Orphan Mattie Woods, according to the October 11, 1879 edition of the Jeffersonville Evening News, lived at the home of German immigrant A. O. Schuler, from which her uncle tried to remove her. She is described as "yellow," meaning that she was of mixed racial heritage. This article echoes a common racist trope about the custody of orphans: an allegation that people of color wanted custody of younger relatives for financial reasons rather than out of love and concern.