DASTARDLY DADS FROM THE ARCHIVES (Cleveland, Ohio - 1900)

Father HARRY J. STEWART thought he was perfectly within his rights in deserting his wife and family and heading off to New York--and hauling off his 2-month-old daughter with him. When a telegram arrived in New York asking police to locate Stewart as he had "stolen the baby," Stewart refused to say where the baby was, "as she was his own." Apparently his possessiveness did not mean that Stewart felt obliged to keep the baby alive, as the baby was later found dead with her throat cut.

That the mother even felt entitled to legally claim custody of the baby was a relatively new phenomenon in the early 20th century.

From the archives of the New York Times, October 18, 1900.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E0CE5DB133EE333A2575BC1A9669D946197D6CF&scp=22&sq=father+child+murder&st=p

MURDER OF BABY CHARGED

The Child's Father Arrested Accused of the Crime.

BODY FOUND WITH THROAT CUT

Harry H. Stewart Said to Have Taken His Infant Daughter from His Sleeping Wife in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Detective Bureau yesterday morning arrested Harry Howard Stewart, twenty-six years old, of Cleveland, Ohio, on a charge of murdering his two-months-old daughter. He was arrested on receipt of a telegram from the police of Cleveland.

Between 11 P.M. and 5 A.M. a week ago Tuesday, Stewart left his wife and family at 812 Superior Street, Cleveland, and came to New York. It was supposed that he had brought the baby with him. After getting to New York, he wrote to a former employer in Cleveland, asking for a reference, and to have it sent through the General Post Office.

A telegram was received here soon after asking the police to locate him as he had stolen the baby. He was found working for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as a stenographer. He refused to say where the baby was, as she was his own, but told the police she was well and in good hands.

The following telegram was received at the Detective Bureau Tuesday night:

Arrest on charge of murder Harry Howard Stewart. May be found at 48 Grove Street. The body of child has been found. Do not delay. He may be advised and skip.
GEORGE C. CORNER, Chief of Police.

The address, 48 Grove Street, was the one Stewart had given the police here, and Detective McConville went there, but could not find him. He waited all night, while Detective Barrett waited at the Metropolitan Life offices, at Twenty-third Street and Madison Avenue. The latter caught Stewart as he was going into the office building.

When brought to Police Headquarters Stewart refused to talk about the case.

When Stewart was arraigned, Magistrate Cornell, at the request of Detective McConville, remanded him for forty-eight hours, the longest time permitted. The detective stated he thought the prisoner insane.

Stewart had nothing to say about the case, and replied to questions:

"My business is in Cleveland."