St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-27
FROZEN TO DEATH.
Little Hanna De Vries Found
Beside Her Mother Un-
der an Oak.
A Woman and Child Exposed
for Three Days and Three
Nights
To Rain, Sleet, Snow and
Cold--The Mothers Feet
Frozen.
The Curse Of Thomas De VrieS'
Home and What 1t
Led To.

sleek farm, two miles to the southwest
OF Railway, has been managed by q
Iiollander named Thomas De Vries, 4
tall.sslender man of forty years, with
Saxon hair and beard. This man, his
father. an old Hollander, Jacob Lucas,
have lived in a cottage in the rear of the
bigh white farm house. As De Vries
had q good place, and as his three chill
dren were bright, rosy girls, he ought to
have been happy. But there was one
thing which hung like a cloud Over the
household and made it anything but a
pleasant home at times. Mrs. De Vries
was afflicted with a mania for drink.
Whenever the opportunity afforded She
would give herself up to it, and change
from Il pleasant, handsome, lovable
roma to thai which intoxication may
make of any man or woman.
Mrs. De Vries is now thirty-eight
years old, and. when she is kept away
from liquor. she is a pretty oma
VITA her blonde hair and great blue
eyes. She has a Slightly haggard and
worn expression. At such times she
vas devoted to her three children. but
especially to the youngest, Hanna, a
girl OF five, quick and active, with her
mothers golden hair and blue eyes.
Last July Mrs. DE Vries escaped
from the care Of her family; for the
children, lne oluest of whom is but
thirteen, had learned Of their mothers
weakness and sought to guard against
it. She disappeared for four days. She
was found wandering about the roads,
remorseful and ashamed to go home.
Her husband. after this. was more care
full than G to keep money away from
her. He warned SalOOnheeperS and
druggists in Railway not to let her have
anything to drink.
Last Friday morning he had to go to
Elizabeth with some farm products. He
set out about 10 O'clock. A short time
afterward Mrs. DE Vries told her father
she was going to Railway 10 buy a pair
of shoes for the oldest girl. She SAID
she had just enough to pay for them,
$3.50. Mi. Lucas tried to dissuade her,
but she was determined. At 1880 she
started, taking the little girl,
Hanna, with her. 1t was a cold
and cloudy day. and both the
mother and the daughter were warmly
a short brown cloak, and Over this a
heavy shawl of a curious pattern, a
shawl she had brought from Holland.
The little one trudging at her side wore
thick stockings. a warm cloak and a
Tam O'Shanter hat. Mrs. De Vries car
RED a travelling bag in WHICH to put the
shoes.
At 1880 o'clock they were in Turner's
shoe shop. the child sitting on a stool
talking and laughing with the young
woman who waited OH them. Mrs. De
Vries selected a pair OF shoes of her
daughters size. She found that the
price was $l.65 and asked the clerk to
charge them. As she was well known
in the shop the clerk agreed. She put
the shoes in the bag ana started out.
Just across the street is a saloon for
merly kept by Oakley, but now owned
by L. W. Corier. Mrs. De Vries was
seen to hesitate, and then to cross the
street and enter the saloon. She bought
two quarts and a pint of French spirits,
which are nearly pure alcohol. The
barkeeper. who did not know her and
did not know of the prohibition her hus-
,aIu had gwen. sold it readily and put
the liquor up in four bottles, three pints
and a quart. Mrs. De VrieS paid for
this liquor with the Sl.30 and put the
bottles into the bag. At 4:30 O'Clock
that afternoon she knocked at the door
of the cottage of a colOred man named
Harper, and asked to be allowed to come
in and arm herself.
lie child, blue with cold, was with
her. They sat down close to the stove,
and Mr.. Harper saw she was under the
him her name, and when he prevented
her from taking a drink from one of the
bottles she got up and, leading the child
by the hand, staggered out into the
fast gathering darkness.
About this time Mr.. De Vries re-
turned home. He found that his wife
was gone, aad at once knewthe cause Of
her prolonged ab>ence. He took a lam
tern and started out. He inquired from
farm house to farm house. He searched
every foot of the road between the farm
and Railway. He asked every one he
met, but he found no trace Of her, and
late at night he returned home, frantic
with anxiety. He knew that his wife
must have given way to her old weak
ness. and he knew that the little child
with her was likely to suffer for it.
Saturday morning came and he
searched again. Early in the day there
was snow. and in the afternoon this
changed to sleet and then to rain. The
day ended with the roads and fields
frozen and the air full of q cold, driZz-
ling rain. He had been unable to trace
| her further than the saloon and the
shoe store. He did lot Tell the police,
because he hated the disgrace of it, and
he still hoped that she might have been
taken in and cared for by some farmer
of the neighborhood.
1t rained a part of Saturday night and
then came Sunday. cold and clear. But
| The woman and the child were not
found. On Monday morning he met
S"rTeant CONFER. of the Railway police,
and told him of the missing wolna and
chliu. The sergeant said mat the man
was worn and sick. The news now
\ opiea., and soon every II was looking
Tor the wOman Many farmers already
knew She and the little girl were miss
ng because of De VrleS' inquiries
among them.
NiIliam and Robert Leary are two
employees of the Johnson ST gnal com
pany, half q mile west of Railway.
Monday afternoon, when work was
over, they went to their home at Six
Roads, a mile and a half down. and got
their guns. They started out hunting,
taking their way through Milton woods,
in the direction of Railway, and be-
tween Railway and Buddensiek farm.
They had reached a point half a mile
1 NNob VI H 1tui way StdUlOil anu
were walking along through the woods
on the lookout for rabbits. All at once
William Leary saw a bundle of rags on
the ground a few feet from the base of
a big white oak.
"rernaps tners's a rabbit under those
rags" said he, when they were within
fifteen feet of the oak. Lets stir them
up."
AS he spoke there was a movement
and q woman's head was lifted up, and
then they saw that the bundle of rags
was a human being covered with q
shawl. She looked at them, pushing
back her long yellow hair from heI
eyes. Her look was wild. and she said
in 4 fierce way:
what are you saying?s"
The Learys thought Sc must know
what she was about. and walked on. II
was then beginning to o and dark.
ness was at hand. When they passed
again in a few minutes OF their va,
home the woman was lying down again
She had thrown off the shawl. and She
seemed 10 be asleep. Then they saw