EUGENIC EXPERIMENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 342, 1 May 1928, Page 14

EUGENIC EXPERIMENT

SCIENTIFIC MOTHER SECRET OF “PERFECT MATE” J“ te 5 e , interest is being shown in New York in the daring motherhood hamTitf t^, lrS ' Grace Madhouse Burn- ( 0) ’ l h , e , wealthy Widow, who demred a child, but did not wish to marry again, and chose a young nhvThe'child m fhti aS her scientific mate. The child, a little girl, has been named Vera, and is now a bonnie baby a month old. y 1

Mrs. Burnham still refuses to reveal the identity of her “perfect mate,” despite the pleas of friends, emphasising that her relations with him were unromantic, and carried out according to plan. After the event his interest in Mrs. Burnham was at once broken and by the terms of the agreement he surrendered all paternity rights with regard to the child. Mrs. Burnham states that “eugenic” experiment was conducted with the highest ideals, and that she simply yearned for a child to comfort her in her advancing years. She decided that while she was still young enough she would defy convention, and with this end in view carefully selected a man. She explained the position to him, and he agreed to aid her, provided that his name was never disclosed. The widow is a youthful-looking, attractive woman, with fair hair, blue eyes, and a good figure. She is still in the maternity home, which has won sudden fame, and crowds are being constantly moved on by policemen. Hundreds of girls have flocked to the institution in the hope of catching a glimpse of the “eugenic” baby, but Mrs. Burnham refuses to satisty their curiosity.

The widow’s relatives state that the experiment was conducted after they had been fully consulted, and that Mrs. Burnham took no risk of losing the fortune left her by her husband. A wealthy retired distiller. Mr. Burnham left his wife an estate of over £IOO,OOO.