Evening star., 1945-04-25
Baby Brokerage
Verdict Is Studied
By Judge Mcmahon

Dy JuQge NCMdnOn
Municipal Court Judge John p.
Mcmahon today has under advise
ment until May 4 defense motion
to dismiss the baby brokerage"
charge against Dr. John A. Logan,
COOL Nevada avenue NV, involving
a child born here last January.
This appears to be in the nature
OF a test case" Judge Mcmahon
said, and the contention is made
that it is very important matter
both from the standpoint of the
whole medical profession and the
Public Welfare Board"
Mother Testifies.
The 21-year-old unwed mother of
the child testified that DR.. Logan
had introduced her to the couple
which now has the baby, but said he
did not at any time discuss with her
its placement.
She said before the child's birth
at Garfield Hospital she made in
qutry at the hospital as to posi-
bilities for placing it. She said she
subsequently "heard" of a doctor
who was seeking child for a
couple.
Il wanted them to have the child
because I knew they must be nice
people since a doctor said they
wanted the baby" she said.
She testified that few days after
the child's birth she was forced"
to sign paper releasing the child
to the Public Welfare Board until
they thought I was sane enough to
make my mind up" On February
3, she continued, when the child
had been placed in an infants
home by the board, she signed an
other paper releasing the child to
DR.. Logan's couple at conference
with the board, DR.. Logan, the cou-
pie and their attorney
Objected to Adoption.
Mrs. Nina B. Trevvett and Mrs.
Grace Brandes of the adoption de-
partment of the Public Welfare
Board testified they and another
member of the board had objected
to the adoption during the confer
ence.
Mrs. Trevvett said DR.. Logan told
her he had been looking for a baby
for the couple for year and felt
they were fine people" She said
he declared he was going ahead with
the placement of the child because
the board wasn't functioning."
She told the court that during the
mothers stay In the hospital she
was undecided as to whether she
wished to give up the baby, and
was distressed over not being al
lowed to see her child. She said
Mrs. Brandes held the baby up for
the mother to see as she left the
hospital.
Reports on Birth.
Dr. Floyd Simon, resident in OBJ
stetrics at the hospital, who pre-
sided at the birth, testified he had
received inquiry concerning the
child from DR.. Logan. He said he
told DR.. Logan he had reported the
birth to the Welfare Board in ac-
cordance with regulations and added
he did not wish to became impn-
Gated" in any adoption.
Defense Attorney Ralph FIGHTER,
motioning for dismissal on the
ground the Government had not
shown that DR.. Logan placed or
assisted in placing" the infant in a
foster home, pointed out there was
a three-day break in the continuity
of the arrangements while the baby |
was under the care Of the Welfare
Board in the infants home.
He said the section stating the |
law was so broad as to be uncon- |
stitutional."
First Case Tried.
Assistant Corporation Counsel Ed
ward E. O'Neill, Government prose-
cutor, contended that were it not
for DR.. Logan's Intervention, the
child would not now be in the home
of the couple involved, and there
fore prima facie case had been
made out. If the dismissal motion
is granted, he is entitled to appeal
the decision.
The case is the first to be prose-
cuted under the Districts baby
broker" law passed last April by
Congress, prohibiting the placing or
assisting in placing of an infant
under Is years Of age in a home by
any person neither the parent,
guardian nor a relative within the
third degree, or a licensed agency.