Evening journal., 1889-05-29
BURNED DELLA WITH HOT IRONS.
MRS. Du Bois Charged with shamefuIIy
Abusing Her Daughter.

Thirty fourth street is now in the City
Prison. The ingenuity shown by the
woman in subjecting the child to the
agonies of death without actually killing
IL shocked those who heard the story told
before Justice Patterson in the jefferson
Market Police Court yesterday.
A child with face so mutilated as to
be almost beyond recognition was led
into the court room. The little ones
eyes were half closed. If hit by prize
fighter they could not have been more
discolored It's nose was swollen and
knocked out of shape. A big lump stuck
out on the forehead and the head was
covered with bumps that even a thick
growth Of hair could not hide The
bumps were none of natures making,
but had been produced by club, claimed
by Agent Burlando, of the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children,
to have been welded by the stepmother.
The child's head presented picture
that once seen was not easily forgotten.
The piteous expression of she face as it
tried to brace itself up ON its scrawny
limbs, the groans that every now and
then came from the spot where it was
standing as it vainly attempted to shift
its position into one of comfort, sent
wave of sympathetic indignation through
/
II the head presented marks of brutal
ity the description of the body given by
DR. w. II. Snow of No.4l West Twenty
eight street, told more Of the work of
wild beast than of woman. From the
neck to the tiny toes there was scarcely a
spot that did not give evidence of the
brutal work of a tormenter.
The once soft skin was tatooed, but
not with the needle of the artist. The
body was mass of bruises-black, blue
and yellow. The arms were limp and
almost useless. Upon examination of the
lower portion of the body DR.. Snow
found that the flesh was burned almost
black. This had been done with a hot
curling iron Alongside the child stood
the mother.
She was neatly dressed, and her face
was far from being repugnant. Her
eyes had cold and souless expression,
but one could hardly believe that she was
the monster of iniquity that she was
painted by the officers of the society.
The woman appeared indignant at the
[ prosecution, which she denounced as an
outrage on the part of the officers, and
melted into real tears as she told of the
many kindnesses she had showered upon
: the child, in spite of the fact that Della
e was not of her blood.
Della evidently could not appreciate
! the tender feelings Mrs. Du Bois ex-
0 hibited, for when the lady was displaying
{ a most touching example of motherly
8 kindness the thought that seemed upper
r most in the child's brain was to get out
I of the way.
n Had it not been for the enterprise of
Mrs g. S. Thomas Of No. 413 West
;, Forty third street, in reporting the case
/. to Mr. Gerry's society, little Della, the
officers said, would soon have been killed
n under the treatment. She seemed TO be
n utterly broken in spirit and in a dazed
o sort of condition, said to have been
e brought about by a systematic course OF
e starvation. Mrs. Du Bois vehemently
n denied that she starved the child, but
It this had little weight in view Of its i'll
IS fed appearance.
d 1t seems that Mr.. Du Bois knew moth
Is ing of his childs misery. After each
-e severe beating Mrs Du Bois invariably
ie sent Della of to visit for few days will
Mrs. Thomas or some other congenia
W neighbOr. Up to Sunday, whateve
lt bruises the child received were usually
inflicted on the body, and neither Mr.
O. Du Bois nor Mrs Thomas ever saw them
On Sunday. when Della came over on
n visit to the latter, the sight Of the fac
z was all Mrs. Thomas could stand. Afte
ia some coaxing she managed to learn tn,
y. sad story of the cbild's life.
" She reported the case and Agent Bur
lando was detailed to investigate it. HI
n questioned bella but she was reticent
:. and it was not until she had been con
N vinced that her stepmother could harm
her no more that she consented to tel
ID the terrible history of her short, but mis-
cradle existence. She was taken to tht
e society rooms and Immediately placed il
2 physicians care.
y 10 this bitter arraignment Mrs. Du
Bois replied with stolid indifference
o mot guilty" At last she explained
lie that the marks on the body were caused
by Della falling down flight of stairs.
" But surely" the officer said, ''sh
re could never have marked herself tina
way by falling down stairs.
1t well she also fell off the stoop, wa
st the reply.
Mrs Du Bois made no attempt to ex
plain how the child came to be burne,
until the officer cornered her.
= 1T was simple enough, declared tn
h woman. Della was reaching up fo-
buttonhook, when she lost her balance
8 and fell ON the stove.
b. "But how does it happen that she i
is burned in the manner described by tn
A doctorY persisted the officer
y "Well, replied the woman, Il admit
Y was a little rough in taking Della off TIL
b, stove
o. The location OF the burned spots on tn
re child's body completely discredits tn
10 story told by Mrs. Du Bois. as it is al
5, utter impossibility for the injuries de
l. scribed to have come about in that way
le Mrs. Du Bois demanded an examina
ly tion.
n Justice Patterson granted her request
ly and fixed the bail at 81 900.
le Mrs. Du Bois was loud in her denun
In Citations of Mrs. Thomas. al though
ID she was my friend she exclaimed, "bu
IN I now see that she is my enemy" BE
" sides Della, there are four other .childre
.h in the Du Bois house, and not one of ther
T. bears any marks Of violence.
'n Mr.. Du B0is said that he didn't knoV
W where Della was on Sunday night. as hi
to wife had not told him. He spent severs
n, hours looking for the child on the street
in He seemed to be much. surprised at tn
al turn affairs had taken. The case wi
he be fully heard in court this afternoon. 2
ed New York Herald.
We RESISTING EVlcTlONS.
d. Twenty-Five Policemen Injured in th
Conflict Mt Falcarragh.