OCR Text |
Show , legaTbattle over I MY TOM SOON George F. Farmer and John V. Christensen Seek Custody Cus-tody of Child. Georce F. Farmer, father, and John W. Christensen, foster father, of Joseph Harry Farmer, 10 years old. will shortly teem" a legal battle for custody of the toy. Final reply of Farmer to the defense filed by Christensen to the habeas corpus petition of the father was filed yesterday in the Third district court. The father charges the foster father with insincerity of motive in endeavoring to keep custody of the child, alleging that Christensen hopes thereby to gain immunity im-munity from the military draft law. He clurges further that Christensen boasts of '"being a free-thinker and scoffs at and nrcules the principles of Christianity, nV1. er having sent the boy to any kind oi religious service while acting as his guardian. Furthermore, Farmer charge3 that Christensen alienated the affections of Mrs. Farmer, thereby laying the founda-for founda-for separation of the Farmers and e remarriage of Mrs. Farmer to Chris-ff-' tenser, which gave Christensen custody of the boy. that he has retained since the death of Mrs. Christensen. The boy is now living with Christensen and his grandmother, Mrs. Josephine Almquist, 71S- Fourth East street. In his reply. Farmer declares that Mrs. Almquist, mother of Mrs. Farmer, is past 70 years of age and failing to an extent ex-tent that unfits her for responsibility of the boy's guardianship. The purpose of the father in his endeavor en-deavor to get custody of his son is set forth in the reply to Christensen's defense. de-fense. It is stated to be that he may-arrange may-arrange the adoption of the boy by Samuel Sam-uel M. and Ada F. Taylor of this city, his sister and brother-in-law. The elder brother of the boy, Viole Fredrick Farmer, 13 years of age, is living with Andrew and Miriam Jacobsen, another sister and brother-in-law of Farmer. This boy. he explains, was given into the care of the Jacobsens when but 2 years of age, the mother being unable to care for him adequately at the time and the child be-1ns be-1ns then afflicted with spinal meningitis. Farmer attests in his statement that his former wife said before she died that she would be happy if Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Tay-lor would take the younger boy, thereby insuring proper rearing and preserving the association of the brothers, since both would have homes in this city. Setting the case for hearing, some time during the coming week likely, will be made by Judge Robert P. Porter today or early sext week. A sensational progress prog-ress toward ultimate decision of the case is anticipated because of the charges made by Farmer in support of his petition for a habeas corpus writ to give him possession pos-session of the child. |