Evening star., 1935-01-04
HUSBAND ACCUSES
MRS. FAHNEST0CK
IN FIGHT FOR GIRLS
Socially Prominent Couple
Open Battle for Custody
of Children.
WIFE DECLARED UNFIT
TO HAVE DAUGHTERS
Mother Hurls Similar Charge
and Claims Father Is
Hiding Tots.

The fight for possession Of the
Fahnestock children took new turn
today when the father, Snowden A.
Fahnestock, filed suit in District Su-
preme Court charging the mother is
infatuated with, certain man Of
prominence" and is not qualified to
have custody of the daughters.
The dispute between the socially
prominent Newport. r. l., couple con-
cerning their children was disclosed
yesterday when the wife, Mrs. Helen
Moran Fahnestock, filed petition
charging her husband had Illegally re-
moved the children from a train in
Union Station and hidden them in the
home of his mother. Mrs Carolyn S.
= Fahnestock, at 23l1 Massachusetts,
avenue.
Counsel for the husband and wife
were to appear before District Supreme
Court Justice Jesse c. Adkins this
afternoon and ask that q hearing be
set next week on both suits.
Says Infatuation Admitted.
Fahnestocks petition asserted he
was married in Newport, r. l., June
IS. 1928, and lived happily with his
wife until August, 1884, when she be-
came acquainted at Newport with "a
certain man Of prominence"
At that time, he declared, the wife
apparently lost all interest in him and
the children, Clara H., 7, and Mary
Lee, 6. Fahnestock declared his wife
admitted she was infatuated with the
unnamed man and was seen frequent
ly in his company.
He also asserted he has been ha-
rassed and Inundated by private de-
tectives hired by the wife to watch
his home. He asked the court to
compel her to withdraw the detectives.
Says She Asked Divorce.
Fahnestock stated his wife last Oc-
tober IA asked him to give her a
divorce so she might marry again.
He said he refused and insisted on
an agreement concerning the custody
OF the children. A month later, his
petition said, it was agreed the wife
was to take the children to Aiken,
s. c., for the Winter, and that he
was to have them during Christmas
week.
The husband claimed Mrs. Fahne-
stock did not remain with the chill
dren in Aiken, but made frequent
trips to New York.
Fahnestock admitted he took the
children from the train, and said they
are now being kept at his ancestral
home" on Massachusetts, avenue. He
stated the young girls have not had
proper educational opportunities and
asked the court to permit him to
place them in school here.
Detectives Guard Home.
Fahnestock says he has given his
wife $4,000 year during practically
all Of their married life for the sup
port Of herself and their children.
Meanwhile, private detectives coma
tinued to guard the home of Mrs.
Fahnestock, grandmother of the chill
dren, on Massachusetts, avenue, where
the mother charges the two little girls
are being detained illegally.
The detectives and servants pre-
vented deputy United States marshals
from entering the house both yester-
day and last night, the officers twice
being told they could not enter. Be-
cause of the changed attitude Of the
attorney today, however, the papers
were to be presented at the office of
Godfrey L. Munter, Fahnestock's at
torney.
Files Divorce Action.
Mrs. Fahnestock's petition said she
had fled suit for divorce from
Fahnestock in Newport. r. l.. yester-
day, asking for custody Of the chill
dren. She also asserted that the
father had told her he would not per-
nit her to have the children If she
sought divorce.
The petition also charged that the
father is attempting Ito destroy the
natural love and affection of the chill
dren .or their mother" and that they
may be taken out Of the jurisdiction
Of the District courts. Fahnestock,
the wife charged, is IAN incompetent
and improper person to have control
and custody of minor children" She
also CHARGED him with NEGLECT.