The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-25
She Deposits Her New Born Babe in
Priyy Vault,
Where it was Discovered by the Police,
and COrOner's Inquest Held
Over its Remains.
The Mother, Miss Annie Schneider, In
the County Jail.
Her Story as Told to An Argus Re-
porter.

Chief of Police Miller has been secretly
at work since Thursday morning on
case of a sensational character, the facts
of which were first learned this morning,
when coroner's jury was empannelled
to hold an inquest over female infant
that had been found in privy vault on
the premises of Alex Matthey, foreman at
Huber's brewery
On Thursday morning Marshal Miller
was notified by Mr.. Matthey, that a girl
employed at his house had given birth to
a child in the privy at the rear of his
house, and that she had deposited it in
the vault The marshal inquired into the
case, and last night in company with
Scavenger Watkins, visited the place in
question, and succeeded in Sc
curing the body of we'll developed
FEMALE INFANT
The body was taken to the armory
where it remained until this morning,
when it was taken to Coroner HAYES
Office and an inquest intended to be held
A jury was empannelled consisting of W.
Fl. Lundy, G. L. Quist, Alonzo McClain,
VIM. Whitehead, Holmes Hakes and
Louis V Eckhart. Dr. s. c. Plnmmer
made ADMINISTRATION. reporting that the
child had been born alive, healthy and
well developed No violent marks were
found on its body, and from the congested
condition of its chest, it looked as though
death had resulted from strangulation.
Several important witnesses being absent,
the inquest was postponed until this
afternoon at four o'clock.
While Marshal Miller was busy secur-
ing the body of the babe, Officer
Metsch left in search of the
unfortunate girl who had left the city,
and gone to Taylor Ridge. The officer
came upon her late last night at the house
of friend, about mile north of the
station, and brought her back to Rock
Island She was placed in the county
Jail, where she told her story to an ARGUS
reporter When ushered into her pres
ence by the obliging turnkey, Ed. Ret,
ECKER. she was found sitting on the bed in
her cell and by the expression on her
face it was evident that she was sadly
thinking over her ruin. She is young
Lady of not unprepossessing appearance,
with dark eyes and hair. Upon the man
of news telling her the nature of his visit,
she first showed reluctance in speaking,
but was finally induced to tell the follow
ing story:
My name is Annie Schneider, and for
some time past have been engaged to
do the honse- work for Mr. Alex Matthey
who keeps saloon and boarding house
adjoining Huber's brewery. slept well
on Wednesday night and felt as well as
usual on the following morning, until
after had finished my work. when was
taken quite sick, and going to the privy,
l was delivered of child; cannot tell its
sex; | knew that l was enceinte, but did
not expect TO become a mother so soon.
My sister and had intended to go to
Marshalltown, Iowa. Becoming scared
of what had happened l went into the
the country, where the officer found me. d"
To the question as to who is the father
of the child, she would not answer, say
ing that she would not give him away
Not being able to gain any further infor-
nation the reporter left. The girl did
not appear to be fully impressed with the
character of the awful crime that she had
committed, and certainly must think 6
good deal of her seducer, from the fact
that she wishes to shield his name from
publicity.
The inquest was postponed until Mon
day morning.