The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-13
TO THE LOWEST DEPTHS.

THE CAREER OF MOTHER WHO SACRIFICED
EVERYTHING TO DRINK-sTRUGGLING IN A
STATION HOUSE.
On February 5, 1877, notification was received by
the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
that in the tenement house No. 1S3 4venue G was a
case requiring immediate investigation. A mother,
whom the neighbors declared to be perfect slave Of
drink had driven her five children into the streets
while locked up in her own apartments she spent
the time in passing from one stage of drunken
delirum to another. Officer Chiardi went to the
house and found at the barrcaded doors of the
two small children crouching the floor and crying
with hunger They had had food that day.
Their father driven to despair his wife excesses
was away from home. and their natural pro-
tector. with no other company than the bottle,
satiating her thirst for liquor. Inquiry revealed
that the victim of intemperance Mary Ward. the
wife Of hard working cooper, who still strove to
help her and her little There FIVE children
in all, varying in age from girl who could take
Of herself to infant eighteen months Of age
The officer was unable to induce her to open the
door, and he was forced to await the following day
when Justice Murray issued warrant which she
arrested. Her husband told his story in court
and the woman was committed.
Once out again. she fell anew into her evil ways
little boys. John and Martin. into the street beg
The society notified OF this on the 9th Of April
1878. and officer Chiard visited the miserable room
promised amendment, and was not molested till
May II, 1879 when the police of the Eleventh pre-
cinct arrested her for forcing her children to beg
again. The woman husband could not be found this
time. Out Of work, dispirted and sckened with
her brutality he had gone away She was living
then at No. 507 East Thirteenth street, but dis
appeared from the place after her arragnment, only
to be heard from three months later at No. 434 .s
Thirteenth street. On August Is the husband went
to Judge Smith, in the Essex Market Police Court.
and begged his Intervention. The children. John
and Martin, when found by the societys agent,
sent to the Asylum of the immaculate Virgin, while
their mother went to the island again.
LAST APPEARANCE.
Late on last Tuesday night officer Chiardi was
called from his bed to t. the Eighteenth precinct
station, where a little child was in need OF the
societys protection She but three years old
and had been dragged into the place by filthy, be-
sotted woman. who had come to ask lodgings. but
sank the hoor. stupefed by liquor. Officer Chard
went to question her and recognized with difficulty in
the forlorn and attenuated creature the woman OF
whose excesses he had the bitter fruit. Little
Jane was the child she had along with her
and she blurted out in her Z. lucid in
tervals that she had lost her little boys
Daniel and Dominick two nights before Tho latter
found yesterday morning and sent to the
Catholic Protectory while his baby sister pro-
vided for elsewhere. The degraded mother. who
ton of them, caught the little girl to her bosom and
chung to her with such desperation almost to
strange the child. With the policemen who tried
to release it she fought like tigress. and 1t re-
quired four of them to get the two apart The
woman sent to her old abiding place on the
island; but this time she Is broken i'll health that
her career seems well nigh ended