QUINTUPLETS’ CUSTODY

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 February 1935, Page 10

QUINTUPLETS’ CUSTODY

PARENTS V. GUARDIANS. [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Received February 26, 2 ,p.m.) TORONTO, February 25. Following the refusal of the guardians of the Dionne quintuplets to give up custqdy, in the face of a suit by the parents, it is learned that the Government is preparing a bill to make the guardianship legal. A sharp debate is predicted, as the belief is growing that the children belong to the parents.

MILLION-DOLLAR LAWSUIT.

CHICAGO, February 14.

Olivia and Elzire Dionne, the young French-Canadian parents of the famous quintuplets, became even more famous when Chicago circus promoters started a suit against them, claiming 1,000,000 dollars and coupling as defendants Dr Dafoe and several officials of the Ontario Provincial Government. 'rhe quintuplets were still living in glass cages designed for premature liabies when enterprising Chicago freak exhibitors visited the Dionne home and secured the parents signatures to an agreement providing for their exhibition in American Cities. A great wave of objection went all over Canada, and the Government of Ontario stepped in to add its advice to the protests made by the priest who had baptised the infants. On the ground of the innocence and inexperience of the young parents, the Government not only ordered the breaking of the contract, if one existed, but erected a special hospital and placed the infants in the care of Red Cross nurses. Last week, the Dionnes were invited by supposed friends to Chicago, where they were lionised, being given much front page publicity

‘Thev also made an appearance on the vaudeville stage, being introduced as “the most, famous parents in the world.” Then, just as they were ready for the journey home, a writ was served on them, and sheriffs detained them until the necessary bonds were provided. 'l’ho action, which seeks performance of the agreement to turn the children into a sideshow feature, for the payment of 1.000,000 dollars, will be defended.

Mr C. B. Cochran, the London imI rcssario. has invited Air and Mrs Dionne to visit London for the Jubilee celebrations.

DOCTOR VISITS NEAV YORK

Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe’s four-day holiday from his little practice in the Ontario backwoods netted him some wonderful experience. For the first time in his life he saw a negro baby, elephants, lions, tigers, whales, big snakes; talked to the President of the I United States and the President’s I mother, spellbound .'WOO people into ! breathless silence; viewed New York’s famous skyline, rode in its subways, ventured into a night club, made a trip In an aeroplane, wore dinner clothes for the first time, and talked to Al Smith on top of the world’s highest building. That’s just a partial J list, of the things he did, heard, and ; saw. States the “Literary Digest.” After it all, the Canadian country doctor was ready to go back to his 1 practice in Ca|lander and vicinity.

where he administers to 35Q0 people scattered over a territory of 400 square miles and delivers more babies than a dozen ordinary practitioners. All the time he talked and answered questions about babies, especially the Dionn’o “quintriplets,” as Al Smith called them, or the “quints” as the good doctor sometimes speaks of his little charges. He talked about them to the President, to the President’s mother, to Cardinal Hayes, to Eddie Bourne, mate of the ferry-boat Knickerbocker, who rushed up and exploded, “ivonderful job, Doc. Got ten of my own at home, and I know how it is.’’ Babies, babies, it was all about babies, even whale babies, in the preserved remains of which in the Museum of Natural History the doctor was interested.

Did the sixty-four-inch doctor get tired of all this shop-talk about Rabies, their diet, and care? Not a bit. All the interviewers and listeners could see that his heart was in that little hospital in the Canadian backwoods with its sixty pounds of babies —the best-known live little girls in the world. He loves them so much, said the doctor, his brown eyes shining, that he doesn’t know which he loves best —Yvonne, Annette, Cecile, Emilie, or Marie. He took back to each of them a scapular medal, presented by Cardinal Hayes, who also asked after their mother, Mrs Olive Dionne. Some interviewers seemed to forget that she played an important part in the miracle which made Doctor Dafoe famous and brought him to the United States.

AVhen the diminutive doctor, in a new blue suit, stepped off the train in New York, his hosts placed him in a big black limousine which almost hid him from view. Motor-cycles roared ahead to make way. People gaped. It didn’t worry the doctor. He is used to hurry and bustle, although it isn’t quite so noisy. It was like that the whole time of his visit—one thing after another. They took him out into the bay to see the city’s sky-line. "Wonderful,” he said quietly. “Just about what I thought it would be.” On the ferry it developed that it was his “first ride on a big boat.”

There are no subways in Callander, of course, and when, at the bidding of photographers, he clung to a strap in his first ride, he remarked that it was "convenient.” “AVonderful” was about as far as Dr. Dafoe went. “I pull teeth, and I look after babies,” he said. “AVhen I think people are going to die, 1 make out their wills. AVhen there is danger of a new-born baby dying before a priest can arrive I baptise it.” After he had knocked around New York a bit, Dr. Dafoe took an aeroplane to AA’ashingtou to see the President. AVhen he emerged from his chat 'with the President, the visitor was asked what they talked about. “Babies,” said Dr. Dafoe. AVhen, later, he met Airs James Roosevelt in Now York, he said to her quite simply, “I enjoyed the visit with your son. He is a fine man, a human man.” “I think he is very human, too," replied Airs Roosevelt, all smiles. The doctor’s last visit was to the Bronx Zoo. He tarried outside one of the lions’ cages. A tawny monster roared. “That,” he said, “is a swelllooking lion.”