New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-09-24
EW-YORK TRIBUNE

Mysterious Affair az norrisanin Disap-
ncarance of Children from the Infant
Asy IuMs
The City yesterday was thrown inso state of
considerable exciteme1s by rumor Of mysterious
doinssat The Infant Asylum in MorriRania.. The
yeoort Of the sudden disappearance OF 1870 out OF
$50 children in that Institution was OF startling
character but it hsppily proved to be largely e3
seeersted. The circumstances OF the case, as far
ar could be ascertaned by our reporter, are these
The present establishment knownt as the Infant
Asylum, has been in existence between TWO and
three years-the greater part OF that tone es
Fordhsm; whence, however, it was removed 10
Nay last to a new building iu Upper Morrisania
The establishment ia conducted by Quakereas
named Mary Shotwell, the party upon whom sus.
picon has fallen in this case.
We learn that during the continuance Of the H.
stitution at Fordham the treatment of the remains
Of deceased children such as to call forth loud
expressions Of sorrow and disgust. Scores OF bod
ies were buried at depth of t,oo inches below the
surface Of the ground; and, in consequence were
frequently diaentombod, and in many instances
0ug up and eaten by the dogs The establish
ment continued about one year at Fordham, AID
WAS then removed to neat new frame building
at Morrsans, which il now occupies.
The number Of children removed TO the neg e.
Enlistment III May lie supposed to have been about
49, Constant additions, however, have been made
to this number A few have been adopted have
bean diucovered dead aud have been brought
10 the Cit, the agents Of the Board Of
60 W. z-. : ,~rssorais sad tales of
fba condition 0. so.no ,. ,lese children They are
mostly foupdings and largo majority are be-
ioved TO have been taken from Newly ork. One
woman declareg she has taken $50 in ten months
The bodies which have beon discovered, were
found in state Of advanced decomposition, so that
Identification or investigation is now quite impossi
BILE; though it is evident the age could In no in
stance have been greater than one year
Suspicion was frat aroused on Wednesday last
BY the circumstance Of g laborer named hiley
questioning the workmen at new Depot erecting
at Morrispnis. regarding certain bodies which he
,yerred were buried in the grounds attached to
the ASYLUM. This information, it appeared was
derived from the man by whom the bodle" were
buried. The Intelligence was news TO she g'od
people Of Morraana, who had before suspected
nothing. On "Wednesday the grounds were pfooeo'
and the existence of cottius satisfactorily demon
strsted. All traces of the graves had been sedu'
lousy concealed; the depth of each being very in.
considerable and the surface again made perfect
ly level Conceament was manifestly aimed at.
The neiehbors determined to bring tho matter
before the Grand Jury, but that body had
adjourned whereupoa Coroner's Inquest was
summoned by Coroner Huntington. The inquest
WAS in session for considerable time yesterday,
but the results of the investgS tOn were insufficient
to iussify the direct inculpeton of Mrs. shoswel.
The witnesses successfully examined were Ihos
garrnetop, Nicholas Jackson, Mys. Shotwel, the
Head Nurse and tSo PhysiciauS. Harrington tes-
tilted to the dlscovery OF the bodice, Jackson was
cOlored man, employed by Mrs Shotwel to inter the
bodies at night and teAtihed to finding two Of the
collins hid in the bushes aud four others in the
of the house. He was paid by Mrs. Shotwell. The
bodies were buried at only few rods distance from
the house.-Mrs. Shotwes testimony was CON
fused and occasionally contradictory She confess
ID the facts of the burial and of paying Jackson.
AND exhibited three certificates of death made out
in Westcheate, County, but dated New York and
signed by Dr. n. X. freeman. -Four other certii-
Gates were IN ner own ukuGR Lltiti6 huoSV sho
ayers were copies, For one body there is no certl
fcate, nor can any account be given oft Thetwo
physicians called to examine the bodies were Drs.
Bayard and Nandsne but, as before stated, there
could be no investigation into the causes of death
Such are tho main facts in this curious case
Nothing is proved positively against tho suspected
party, hut the establishment is looked upon with
disfayor by residents in its vicinity R0d it is gen
orally considered an incumbrance. This affair,
though apparently by no means SO serious rs frst
reported here, has created great sensation in
Morrissnia, and Parishes Of the character OF
mystery, for which nobody pretends to account
We learn that the whole matter will be brought
before the Grand Jury of Westohester County at
It's next Aitting early in October, when thorough
investig alton will be made. The Coroner's Jury
rendered she simple verdict that seven OF the chill
dren came to their death by various diseases; and
one by causes to them unknown.
All further Investigation will therefore be sus-
pended TO await the action OF the Grand Jury
There is certainly something remarkable at the
bottom.
FIRE AZ o clock yesterday morning Gre was
T. H.. oE