The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-04-20
From the N. Y. journal Of Commerce.
POLICE OFFICE.-April 4ih. A COM.
EDY-AND NEARLY A TRAG-
EDY OF ERRORS.


vices, Inconsistencies, and whimscalilies of
human nature.
Some seven or eight months back young
girl named Eliza Jones, gave birth 10 an il
legitamate daughter, and being too poor TO
maintain it, she was obliged 20 abandon il 10
the care of the Commissioners Of the Aims
house at Brooklyn, where the child was
born. When the child was about two
months old, fashionabIy dressed respec-
table looking lady, who gave her name as
Mrs. Catherine Sayre, applied to the com
missioners 10 obtain female infant, in or
der that she might adopt it as her own, as
she had no children. Although the lsdy's
dress and demeanor belokened her to be
highly respectable, the commissioners with
due caution required them to give her re-
ference, before they complied with her re-
quest, and accordingly the next day anolh-
er equally respectable looking woman cal
led OIL the commissioners and informed
them that Mrs. Sayre was highly respec-
table and affluent lady, and that she would
no doubt take good cate Of the infant
Thus satisfied as to the lady's character the
commissioners agreed to give her very
beautiful female infant, about two months
old, being no other than the child of Eliza
Jones. And in order to have further secu-
rity that the child should be properly trea-
ted, and well brought up, the commission
ers made Mrs. Sayre enter into deed Of
indeuture by which she bound herself to
treat the child as an apprentice, and provide
it with suitable maintenance, &c. until 1t
arrived at the age of one and twenty, and
the commissioners, on their part, bound the
infant, at TWO months old, to servllude for
half century. These preliminaries being
complied with, Mrs. Sayre was given the
| infant and took it away with her, and 1t al
forwards turned ont that notwithstanding all
! the caution of the commissioners, they had
surrendered "the sinless child OF sin" TO
the care and keeping of common prosti-
tute.
In the meantime, Eliza Jones, the moth
er of the infant, lost her character, could
obtain no respectable situation, and was
obliged to earn her living by officiating as
servant in splendIdly furnished brothel
| in Duane street, which was also the resi-
dence Of Catherine Sayre. And to this
house she brought her adopted child, and
unknowingly employed its own mother to
take care of it. Eliza Jones recognized
her unfortunate offspring, and kept the Sc
rret 10 herself, nut heslowed such maternal
care upon it, that the infant throye accor-
dinghy. and in a few months was one Ol the
finest and most pretty children in the city,;
and the woman who adopted it seemed as
| fond of il as if it had been ner own,--
When the child was nearly seven months
old, its present age, Mrs. SAyre discovered
the relationship which Eliza Jones bore 20
it, and with i refinement of cruelty, or from
other motives known only to herself, she
determined 10 separate the child from its
mother, and send it elsewhere TO be nursed.
The poor mother demonstrated against be-
ing separated from her child, and refused
to part with it and Mrs. Sayre had the child
iurllvely removed, and placed with Il color
ed woman in ChuIch street. The mother
however, discovered where it was, and
wen: there on Wednesday and endcdyored
TO take it away, but did not succeed, and
received a severe lhrashing from Mrs.
Sayre for making the attempt. Eliza Jones
then summoned Mrs. Sayre ana the color
ed woman to the Police Office, where they
appeared yesterday morning and brought
The child with them.
When the magistrate heard the story o
Eliza Jones, which Mrs. Sayre did not al
tempt to contradict, he asked Mrs. Sayr,
why she had separated the child from it
! mother, and MIS-. Sayre in most whinin!
: and subdued tone Of voice, replied that sht
= had sent the child away, as it would yer,
y soon t~ able 10 understand sounds, and OH
u feared that some Of tic proAigale expires
'' slons SO continually in use in the hous
u might make an evil impression on the inian'
" mind. Such a sentence from such per
sonage, caused, as may be supposed, no lii
:. merment among the byslanders Th
. magistrate then inquired further, and as
! was evident from the woman's own conles
sion that she was common prostitute, h
informed her that she must give uplhe chill
. 10 its mother. But Mrs Sayre refuse
~ point blank to do any such thing. She in
- sisted that she had a right to the child, an
~ showed her indenture and demanded he
~ pound Of flesh. The magistrate in retur
- told her that.the indenture was void and
- no effect, and commanded the coIored We
"a man who had the infant in her arms, to d,
u liver it inslanter TO her mother. The colo
,' ed woman was about to comply, when Mr.