Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1915 — HUNTINGTON COURT APPARENTLY DECEIVED [ARTICLE]

HUNTINGTON COURT APPARENTLY DECEIVED

Deputy Sheriff Came to Get Little McCarty -Boy For Mother Who Cruelly Deserted Him. A deputy sheriff came from Huntington Thursday with an order from the court for little Merl McCarty, the 5-year-old son of Lemuel McCarty, awarding the boy to his mother who had deserted him some two years ago. \ The lad has been living with Mrs. Belle Sayler, where a good home was provided for him by the Associated Board of Charities after the mother had deserted the father, the boy and a baby sister. The little child died of cholera infantum after the mother had left, but the father, who has had steady employment on ttye Sternberg dredge, has paid for the keeping of the child and has proven himeslf a very worthy man. Whenever he was away from his work he came to this pity and spent his time with the child and provided for it as the mother will probably be unable to do. It had the influence of a good home and evidently the court that awarded the boy to its mother was not informed of all the facts in the case. g When the officer came here and stated his mission members of the board of charities who knew of the mother’s desertion and of the manliness of the father tried to prevent the taking of the little boy. Judge Hanley was appealed to but he was powerless. The father was called in from the dredge and he was crushed to think that he would have to surrender the boy, to whom he was so much attached, It was arranged to have Attorney Emmet Laßue go to Huntington, accompanied by Mr. McCarty, and there an affidavit was made that no service had been had on the father when Mrs. MdCarty was granted a divorce. The affidavit asked that the case be reopened so far as the care and custody of the child was concerned. Mr. Laßue learned that the divorce was granted on March 27th and that Mrs. McCarty was married at about that time and was living at Brawn’s Corner, not far from Huntington. Mr. Laßue was unable to see Judge Cook, who had granted the divorce and issued the order for the child. All he could do was to file the affidavit and this will be supported by the evidence of a number of good people in this city who are familiar with the character of the woman and who know that the little boy has had the very best of care, for which the father has paid since the mother deserted him.