The New York herald., 1877-02-07
TRAFFIC IN INFANTS.
Strange Revelations About a Private
Lying-In Establishment.
MRS. WORCESTER. PHYSICIAN"
Did She Starve Children OF
Shame to Death2

In Mulberry street. THIS time Dr. Naele OF the Bureau
OF Vital Statistics has awakened their suspicious and
demanded that ,he light OF day shall DO let into the
we'll curtxnod chambers Of No. LAO Charles street,
where Mrs Worcester has for many years been prac-
tcing rs private accoucheuse ladies' who may de-
siro exclusive retirement in their hour OF nced
II is true that the police not investigating
the premises the dark deeds that certain officers
suspect have been done there during the past Tho
simple fact lie that unusual number OF the children
born there In secret have died recently and under cir
cumstances which suggested queer treatment not ac-
tual foul play, to Dr. Magic. whose duty is 10 scrut
tinize certificates Of death. The following him
thinking:-
"William Green, aged one month and twelve days,
died January T. 1877; cause marasmus. Certificate OF
death issued by Dr.. Haddon."
"Peter Rogers aged ten days, died January 80. 1877
Cause. gastric irritation from artificial food and
haustion. Certificate OF death issued by Dr. Haddon"
having seen these ho thought he would just glance
the certificates OF the previous month to
whe:hor any other children had died from similar
ut this establishment, about which he had
slight knowledge. His search was rewarded almost
Immediately by discovering the followirg:-
"william Ferry, aged twenty-five days, died April
80 1874 from convuisiops Certificate death issued
by DR.. s. 8. Banker, OF No. sls Greenwich street."
.'George W. Richmond, aged thirteen days, died
August l, 1874; cause, marasmus and exhaustion
Certificate Of death ISSUED by Dr. james Haddon, No.
2y2 w est Eleventh street."
"Fannis Jenson aged nine days, died August Q,
1876; cause, cholera infantum. Certificate 0i death
issued by DR.. George A. Evans, No. 703 Greenwich
street"
sCharles Curtis, aged twenty days. died September
Z, 1876 cause, cholera inantum Certificate OF death
Mr. p Asmussen, of No s6l Blocker street, seems
TO The contract for hurying oil the dead from No.
l49 Charles street, all the above certificates have his
them. ana they are all registered Us being In
eInV ,hAru kon rntnrt.
TIM srEP TOWARD THE TRUTH
DR.. Nagle laid these facts before Sanitary Superin-
tendent Day, NJ D., calling his attention particularly
to that side Of which pointed toward the remarka.
bic similarity In :he causes Of their deaths. Dr. Day
,Sp matter and report what he found Dr. Hughes did
and the result OF hts inquiry transmitted tho
Board OF Health. which did not take any special
upon II yesterday. HkRALD reporter called upon
him last evening and earncd that Monday
pr Nagle deputy register OF vital statistics called his
attention 70 tho DR.. Nage though It was very
strange that six certificates OF deaths infants should
be sent the office from house within two years
What made 1t the singular that the deaths Of
Donth-Jsnuary, 1871. Dr. Hughes proceeded to the
house No i4s wNna Charles street tree ana saw the
and but little information could be gained from her.
She admitted that she kept private boarding house
she herself attended them. She then produced
puny little child for tho Doctors inspection. thcn
a iew weeks old. whose good health and
looks strongly c0ntrasted with those OF the
puny infant. She even asked DR.. Hughes
10 take tho babe In his and feel It's
weight but the Doctor declined. In the Of the
conversation she SAID she knew her business well
doctor, and that In former years certificates OF
death signed by her were accepted by tho Board Of
Health 'They DON'T do tnat now" said the Doctor.
'Oh. no." rcphed tho Doctress; 'that's all past and
Dr. hughes believes that the unfortunate women
no invoke Mrs worcesters assistance are, as a rule
country people. although he says, there may be
many New Workers. II III impossible to say
who enter this house. They al evidently belong to
r~h fhnR1 h,el,
or paramours pay the money, which Is no small sum,
got their friends OF their trouble n the opinion
OF Dr. Hughes the establishments 10 bad one. The
above facts will be embodied In Dr. Hughes report to
the Health Board, which will be sont in tomorrow.
THE INXoCENTs.
The children who thus unfortunately brought
into this world. and VINO are, as rule abandoned by
their unnatural Mothers advertised for adoption.
But instead OF being freely given to those who would
take charge of The poor little waits. they actually
sold. and many close bargain Is made between tho
proprietresses OF such houses and the wouid-be.
adopter A physician who has studied the
matter states that from $50 to $3.50 often demanded
10 UIso eSuSby little infant. il viii not be- gwen Sp
until good sum Is paid In fact there Is general
traffic IN these unconscious babes. and tho highest
bidder gets the frst choice.
Armed with this Information thought necessary
to see Mrs Worcester and hear her version Of
"MRs woRCEsrER, PHYSICIAN"
No. l49 Charles street Is q plain two story brick
Building with basement There IL nothing romark-
able about the dwelling excep: the SILVER plate on tho
Ply sican." The HERALD reporter rang the bell and
alter moment or Two u middle-agcd woman, wearing
and admitted him. Her hrst exclamation
'Be you health inspector or be you reporterP I
have had enough Of both to-day"
~ am reporter, madam, aud to Mrs. wor-
cester In relation to the matter which seems to have
gwen tho Bureau of Vital Statistics so much
the deaths Of the Infants since last August
In this house"
The lady, who has a square rosouto face and cold
much you want to know about the matter. Or per-
haps should say don't fear an investigation In
tlse me II they sec it, My business will not suffer
from IT."
Just then sharp featured girl camo up from the
kitchen, where. from her attire, might be per-
mtted to judge she had been busy Stepping quickly
behind Mrs. Worcester, sne exclaimed =
'Mamma! don't allow the gentleman to stand there,
with the door wide open exposing IN that KIND OF
way. Take him into the parlor."
The reporter Immediately shown into the neatly
furnished parlor and the was closed behind HIM
Inviting him to be seated Mrs. Worcester toog char
and composed herself 10 answer any question that
might be put to her
vEILgD BUSINESS.
swell, Mrs. Worcester" said thc reporter ''os you
are disposed TO bo communicative, win you state the
precise nature OF your business here, and how is
Transacted"
eyes will; my house Is frequented by women who
are about to become mothers aud who do wish tho
world TO know It, ! attend TO them during their
accouchements and care for their offspring until they
Gun be removed to suitable homes Many married
women have come TO me because they knew they
would bc well treated and have that quiet which LADIES'
III their critical situation SO sadly need. But the
majority OF my customers are unmarried women
whose good names lmpcrilled by their indiscre
tons and who desire TO keep their friends In the dark
to the actual state oi things.'
"Mrs Worcester, have many infants died In your
house, or, to put II another way has the death rate
among The little creatures been large percentage Of
the birthsy"
This question greatly embarrassed and annoyed her
She did not reply Immediately, but when she did she
gcstcuatcd impatienty, saying "I think have been
lied about by The healtn officers and AN sure
show better record than they In their nsti-
tutions have had about hty women confined In tho
house during the last SIX months, and only I've
OF the infants have died"
Did these die reccntiyy"
''No; two thrco died during the hot weather In
August, when tho mortality SO great all over the
city. One child was brought here week ago
from the hospital where It born, and II nearly
dead wnen began to treat II. Tie last one 1T
tie thing that belonged to stylish young lady Fth
avenue She had laced herself tignty TO prevent
the detection OF her sccret--bccausc she was not
wcddcd-that she had been unable to tako enough