Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-02-05
INFANTICIDE.
AN INFANT EXPOSED AND FROZEN TO
DEATH.
Its Mother flies from the .srro.s of tho la,

A most startling affair has just been de-
veloped in the vicinity of our city, which we
would prefer not to chronicle. But what
the public demands the press must supply.
On last Thursday afternoon, party of
boys visited vacant tenement house on the
bluff back of Moline, near the residence of
Mr.. Hitchcock, and on peering through the
kitchen windows, were surprised to see the
dead body of an infant male child lying IN
a roll Of rags on the floor, frozen hard and
stiff with the cold. They hasteDed to report
the fact to Marshal Wells, of Moline, and be
in turn informed Coroner Knox of the dis
covery. The Coroner visited the scene, and
fnoing everything as stated, brought the
body to this city, and left it in his shop unit
Saturday, to await developments. At one
, O'Clock on Saturday afternoon, jury was
!, impsnnelled, consisting of Harrison Bogges4,
, foreman, DR.. Craig, Robert Vermijlion John
Albrecht, Marshal Wells, Mr.. Kinsky, aud
six others whose names we have not been
able to obtain.
q A post morton examination was made
+ By DIR. Craig. 1t was his opinion that the
e child had undoubtedly been born alive, and
;. had lived from few moments to perhaps
e an hour. There were evidences to con
Is vince that no midwife or physician hac
< been present at the birth. The moihe
'e must have been subjected to unusual sui
feripg The child weighed six and a hal
pounds, and was well formed and healtbi
Z developed. There were no evidences c
" violence on its person. The jury returne
2, verde, that the child came to lis deaf
De from williul exposure at the hands OF il
mother.
u The house where tbs corpse vas fouu'
NC has for long time past been occupied by
81 woman who was known to her neighbors I
Mrs. Carlson. She worked At the Aolir
=! paper mill. aud was there known as Mr.
vs. Anna Erickson. Her husband was a matt!
of Sweden, las she also is aud has bee
=, dead for some years. A little daught
las twelve years of Ags lived with her. Abo
err. a week ago they moved out Of the hous
re sud went to live in an adjacent one. I
'eh draymAu who moved their effects states tn
40, hs saw something lying on the floor roll
on up in rags, and started TO pick II up O.
nds put i. on the dray, but the child stepp
led uervously in front of him, aud said
nd mother would take care of that Con'
, TO queully the drsymsn left it. No dot
exists but that it was the body of the Chi
On Thursdas last when MsrshAll Wells &
lion Coroner Kuox entered the vacated hou
pie the little girl watched their movements fr
an the window of the new home, and inme
will ately ran down 10 the paper mill and %
port fed her mother. The two left in has
If They were lost seen on Thursday even
ion, on the bluff back of Moline, near the brI
The yard, CO irving a trunk between them, :
Their going in the direction Of Rock River-I
inu- child has been buried.
an Thus far no very great efforts have b
we made to secure the gUIlty mother. She
ass probably destitute Of money, and could
captured without any serious trouble.
The comments OF the Union on the 8
ago ice, viii be duly appreciated by the M
luef community OF Rock Island. ItsAys:
cav The superstition Is that the child ~ss
ex- without tue aid OF micwife or atteudi
the and was a. once lad out IN the kite
,r,. where it speedily froze TO death.
'NNN
III IN We feel ike drawing the veil Of cha
thor over the erring ~ other.
fit This i. from the journal ihat ,hoa
etore there was no very great harm in shoo
Z has jim Fax. There's nothing ike con
liable eney.