from Indian
apolis. She Immediately gave bond.
Today, hearing to decide whether
she must go to Indianapolis to face
the kidnapping charge was set for
Oct. Is.
The habeas Corpus hearing WaS
continued this morning with the re-
suit that Judge Borders gave the
child permanently to Mrs. Brown.
The judge held that theer was
evidence that at the time Mrs
Brown aSsented to the adoption OF
Betty Lou by the McKenzies there
was verbal agreement that If
ever Mrs. Brown was able to sup
port Betty Lou, she should have
her back.
Indictment Returned in 1926
The McKenzies bitterly denied
this
The indictment, returned here
May %, 1926, names Mrs. Brown as
Mrs. Maxine Feltzer. Edward Felt
Eer was named as her accomplice.
They were living in Clarksburg, w.
Va, at that time, according to the
indictment.
- Family Welfare officials said that
the discrepancy in names of Mrs.
Brown probably could be explained
by information they have that she
was married another time before
she became Mrs. Brown.
Steals Food and Socks