[Indexed as: (De Patie, Baby Farmer), “Nab 2 Women in Trailer Camp for Baby Quiz,” Chicago Tribune (Il.), May 6, 1940]

Mrs. Mae Smith, 64 years old, and her daughter, Miss Mary Smith, 43, were seized yesterday as operators of an alleged baby farm at 2415 Winnemac avenue. They had been sought for 10 days. Policewoman Mary Powers traced them to the de luxe trailer camp near Waukegan.

The Smiths and a man and woman taken into custody with them were brought to the detective bureau and later to the state’s attorney’s office where they were questioned by Assistant State’s Attorney Theodore Kucewicz until 3 a. m. Then they were locked up for the night.

The Daughter Protests.

Miss Smith, a robust red-haired woman, protested volubly against the arrest of her mother. “If there’s anything wrong,” she said, “don’t blame Ma.” The Smiths were reported to have been planning to leave for Arizona last night in their trailer.

The others held are Mrs. Hazel Rockwell, 46, who said she lived in Toledo and was here on a visit to the Smiths, and Charles Schillinger, 44, who said he was a real estate man conferring with the Smiths on the sale of their home. He gave the address as 6450 Newland avenue.

Also in the trailer was Dudley C. Ketter, 14 months old, described by Miss Smith as the son of a niece, Yvonne Ketter. From the trailer Policewoman Powers, who had obtained the help of Acting Sheriff Walter L. Atkinson of Lake county, took a kit of surgical instruments, and copious records said to include the names of scores of women – some presumably expectant mothers – from many states.

Dead Doctors’ Phones Listed.

A strange circumstance uncovered by Policewoman Powers is that the names of two doctors, long dead, according to the American Medical association records, are listed in the telephone directory with the same numbers as Mae Smith, chiropodist, has at the Winnemar avenue address and at her downtown office at 236 North Clark street.

Warrants for the arrest of the Smith women were issued last Thursday. They charged kidnapping of an infant and operation of a maternity home without a license. A police search for the Smiths started a week previously when an unwed mother, Ethel De Patie, 24, of 10564 Oakley avenue, complained to Judge Harry M. Fisher about practices at the home. She said they refused to surrender her daughter, Carol Ann, born April 12, except on payment of $150.

Miss De Patie regained her child when a nurse with whom the Smiths had left her was arrested.