The New York herald., 1874-08-01
A FIENDISH GIRL.
A Child of Thirteen with a Mania
for Baby Burning.
A STREET WALKER AT ELEVEN.
The Mothers Testimony-An Interview with
the Youthful Prisoner

The disciples OF the respective theories OF total
depravity or morbid impulse as explaining dark
but purposeless crime may either Of shem claim
evidence in support OF their pet theory in the cir.
cumstances leading to the arrest OF young girl at
No. Alb East Seventeenth street yesterday morn.
ing. The orlcer who executed the summons was
from the Thirty fourth precinct, and the charge
was defined to be attempted murder and incen-
diarism. Henrietta Weibel had been domestic at
Leopold Appens Hotel, West Farms, for lew days.
She had not been cheernlly INDUSTRIOUS but until
Wednesday last she had manifested no fendish
proclivfties. On that day, however she stealthlly
proceeded to room on the second door, where
the baby OF Mrs. Frank-a boarder-was asleep III
its cot, and shortly afterwards an alarm OF fre
was raised, and hurried rush up stairs by the
alarmed mother revealed the fact that the infant
was envelOped IN 1ames Happily 1t was rescued
uninjured, but half sunocated with smoke, from
which, after medical assistance, it was slow to re-
cover.
few hours afterward smoke was discovered
issuing from the dining room closet, wnere the
table linen was kept. And still again on the same
day some wearing apparel in hall closet was dis
covered abaze 1t did not at once occur to the
proprietor thai the girl was the incendiary; but
on his suspicious being aroused ne sharply ques-
TONED her, and she at once and unhesitatngy
confessed the crime. She sald she couldn't help
doing 1t; that whenever she saw baby asleep
she wanted 10 burn it.. 1t having been ascertained
that she had SIX months since attempted to burn
baby belonging to Mr.. Kinney, VI TarrytOwD,
Mr.. Appel had the girl arrested.
Yesterday evening reporter proceeded to No.
AS East seventeenth street, with view OF lnves-
tigating IL possible the moral influences OF the
girls home. After some difficulty the wretched
dwelling was discovered on the second hOOr OF
rear and rank-Smeling tenement house. The
stairs That led up to II were foul; the room was
Mrs. Weibel herself-an OvernOwing woman as to
shoulders and waist with large dark eyes and
senSuoas Lower Jaw: S Ine rep reporter stated his
article OF fine cambria, became partially dissolved
in tears, and spasmodlealy rehearsed her daugh-
ter's antecedents, as follows:-
very bad %1s girl have S i've @ Children was
@ Thirteen YEA" Years and and sever seven months old, and ID not
fifteen, as the police report states. was about to
become mother when my husband died. could
not look after Henrietta properly, and she began
to go out at night among loose girls and stay till
eleven and twelve O'Clock. When l was sewing
my earnings before the work was done, and when
took 1t had no money to get. Oh!' cried Mrs.
been guilty OF trying to burn baby hope they
will punish her all they can"
The mother furthermore stated that she had
placed Henrietta in juvenile reormatory twelve
months since, but that she ran away and subse-
quently "hred herself out" in Westchester county.
THE ACCUSED IN HER CELL.
The little girl, against whom rests such terri.
BILE accusation, is at present confined IN the lock
up OF the Thirty-iourth Police precinct, at
there yesterday afternoon, and on mtimat-
ing desire to see the juvenile prisoner an.
geant In charge. The wOuld-be baby crematiOnist
was found IN large, well lighted CELL ana as she
bunk, with a folded blanket answering the pur-
pose OF pillow, her childish face and almost infan-
OF the visitor as to the identity Of the youthful
prisoner Her facial expression Is by no means
unprepOssesslng, ana as her
LARGE, LUsTRoUS HAZEL EYES
looked responsive to kind inquiry Of the Ser
geant, her young face seemed to light up with a
confding smile, which 1t would be difficult for one
morally depraved to counterfeit. The gir1 who
was very neat and tidy IN appearance, does not
according to her own statement, she is between
fourteen and fifteen.
''Henrletta," quered the writer, as it true that
you tried to burn a baby at West FarmsY"
"Yes sir,' was the prompt and apparently in
what could have prompted you to attempt such
a wicked deed?
ii don't know, sir; something told meto do it.~
'wouid You not have been sorry had you sue
ceeded in killing the childY"
mo. sir, | don't know that would"
"rn .,nes ay you ?, don't seem to ike babies S''
ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT BABY BURNING.
'Was that the first time you ever tried to burn a
mo, sir. When was living with Mrs. Kinney,
at Tarrytown, had mind to set fire to the BABY,
but didn't do itn
"How long did you live with Mrs. Kinney p"
~ was there month and two weeks.n
"Dd Mrs. Kinney discharge you then ?"
'NO, sir; it was the first place ever was in, ana
the work was too hard lor me; 1t was CHAMBER
work had TO do."
Are your parents living, Henrietta ~
"My father is dead sir, but my mother is living
in Seventeenth street. New York my father was
tailor and mother is a dressmaker."
"What did you use III setting fire to the bed
where the baby was lying at West Farms ~
"Nothing but matches. SIR"
.Do you know that you are charged with ter
rlble crime and have you Thought of what is going
to become OF yOuy
At this question Henrietta first appeared not to
comprehend It's meaning, but after few seconds
she seemed to take in its full import, and quickly
raising hersou from the recumbent position which
she had maintained until now,
BURST INTO FLOOD OF TEARS,
sobbing out, II feel so sorry am such wicked
cried so when left her last She has always had
a good name, and now 1t breaks my heart to think
IN AZ nave gr3ugnt ner lntO dlsgrace. ny never
or else wouldnt have done 1t.
"YOu havnt always been bad girl, have you ~
"No, sir; always went to day school and to
Sunday school,"
"What Sabbath school did you attends"
"On the corner OF Twenty-second street and
Fourth avenue, at DR.. Crosoy's church.n
After Offering few words OF consolation to the
childish heart which was convulsively apostro-
phizing mothers sympathy and love, the writer
took his departure, saddened by the excessive
sobs OF the youthful prisoner.
nOss kept LsSpoa APPEL in the
further particulars IN connection with the charge
against Henrietta Weibe As he ahghted from a
carriage in front OF the hotel inuicated the writer
was met by person OF marked israeiitish features
and unmistakable Hebrew accent, who speedily
answered afirmativeiy 10 the saiutation, 'Mr
Appellf'
Having announced the object Of his visit the
writer was somewhat surprised to hear the hotel
proprietor say, in broken Engrsh, that he had no
news whatever for the reporters OF the press"
Was not the girl, Henrietta weibei, arrested at