Telegram-herald., 1890-03-03
MOST TERRIBLE But TRUE.
A Horrible Story That Comes From
Kalamazoo.
Incest, Disease, Dirt and Death the Con-
comitants of the Disgusting
yetter Family History
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Cks-ss.st " xst ytNt,R,s -stNNss.
KALAMAZOO, Mich, March "A hor-
rible and disgusting state of affairs, ex-
isting in the family of John Vetter, who
lives about three miles from here, has
just come to light.
Vetter j. German emigrant. about
80 years OF age, and is employed by the
Michigan Central Railroad Company as
a track hand, at daily wage of Sl.l0.
With the usual thrift of his nation.
he has managed. out of this small
stipend, TO save enough TO buy and pay
for two acres OF ground and 4 house.
His family at one time consisted of a
wife, four daughters and two sons.
Some time ago his wife became men,
tally unsound and was sent to the mad
house, 10 which place her eldest daugn-
ter quickly followed her. Another
daughter went out TO service III this
city and has since continued IN that
capacity, earning for herself an ire
proachable character. The family llv
ing at home now consists of two boys
of IL and II years of age. and two
daughters of l. and IS year. Some
time since, the old man made applIca-
ton to the pOormaster for aid for one
of the daughters; which WAS refused.
Terrible stories obtained circulation
as to the doings in the Netter family
and they finally reached such proper
tions that tie humane agent deter
mined to investigate. He did so and a
fearful condition OF things was brought
to light. The house is composed of
two rooms down stairs and q loft
reached by ladder. In this loft the
whole family nested together on a pile
of straw thrown down IN one corner.
No beds. no bed clothing, mattresses or
any other civilized appliances for sleep;
just simply pile of foul smelling,
musty straw. One OF the girls proved
to be the the putrid and mortlfying
result Of loathsOme disease. She
seemed idIotic, her lower eXtremities
were swollen 10 twice their normal size
and were mass of fostering, sinking
sores, swathed IN rags; while her arms
and the upper part OF her body had
shrunk to skeletOnic dimensions. Her
father claims she Is the victim of a
tramp who visited the place some
months since. The other daughter
Is alleged to be sac
Tltice to her fathers lust, as some
time since she was delivered of child,
OF which her father IS the reputed par
ent, which soon after died. As an
evidence of the degraded instincts OF
the family it may be mentioned that
the little corpse was placed IN one of
the rooms and allowed to remain there
until the stencil from It's decaying body
penetrated TO passersby, and they were
forced by the neighbors TO bury it.
The clothing of the unfortunate young
women consisted solely and only Of
4 dress made from material similar to
thnt used in the manufacture OF over
als. 70 linen, no under clothes, no
skirts, stockings or shoes. The odor
from the place was so vile that the at
mosphere, for a hundred yards around,
reeked with il. Strange to say, a COW,
some PIGS and chickens. were found
on the premises in excellent condition.
The humane agent ordered the poor
master to take charge of the SICK girl,
and VIII swear out a warrant for the
father on the charge Of incest.