The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-08-09


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During the past month the following
advertisement has appeared in a morning
paper:
A LADY WILL TAKE A SMALL CHILD TO
board. Apply for one week at 1888 Bancroft st.,
between Sixteenth and seventeenth and below
Wharton. Cut this out.
Bancroft street is short street be-
tween Sixteenth and Seventeenth, and
runs from Wharton to Reed street. The
west side Of the street is lined with ordi.
nary two story brick houses, looking out
on vacant lots covered with rank vegeta.
ton. No, 1888 is only distingdishable
from the others by having small tin
sign on the window sill, on which are
painted the words: "Small children ta-
ken to board" The shutters are always
kept closed. The inmates rarely appear
on the street, and are only seen by the
neighbors when a carriage is driven to
the door with baby within, It is then
that Annie, alias Alice Forsyth, alias
Williams, alias Brennon, alias Marshall,
a medium sized woman, rather angular,
and about 28 years old, steps out to take
the little one into the house. A sister Of
Forsyth's, named Ida, about l6 or l8
years old, opens and closes the door, and
she is also seen when the undertaken
calls for the baby's body. These people
have resided at 1888 Bancroft street for
about six weeks, and in that time, it is
said, FIVE infants have been buried and
two have mysteriously disappeared.
They claim to have come from Easton.
1t has been within the past week or
two that the attention Of the neighbors
has been drawn to them. Two children
were buried from the house the first two
weeks they were there. This, followed
by two more, both in one week, and the
taking away of fifth one last Saturday
by hack 1913 under suspicious circumstan-
ces, aroused the neighbers' curiosity,
The last child was wrapped in a lot of
rags, and the woman Forsyth made
quasi admission that it was dead. It had
been taken to the house but q week or
so previous, and was noticed to be
bright, healthy child. An old woman by
the name of Kenny or Canning, mid
wife and nur e, who is supposed to live
at 1903 Tasker street, although fright
ened looking girl suffered and STAN.
mered while she denied it to Times
representative yesterday, is said to fur
nish the Forsyths with number of their
babies. She has been seen to enter there
and also 1903 Tasker street a number OF
times. When the undertaken, very
reputable man, who has his Office on
South Thirteenth street. called at the
Forsyths to make preparations for the
burial of one of the children, he met
the woman Kenny or Canning who said
the child's name was Minnie Martin, and
she also gave the name of the mother.
The name of McAllister was given as that
of one of the babies. The last burial,
one week ago yesterday, was that of the
Martin child. The Forsyths told one of
the neighbors that the name of another
of the children was either Nicholson or
Cooley. For its keeping they got $25,
child they said they had received $l25.
A handsome piano was removed to
Chestnut street store yesterday from their
house. They claim it was given them
for taking care of a child. The hand
some Brussels carpet and furniture that
adorn the rooms of the house are, accor.
ding to their admission, presents receiv-
ed for caring for another child. When
spoken to on the subject of their calling,
they answer that they have always made
their "living that way, and it's nobody's
business" There are but two children
in the house now, boy about ten weeks
old and girl about eighteen months old,
They were taken there short time ago.
and were apparently strong and hearty
A lady who saw them yesterday said
that they had dwindled away to be mere
skeletons, and have every appearance of
being slowly starved or drugged. They
occupied the same cot and paid no at
tention to the caresses bestowed on them |
by the visitor. She said 1T is terrible |
shame that such q state of affairs can ex-
ist in large city. The Society for the |
Prevention of Cruelty to Children were |
notified one week ago of the baby farm
ing carried on in the house, but no action |
has yet been taken in the matter" The
children are but scantily clothed, and |
bear evidence of neglect. Almost every |
day a carriage rolls up the door. Yester- |
day wagon containing man and Wom- |
an, the latter with child in her arms,
stopped at the house, but probably no |
satisfactory arrangement could be made |
for the caring of the little one, as they
drove of. 1t is understood that the So |
ciety for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children proposes taking the matter in
hand.-Phila. Times, 318t uk.