Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-07
RUM AGAINST BABIES.
A Sad Sample Of the Life to be Seen
Among the Poor at the Point.
CHILDREN NEGLECTED FOR DRINK.
Left Hungry and Almost Naked by Their
BibulOus Parents.
THE PROTECTING ARM OF TIE POLICE

Early yesterday afternoon Mrs. Jane
Robinson, poorly dressed, middle-aged
resident of the Point, walked into the Cen
trail police station with baby in her arms.
The infant was but weeks old. 1t was
wrapped in a thin, little shawl. Its bare feet
were exposed and blue with the cold. Its
face was punched and dirty, and its wailings
pierced the hearts of the blue-coated officers.
Mrs. Robinson's steps were not too steady,
Inspector McAleese observed, but she told
him coherent story.
She said that her niece, Mrs. Essie Dorm
ing. was the mother of the baby. "She
gets drunk" she said, land so does Will
lam. her husband. She neglects the
children terribly. This day she came into
nv house, threw the baby here on the table,
and said she was going to get drunk, and
she's drunk now at home. want police
man to 90 down and get her, and Billy, too,
but take care of the child"
THE MATRoN TAKES THE KID.
The Inspector did not consider Mrs Rob
inson the best person in the world TO care
for the infant, as she had carried it all the
yay from the Point with its bare feet ex-
protests, which were vigorous, he took the
child away and placed it in the care OF
Matron Brennan. That good lady washed
the little one, and made it as comfortable as
possible BY the warm fire. But it cried dur
| ing the better part of the evening, and its
voice was stilled only when it sank into an
exhausted sleep.
Officer Patrick Farrell was sent to No.
Fort street, the domicile of the Dorning's s,
to look for the father and mother. He
| found the woman, and with her little girl
of only 1S months. The mother was
maudlin drunk, and as happy in her intoxi-
cation as an oyster at high tide. The child
wore only one old ragged garment, and her
face was so dirty that Mr.. Farrell could not
certainly have said whether she were white
or black. Mother and child were conveyed
to the station house, where the mother was
laid in a cell and the little girl given to
the tender care of Mrs. Brennan. When
the child's face was washed the officers were
surprised to see what pretty and bright
little thing she was.
A sPEAK-EASY UNEARTHED.
Officer Farrell returned to the Point to
| discover the wayward William. Searching
around in the rear of No. Fort street, he
heard loud noises coming from the shanty
occupied by Mrs. Griffin, on what is called
Cavey court Thinking he might find
Dorning there, he walked in, and found
himself in speak-easy. Besides Mrs.
Griffin, eight or ten men were there. drink
ing and roistering. On the entrance of the
handsome officer there was confusion.
Men darted through all possible doors and
up stairways, but William Dorning did not
| get away. He was too drunk, and Mr.. Far
| rell took him to the Central
| 1t was learned that there is third child,
boy years old, who is running around
the streets somewhere in his bare feet.
Father and mother were charged with
| drunkenness.
Agent Dean, of the Anti-Cruelty Society,
visited the station last night and investi-
gated the case. The little ones will be
given into his charge to-day, and he says
that he will endeavor strenuously to find
4 the little boy. He will prefer against the
parents charges of cruelty and neglect Of
their children.