Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-31
1T is BAD AT BEST.
Such is the Opinion of Squire Porter
on a Baby Farm Case.
WATER AND SKINNED MILK
The Main Sustenance of Children Sent Out
by an Aid Society.
THE MAIN ALLEGATIONS In EVIDENCE

If only small proportion of all that was
yesterday sworn to is true, in the baby farm
ing case of Mrs. Quillan and daughter. of
Mansfield, the Anti-Cruelty Society will
feel justified in its prosecution of the de-
PENDANTS. The hearing before Alderman
Porter found Attorney Sullivan ready for
the prosecution, and o. K. Cook, Esq, for
the defendants.
From what was developed in evidence
Alderman Porter was led to say to reporter
at the close of the hearing: 1.-The manner
of putting out babies adopted by the Chill
dren's Aid Society is very loose. After the
babies are put out the agents of the society
allow them to be transferred to other par
ties. without making any special inquiries"
Among the prosecuting witnesses Super
intendent Dean, of the Anti-Cruelty Soci-
ETY., testified to seeing some thin. pale, sore
children fed only on bread, water and
skinned milk at Mrs. Quillan's, and to
taking one child weighing Az pounds from
her place, and in three weeks getting its
weight up to IS pounds by only
ordinarily proper treatment at the
hands of Mrs. Adams, who Scorroborated the
statement, adding that Mrs. Quillan had
given the child laudanum, paregoric, ETC.,
to keep it from dying. The child was re-
stored on a simple diet of a quart of pure
milk and enough bread daily. Mrs. Mont
gomery, who was with Mrs. Quillan two
years, corroborated all this, and said the de-
fendant neglected and abused the babies.
For the defense DR.. R. NJ. Walker. of the
Allegheny County Home, testified that his
impressions of the manner in which Mrs.
Quillan cared for the children had been
good, though he didn't know how the little
ones were fed. Mrs. Quillan herself said:
have been a nurse ever since / was IL years
of age, and am now 49, and besides this have
raised family of my own. In 1856 l received
two children from the Children's Aid Society,
and since that time 1 have received Is. The
babies were well cared for and well fed. One
of the babies might have been CALLED; but this
was common to children.
Mrs Metler, Sr., also testified to the good
treatment of the children, stating that they
were in healthy condition and that the
house was clean. Mrs. Seebick, who kept
a farm at East Mansfield, swore that she
sold milk to Mrs. Metler; she usually took
a half pint in the morning and the same
quantity in the evening; but witness in
variably gave pint each time, though only
paid for half a pint. Attorney Sullivan re-
marked to her that it would be an advisable
thing for her to open a dairy at Shadyside.
If she did business in that way he could as
sure her of large trade. The witness went
on to state that the babies were nice, clean
and fat, she had excellent opportunity of
knowing because of her frequent visits. She
could not give any certain testimony as to
how manv babies there were, but thought
half pint in the morning and the same in
the evening sufficient food for one.
Mrs. Quillan corroborated the last witness
as to the condition of the house. and those
in her charge. She said that the children
were kept in as good a condition as she
would keep her owD.
Mrs. Ella Evans said she frequently went
to Mrs. Quillan's. She saw the babies last
May. They looked happy and had the ap-
pearance of being spleadidly provided for.
Samuel O'Brien, agent for the Humane
Society, said his society sent him out to in
vestigate into the Qulllan case, and, from
what he saw there, the house was clean and
in good condition, and the boys looked
healthy.
A DREADFULLY EMAcIATED ONE.
Mrs. Lowe spoke of knowing Mrs. Adams,
who has now the possession of the children,
and said that when one of the babies was
brought to Mrs. Adams it was dreadfully
emaciated and warped; that it bore unmis-
taxable evidences of starvation; that the
lower part of its body was full of small sore
holes, sufficiently large to insert the end of
the little finger. She said Mrs Metler, who
received the children from Mrs. Quillan,
and from whom Mrs. Adams obtained them,
never nursed the babies and displayed
very callous manner toward them. She at
tributed the sores to washing their napkins
When Mrs. Lowe and Mrs. Adams visited
Mrs. Metler the baby belonging to Mrs.
Metler tried to snatch the cracker out of
Mrs. loves baby's hand, and that bore evil
dence of hunger.
Mrs. Webster, whose baby was in Mrs.
METERS home, spoke also of the cruelty the
children received, saying that when Mrs
Adams received them one of them weighed
pounds and 2 ounces. Attorney Sullivan
asked the witness how long the child was
in the possession of Mrs. Adams before it
showed signs of improvement. She said in
about two weeks an improvement could be
seen, and after it had been in her care for
nine weeks the child weighed 161l pounds.
Alderman Porter suggested that the case
be adjourned, and upon the lawyers agree
ing, their arguments will be presented on
Friday at 10 o'clock.