River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-12-16

was bloated and she was breathing
heavily. Upon the floor about her head
was a coating of ice. She had been
terribly sick some time before. The
| picture breaches its own moral. Some
hours later Justice Ingersoll disposed
OF the family. The mother-Isabella
Walker was her name-and the un-
weaned baby, was sent to the bride
well. The two others found home at
the half-orphan asylum.
The case of James Lambert and his
wife, at No. $50 Tourney street, fur
nishes another instance of the pitiable
suffering OF children. The pair rented
a room. They worked spasmodically;
they drank continuously Two mites
of children they had succeeded in drag
ging into the world. They had no fur
niture. The only thing in the apart
ments, besides filth, was a stove, and
that was borrowed. The owner took it
away, and the paupers had absolutely
nothing. Then the woman did days
work, bought supply of whisky, and
man and wife started on a spree
which lasted a week. The children
tasted like Tanners until Humane the
society stepped between them and
starvation. In the rear of No. 90 West
Kinzie street a family named O'Malley
vegetated. Three children blessed
their union. When the parents were
sober, the little ones were ten;when
they were drunk the youngsters were
starved. Taken to the Madison street
station, one child was sent to the Chris
tan Brothers, and two girls went to the
Servite Sisters The father and mother
vary the monotony of their drunken
existence by occasional trips to the
bridewell
James Dizzy and wife, of No. 20 South
Desplaines street, have family of four
children, all ranging from l to 4 years
of age. The youngest one was I'M
weaned, and it probably got the benefit
of some of the alcohol absorbed by its
mother As for the others, they tasted
very little food, and water they alb
stained from altogether. The little ones
were all taken to st. Joseph's Orphan
Asylum. The parents trudge on
through the mire of life and pursue
the dual business of raising more in
fants and swallowing more rum.
But the utter degradation of children
in Chicago is carried on to more ter
rlble extent than can be imagined from
the above instances. South Clark
street, State street, and Fourth avenue
are lined with low saloons and dens of
intamy where little girls between the
ages of L and Is years lead lives of
shame. Where they come from is
mystery; but that they are rented out,
l II
owners is no less certain Why do not
the police interfere is question daily
asked. Many of the police and the
demi-mo,ede of Chicago, are VIGOROUSLY
upon the best of terms.
Maggie Spierman, child of Jewish
extraction and only 10 years of age
has frequented the cheap lodging
houses, of Lake street for some time
past. She looked upon herself as zone
of de gang" In the saloons she used
to get stupefed with liquor, and spend
most of her time in the society of de-
graded ruffians. Ten years of age, and
virtually prostitutel Maggie by
chance attracted the attention of a
lady at No. 173 West Lake street. The
child is now in the industrial school at
Evanston.
But such instances might be null
tiphed at iafnjtnm. More pathetic
than Mrs. Browning's 'Cry of the Chill
dren" is that which rises from the
Sums of Chicago in sad appeal for
help And it will probably be I'M
needed by those who regard such little
onLs as worthless contributions thrown
into the waste-basket of the world.