The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-27
Borrowed
Child Cases
Explained
Thwarted or Too Strong
Maternal Instinct
Brings Sorrow.
BY EVELYN SEELEY
Iimes special Wrusr


NEW YORK. NOV. Women
4 y may have no sex solidarity.
they may dsfrIs- one another. they
may b. inscriptions toward one
another ia the matter Of men. But
when % comes 10 love for children
they show tremendous under
Standing compassion for one an
other that restores ones faith in
women.
When LITTLE Jackie Gibbons came
home n his embarrassed parents in
Lexington. Kv.. after a journey with
Bernice Lou Owens. ~ Mrs. Glib
b0ns asked officers TO be lenient with
The girl whom officers believe IS not
kidnapcr. but just a sort Of
fanatic about kids
T. Us one Of the strangeSt patterns
.n the ncws-the frustrated mater
nal instinct OF one woman infiiCting
the greatest possible anguish on an
other. and the maternal feeling OF
tho mother enabling her 10 under
stand the driving emptiness IN the
other and ~ forgive her.
n happens again and again. It is
almost always the same. II is tragic
and bitter and heroic.
borrowed" Neighbours Child
We sob sisters" have covered them
AL I remember the hysterical.
twisted girl 81 70 who last year
borrowed" Florence NIarkowsky, a
neighbours child
I loved the baby so much" she
said. That's why took her. You
have so many others I didn't think
you'd miss her I meant 10 bring
her back. See. 7 bought her pretty
clothes and lots OF candy. See, she
loves me"
The little girl consuming stick
candy that duppcd on her pretty
new Organdy. was unconCerned. The
van. exhausted mother turned TO
The officers.
She didn't mean any harm she
said. she Is crazy for children.
she should get married and have
some Of her own. But she is sick
maybe not so right IN the head
sometimes
Then there was Betty Moore
pretty. nirtauOus. unstable In repU-
tsuOn. who wcpt for DAYS when
they took little Carmen Sierra.
whom she kidnapped from in front
OF a store. back to her parents.
Looked for One Of Many
7 just loved the baby. that's all
she said. Ever since my baby died
I've been trying to think how I
could get another one. i. thought
with an the babies IN the world
thcrc must be one I could have
Mrs. Sierra. rising from her sick
bed 10 send their $50 savings 10 the
Porta Rican poor in gratitude for
the return or her child. said; 7
0Ont see how any mother could
take another mothers baby. But
forgive her"
Saddest n all was the story OF
little Angelina Pellcgrini. who lived
IN a dingy tenement under the
Brooklyn bridge. A young woman
whose child had died. whose hus-
band had deserted her. had stolen
Angelina. She. too. had dressed the
child beautifully. had lavished care
on her. She. too. was regarded with
understanding by the court. who
recognized her neurotic condition.
Mrs. Pellegrini had forgiven her.
Two Feel Tragedy
But little Angelina. when We went
to see her restored TO her happy
parents had a cough and a fever.
The next day she died. She was
too little 10 go away" said the
mother. as the two women wept to-
cether for the child one had borne
and the other coveted.
I remember when David Maxey
OF the Childrens Society said OF
Lillian Prince. 2. who had Dor
rovcd' a baby 70 play with;
ITS just maternal instinct. We've
got 10 hang on to il. It's so rare
It's approaching the time Of year
when We write stories about the
founding ward at Bellevue. about
the little Cohen and Maloney and
Bigone babies who viii spend their
usual anonymous and lnarticulate
Christmas with no Santa Claus.
There ought 70 be enough mother
ing 70 60 around. with so many.
Young and old. IN need OF a COM
passionate shoulder 10 lean on. I
wonder u society ever viii be able
To fix things up SO that women with
TOO much maternal energy-Or. per-
hapS. with just a normal amount
thwsTted By economic or emotional
cIrCumStauces-Csn direct that
mothernE where needed without
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