Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-11
THE GAZETTE.
FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY II. 1859.

STARVING PAUPER CHILDREN To DEATH
One of the most touching episodes i'll Dick
ems works. is the story of the charity children
who were boarded out at so much week,
and drugged, starved, beaten and abused by
the woman who had charge OF them. Per-
haps every American reader has congratua-
ted himself that in this country no such
enormitieS could be practiscd. let some
thing very much like it has Just come to light
I'm New York In searching a tenement house
for stolen goods, the following terrible derel-
opments were made.
in the course of their examination OF the
premises. MessrS, Barker and Stokely found
three little cradles in dark bedroom, ana
drawing them out to the light. discovered
that they contained three infants. The lit
tie creatures were covered with filth, and
seemed not to have been washed for several
days. The beds on which they lay were
rotten with foulness, and the rags which
covered them but little better. Each of them
Law ouiet and m0tionless as death. They
did rot have strength enough to cry. IT
YOU pinched them or rolled them over. they
gave no motion nor sign of life. The Oldest
was said to be % months, the youngest 10
Every one fthem was absolutely living
skeleton. and the largest would not weigh
more than healthy, robust babe OF three
months. Their little limbs were not much
over an inch in diameter, at their thlckest
parts. At the end of their shadowy arms
were little hands that looked like BIRDS
claws. One of the wretched creatures lay
upon its side, with the thick part OF Its LETT
arm in its mouth. from which 1t appeared to
draw its principal nutriment. During the
days and months in which it had lam IN tins
position, it had sucked away at the limb
until the flesh had grown up to the size and
shape and appearance of large, raw nipple.
They had evidently been drugged, as usual.
TO keep them quiet, and their great, wide,
staring ewes, which were the only signs OF
life about them, were vacant as idiots
1t was painful, yea, horrible sight to wit
ness these three suffering and helpness lit
tie old people.
WHO are these, in Heavens namc?" in
ouired the gentlemen. "Please, Sir, they be
the children missus takes to nurse for the
Almshouse and Pm the girl she hires to
look after EN-" replied slatternly looking
girl. What does she get for taking care Of
them?" they asked. "A dollar apiece r'cm,
every week, Sir, and then the girl explain
cd that Mrs Cullough was one OF the out
door nurses employed by the -Alnshouse
Governors, and showed the gentlemen the
nice rolls Of dap er, anneling, muslins, and
punches of warm stockings which the Aims
house people furnished for their comfort
The girl said that this supply was renewed
every three months. Yet these children
were naked, and covered up with old, filthy
rags. 49,,
.Does anv visitor come to see the children"
"Oh. YES, Sir" said the girl; "AIrs. Frost
come: onst month, and Mr.. Maloney, one
of the Guv'ners, he comes here often, too
When our reporter called at the house IN
company with Mr. Stokely, on Thursday, he
found that the woman which Mr.. Barker had
employed to take care of the children, in the
absence of Mrs. Cullough, had a stirred around
and put the little mannikins int" clean dres-
ses. As if expecting n visit from the powers
that he, the two children of Mrs. Cullough
were left as dirty and ragged as usual, to
lead the visitor to think, 'Well, this wo-
man is good nurse after all-see, she ne
elects her own children to care for ours"
But the cotton frocks could not hide the
wasted skeletons. that moved under them
In few weeks they will in all probability be
duly recorded rs having died OF marasin"S;
How many more Of 1.-The children OF the city
are slowly murdered by misusage and neglect
in this same cruel way.
Yesterday the Almshouse officers removed
the children. when it transpired that Mrs
Cullough had been drawing pay for four chill
dren. The fourth child, Mrs Cullough says
was taken some weeks ago by friend in
Third avenue. who had lost her own child
and wished for this one, which looked 50
much like it, to supply its place"
MB- LIBRARY NoTlCE.-The Stockholders
Of the Alexandria Library Company are herepy
notified that the Goth Annual Meeting will be held
at the Room. on Monday Erening. February list
at ~ o'clock i. ~, at which time an election Tor
III Elsxsn uirsctnrs will be hclI: ln