Case Summary

On June 10, 1913, W. S. Matthews and his lawyers filed for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of his seven minor children, Marion Stoddert Matthews, ten and a half, Catherine Saville Matthews, Maria Devereux Matthews, Virginia Chambers Matthews, Nancy Matthews, Elizabeth Lawrence Matthews and Frances Key Matthews, two years old. The children are listed from oldest to youngest, but the two ages listed are the only ones given. In the petition, W. S. asserted that his wife, Maria, left their home in Vancouver, British Columbia, and took their children to Seattle, Washington without his knowledge or consent. He stated that she then took them to the House of the Good Shepherd. W. S. claimed that he was, and remains, ill at the time she took the children. He claimed he had the means and desire to care for the children. Additionally, he believed Maria intended to file for divorce and to take the children to San Diego soon, leaving the court’s jurisdiction. Judge Everett Smith allowed the writ to be heard, and sent a warrant to both the Mother Superior of the House of the Good Shepherd and to Maria. Maria filed a motion for continuance in the case, which was granted by Everett. During this period, the temporary custody of the children was given to an unrelated and unnamed third party. Maria responded to the petition, and said she did take the children, but that W. S. asked her to leave and was aware she was leaving. Further, she claimed that W. S. often failed to provide for their children, forcing her to ask her family for money. Additionally, she stated that W. S. allowed a man named R. L. Packard to stay in their house, along with her mother in-law. Maria claimed that both W. S. and R. L. created unbearable living conditions. She stated she had, on the advice of her brother A. Y. Greene, left the children in the House of the Good Shepherd temporarily in order to attempt reconciliation with W. S. in British Columbia. She requested full custody of her children and child support payments. W. S. denied all of her claims, and added that the laws of British Columbia gave the father the legal authority over children, rather than the mother. The outcome of this case and the fate of the children is unknown, though local newspaper coverage indicates all daughters remained with their mother.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Interpersonal
• Institutional

Petition subtype(s)

• Child custody
• Child custody

Sites of significance

• House of the Good Shepherd (Seattle, Washington)

Outcome

Unknown

Fate of bound party

Unknown

State

• Washington

People

• Matthews, W. S. (petitioner)
• Matthews, Maria G. (respondent)
• Matthews, Maria G. (responding party)
• Matthews, Maria G. (holding party)
• (Mother Superior of the House of the Good Shepherd), (respondent)
• (Mother Superior of the House of the Good Shepherd), (responding party)
• (Mother Superior of the House of the Good Shepherd), (holding party)
• Matthews, Marion Stoddert (bound party)
• Matthews, Catherine Saville (bound party)
• Matthews, Maria Devereux (bound party)
• Matthews, Virginia Chambers (bound party)
• Matthews, Nancy (bound party)
• Matthews, Elizabeth Lawrence (bound party)
• Matthews, Frances Key (bound party)
• Burkheimer, John E. (petitioner attorney)
• Shepard, Charles E. (petitioner attorney)
• Keenan, S. A. (respondent attorney)
• Todd, Hugh C. (respondent attorney)
• Greene, A. Y. (interested party)

• Additional parties

  Alderson, Jon (Notary Public)

  Sickels, W. K. (Clerk)

  Smith, F. W. (Deputy)

  Cudihee, Edward (Executes Warrant, Delivers Writ)

  Healyn, John W. (Notary Public)

  Grant, G. A. (Deputy)

  Thompson, Bart C. (Deputy)

  Soutar, J. (Notary Public)

  Burkheimer, Clark M. (Notary Public)

  Meacham, Eugene (Deputy)