Skip to main content

In the matter of the application of Eddie Toman by Anna Cohen, his mother and next friend, for a writ of Habeas Corpus

May 2, 1923 - January 21, 1924

Petitioned on May 2, 1923

Filed before the Douglas County District Court (Omaha, Nebraska)

Case ID: hc.case.ne.1389

Case Summary

On May 2nd, 1923, Anna Cohen filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of her 20 year old son, Eddie Toman. She alleged that Eddie was being unlawfully detained by Michael Dempsey (Sheriff) and Pete Dillon (Chief of Police), for the purpose of being handed over to the State Industrial School (Kearney, Nebraska). Anna wished him free. In a return, Dempsey and Dillon explained that Eddie was committed to the State Industrial School on September 10th, 1913 and that he would be held there until he was 21 years old. But, he escaped the school and they had since been holding him for, on behalf, and at the request of the Superintendent of said school. The Superintendent was present in court and was prepared to take Eddie and return him to school. On January 21st, 1924 the writ was dismissed for want of prosecution. The fate of Eddie is unknown.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

  • Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

  • Child custody

Sites of significance

Outcome

Writ dismissed for want of prosecution

Fate of bound party

Unknown

Case Citation

Douglas County District Court, Omaha, NE, RG230: Douglas County Records, Subgroup 10: District Court, 1855-1972, Series: Criminal Appearance Docket Books, Vol. 26: ca. 1923 - Jan. 1924, p. 25; Douglas County District Court, Omaha, NE, RG230: Douglas County Records, Subgroup 10: District Court, 1855-1972, Series 7: Criminal Case Files, 1897-1920, Reel 113: 25-732 to 26-88, Apr. 16, 1923 - Jun. 4, 1923, No. 26-25

Source material(s)

Docket | Case File

Length of case file

Between 11 and 20 pages

Repository(s)

State

  • Nebraska

Tag(s)

  • Children

People

Citation

Katrina Jagodinsky, Cory Young, Andrew Varsanyi, Laura Weakly, Karin Dalziel, William Dewey, Erin Chambers, Greg Tunink. “In the matter of the application of Eddie Toman by Anna Cohen, his mother and next friend, for a writ of Habeas Corpus.” Petitioning for Freedom: Habeas Corpus in the American West, 1812-1924, University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Accessed November 22, 2024. https://petitioningforfreedom.unl.edu/cases/item/hc.case.ne.1389

Back to top