STRUGGLE FOR A CHILD

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12393, 12 March 1926, Page 12

STRUGGLE FOR A CHILD

The French police are investigating a remarkable story of a struggle for a child, which, it is alleged, led to his father being kidnapped, tortured and threatened with death by his wife’s relations, unless he would consent to waive all his paternal rights. The victim of tho affair, Victor Caruelle, was deserted four months ago by liis wife, who took their two-year-old son with her. As Caruello subsequently found great difficulty in seeing his son, he resolved to 6teal him bock, and to this end visited the. nurse who had charge of him. and persuaded her to bring the child to visit his grandparents. Having arrived at his parents' home, Caruelle told the nurse to alight, and then whipped up his horse and drove off with his son to deposit him in a safe hiding’ place. His wife's relatione decided upon still more ruthless methods to obtain possession of the child, and one night as Curuelle emerged from a cafe he was seized by four men, who carried him off to the home of his wife's parents. There ho was kept prisoner for a while, threatened with death, and thrashed periodically, until, weak from loss of blood, he revealed his little son's hiding-place.