The Capitulation of Captain Stone
A domestic dispute over custody ends with an arrest and a forced surrender of a child in Fairhaven.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The crisis in the affairs of Captain and Mrs. Stone came yesterday, the Captain being arrested. He was locked up, but was told that upon giving up the possession of the child he would be released. He demurred for some time, but upon reflection concluded that to do this was the best policy. He told where the child was and shortly after the mother was rejoiced by having the child placed in her arms. She will shortly return to her home in Tacoma. The captain had nothing to say on the subject. He evidently thought that when the divorce case came into court the wife would obtain her divorce and to her would be awarded the custody of the child, and so he did not propose to be confined in the jail, where by giving up what would surely be taken from him he could retain his freedom. Mrs. Stone was the recipient of the congratulations of her friends and those who knew her story, while nothing but 'served him right,' or 'he did not deserve his liberty' were heard from all when told of this man’s release. Whether the warrant for his arrest on the charge of assault will be served is not known, although the police of Whatcom are in communication with Chief Chesney, of Tacoma.
“He evidently thought that when the divorce case came into court the wife would obtain her divorce and to her would be awarded the custody of the child, and so he did not propose to be confined in the jail.”
Custody disputes in 1890 Fairhaven were often settled with the heavy hand of law enforcement, reflecting a society where the 'possession' of a child was a bargaining chip in divorce and assault cases. While modern family law emphasizes the best interests of the child, this report highlights a time when the legal system viewed personal liberty and parental rights as blunt, transactional instruments.
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