The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-26
JOE KENTzLER,s CHILDREN.
Their Christmas Made Unpleasant b,
Their Brutal Parent.

For the purpose of seeing the children
at the Orphans Home enjoy their Christ
mas and make merry, PosT-INTELLI-
GENcER reporter went out to the home ut
the corner of Harrison and Box streets,
early yesterday afternoon.
Instead of merry laughter and signs of
Christmas trees at the home, all was very
quiet. The blinds ON the windows were
pulled down and the building looked
gloomy. Not soul was in sight except a
tall man with a frown on his face, who
paced up and down in font of the home
and watched the blinded windows with
something of more than ordinary interest.
The ring of the bell was answered by the
matron of the home, Mrs. M. G. Smith,
who opened the door cautiously and said:
"You can come in if you promise me
you won't let that man i'm
The tall man had followed to the door,
way, and when the reporter had squeezed
through, he seized the door knob and at
tempted to. pull it open, but the key was
turned quickly and he was shut out.
The man said to the gray haired matron:
That's all right, old lady. I'll get even
with you and see my kids whether you
want me to or not.n
Mrs. Smith was very much excited and
worried. The fifteen little girls i'm the
home were all slowed away out of sight,
but the twenty-nine little boys, ranging in
ages from four to ten years, were huddled
IN the hallway, puzzled at the strange
proceedings and were whispering excitedly
to each other.
THAT man is Joseph kentzler," said
Mrs. Smith, as soon as she could catch her
breath, "and he says he will take away
his two children, which the court put
here in charge of the Ladies' Relief Soci-
Afx I have /, IL, r.
weeks and I'm almost frightened to death
to keep them any longer. He came here
about two weeks ago to see his little bow
and girl, and was in the house from
O'Clock In the afternoon until in the
evening. When he came in he wanted the
children to put on their hats and go out to
his wagon, which he had in waiting, but
and applied to me the most insulting of
epithets. He called me dirty old brute.
He said TO me-
"1'll have those children or I'll wiring
your old neck
II was most too frightened to do any,
thing, but would not let him go with the
children. At 5 o'clock Captain Kent, of
the house. He has tried to get in many
times since, but I have locked the door
whenever hear him coming. He comes
here about every other day and will try to
get in the back way, and has gone into the
cellar 10 look around. He accuses me of
whipping his children, but il is not true
/ have never touched them. I have had
no occasion to because they are good. He
has talked TO the other little bows when
they are playing in the yard, and has said !:
Don't You see the bruises on your
arms? Why don't you run away; that old
woman does not treat you right
The children look at their arms and
seeing no bruises run in the house. for
they are afraid of him."
When the reporter left the Home Joseph
kentzler was still in waiting, and recog-
mixing the visitor as reporter he walked
away with him. Kentzler was greatly
wrought up over his children being taken
away from him. He denounced the
Ladies Relief Society, the matron of the
Home and Judge Lichtenberg. who. at the
instance of the mother of the children. nut
the little ones in charge of the Relief Soci-
ETY., in the most offensive terms. He ac-
cused them all of being in q conspiracy
10 steal his kids" from him. He said:
Il have right to scessthem children and
| m going 10 when | want to, if have to
kick the door down. They had no right TO
take them away. have q right to take
them out of that Home and am going to
take them away. They don't treat them
right. That old woman out there beats and
abuses them and I'm going to bust up
that institution. I'm only a waitin' until
the supreme court gives up the children to
me. and then with their mother tllis di-
yorced wifel out of the way I'm a-going 10
sue the Ladies' Relief Society for $4,000
damages; and I'll get it. toon