Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-07-19
A SAD STORY.


lowing statement before the public: on Friday
evening, about O'Clock l noticed from the
girl, barefoot and poorly clad, leaning against
the high fence which separates my yard from
another. i'What do you want here?" l de-
manded, and In answer the child raised her
folded hands up to me, and with fearful eyes
and CHASTITY face, bearing the expression OF
fright, she whispered up to me; ''You see q
''N0.r and went quickly down to her. looked
In her face and Immediately felt sympathy
with her: Large eyes, set in an Intelligent
at me pleadingly. The marks of blows were
plainly visible In the face; on the neck was a
long red stripe, and before she told me word
you 1 led her to a bench in the yard, aud
with the words: ooh, she will beat me to DEATH y
she burst anew into tears. "See my back" she
sald, and IN unbott6ni9g her garment sa The
was not an inch that was not bruised, from
shoulders to waist. On her left arm, counted
= marks, some of them older scars, ali more
than one inch long; on her head, saw two
scars. each one inch long; on her right
shoulder fresh scar; On her wrists were blue
swellngs. II was sight to soften the hardest
crowd gathered. took the girl up in the par
lor and heard her story. A woman named
Jenny Baker, alias Perry, living in 1917 street,
her, when five years old-her own mother was
in the poorhouse She did not know her
mothers name; had not seen her since six
>
evening she sat at the front door and said.
g How do you do to lady passing by with
her child, upon which, her adopted mother, who
had forbidden her to speak to anyone, dragged
her upstairs, tied her hands with rope-like
string. and beat her with cowhide. Allie sue
ceeded In reaching the door, and pushing it
open, od run -s down TO the street and hid in
MIR. Given united her hands. Knowing that she
was pursued by the woman, she ran further
until she reached street, and took refuge 10 the
house occupied by Mrs. White, colored woman,
who knew her. AS soon as the latter saw the
adopted mother come In search for Allie, she
halloed to her: Glide where you can" This
prompted the girl to climb over the fence, and
Hearing this tale often interrupted by sobS. |
promised her to keep her in my house. Mean
while large crowd had gathered, several
Stated that had taken the unfortunate child aid
In my house aud meant to protect her. asked
the police officers to come In. Seeing the marks
on the girl they agreed to take her the next
safe. My own children played with her. we
took supper together, and as 1t was bed time,
proposed to Allie TO take BATH and then to
bell rang, the rain was pouring down, and l
fearing mischief, asked the only gentleman
present In the house to see who it was. heard
the voice Of woman: my darling, beloved
all IN sharp pointed accents. l went down
and saw two women in the hall-the
one whose snrin voice had heard
addressed me: "Give me my darling back, you
have children OF your own; give me my dar-
hng.' beheld one OF those faces, not ugly In
form, but with those peculiar features which
even to the coarse hair around the mouth, from
which emanated strong odor of whisky. "Let
me see my child" she exclaimed; upon which
woman's voice Allie had lied through the rain ain
to our woodshed and cried out: "Don't let her
see me; she will beat me again." This told to
the woman, and with difficulty we succeeded In
getting her and her companion out Of the
house. The next morning the warrant was OBJ
tanned. Sunday evening we went out with the
child She seemed quite happy, and Monday
She was nervous and frightened, and when she
saw the woman she whispered 70 me: "Look at
her hOrrid face There was large number OF
witnesses for Allie, but Justice Bundy, the new
acter OF defendant as did Judge Smelly, did not
ask any witness on the stand, but the young
son OF MI. Given, who testified like little
man; Allie, who was very tired from long
waiting, gave her answers In low voice, and
seemed to be much frightened by the exalnina-
ton OF lawyer who appeared to be so much
blush to insult me with the proposition: should
take the girl In my charge ON condition that
should consent to the 0isis Of Mdame Baker alias
PERU, from 49, street, at my house, which pro-
position was duly rebuked by me. Since no
witnesses were heard, and since the Judge did
not even look at the mangled back OF the child
and did not seem to hear the charge, that the
woman threw butcher knife at her. which
penetrated apron and dress, and left scar to
be seen forever on Der right shoulder, he dis
missed the case, and the woman, who had pre-
pared herself with carpet-bag to 60 to Jail,
lime surprise through the court room She de-
through her lawyer, an interview with
Allie, who declared all the while that she would
esc ot e district 5e
p0rar1ly In my custody. We went home, the
child frequently expressing her hate against
the woman, and her utter disappointment
ten minutes after we had entered my house
Allie was missing, and i got the message
that she had met with the woman on a corner,
and that she had taken Allie with her. did
not believe 1t, but when minute later the wo-
man In person handed to nay servant the shoes
and stockings which we had given to Allie and
demanded Allie back. In vain. She went of
with her slender mother" By what means she
enticed her away Is unknown 10 me. The woman
One month she was In Jail for keeping house
OF bad character, and twice she was fined S. for
beating her adopted boy, who ran away six
weeks ago and never returned. Allie stated
that she had to work very hard; to scrub, wash,
iron, and that she was compelled to sit up most
always until IL O'Clock, often until and O'Clock
In the morning, to swatch" the house-yet she
a fresh victtmf Allie is only II years Old Can
society permit theSe3truction OF an intelligent
child. thrown by merciless fate into the sOiled
hands OF human demon? Is there no law to
prevent crimes Of this kind? l appeal to all
to take notice of this sad case,
and am ready to give further particulars to any
one interested. Mrs. HENRY ULKE,
No. All 18th street NV.
THE CAREER OF THIS CHILD BEATER.
The woman, Jennie Perry, alias Jenny Baker,
who has made herself conspicuous In thls case
for cruelty, has been known to the police for
many years. About eleven years ago she figured
as the principal performer In the case Of bogus
baby transaction. Previous to that time she
had been keeping house OF ill-repute on 18th
street, below &, and having lover who WAS re-
ported to be wealthy, she wished him to marry
her. She therefore carried out plan similar
to that attempted later by another woman Oh
senator Cameron. She represented to her lover
that she was about to become mother By him
1t happened at that time that girl. known as
Sallie Hart, whose parents resided a few squares
north OF where the old jail stood. was about to
become mother, and she was then an inmate
of a house Oh 18th street.
THE BOGUS BABY TRANSACTION.
On the birth OF Saliie'S chtld-a fine boy-the
physician who attended her, and who knew OF
Jenn1e's plans took the child to Jennie, when
she hastily got sick and soon had the Hart baby
In bosom. Word was Immediately sent to her
friend and he hastily responded when an inter-
esting scene took place, In which she insisted
On his making good his promise to marry her.
and he agreed to do so, but begged for time, as