New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-14
HIS MOTHER TAUGHT HIN TO STEAL.
WHEN HE REBELLED SHE LOCKED HIM IN 4

WHEN HE REBELLED SHE LOCKED HIM IN
DARK ROOM AND STARVED HIM
Morris Trachumowsky, his wife, Leah, and their
son Samuel were locked up ut Police Headquarters
Yesterday, on a charge OF shocking cruelty. Trach
umowsky Is Polish Hebrew and lives In the base.
ment of the old frame house No. 81 Jeferson-st lie
brought his family to this city two ago. and he
and his Oldest son, samuel became street vendors.
His wife who is said to have been a thief In the old
country taught her two youngest sons to PICK pockets
I'm Grandst. The boys were Abraham, fourteen years
old and Isaac, twelve years old The woman is said
To have accompanied them to GIands drygoods stores
and 10 have shown them how to abstract handkerchief
and purses from the pockets Of women VINO were
shopping.
romans conduct and told Detectve-sergeants Jacobs
and Mc,ranus to watch her and the boys The officers
saw the Trachumowskys in Grand-st, but could NOS
catch them in a theft. Yesterday morning they heard
that little Abey7 had been locked up at home BY his
mother for refusing 10 comply with her demands, and
they went to the basement in Jeflerson-st TO make
an investigation. They found TrachumowslV eating
breakfast with his wife, daughter and two sons, in
front room but Abey" missing Jacobs inquired
for the how The father and mother both said that the
how was away. Speaking loudly, jacobs sad You
have hidden the boy here. am al onicer' ana you
must produce him. The parents were making fresh
denias when from behind a locked door came the cry
of a child: Here / am" McManus placed his
sbouder AGAINST the door and broke IL open. lie
looked into small rear room, not much larger than
a closet and without window. out OF the oarKheSs
emerged the naked figure OF boy In the ilght ne pre-
sented ptiable appearance. His face was bloody ana
his gaunt little body covered with the marks o.
cr,eI blows He was shaking with cold and weak
ness and he chung the officers for protection. The
room IN which he had been imprisoned was utterly
devoid OF furniture and the bare floor the detectives
found only Jar OF water and piece OF coarse brown
, bread They were Mortified when The boy told them
that he had been shut up in the room, In the darkness
and cold without any clothing, since wednesday, alpf
he had been beaten half TO death by his parents ana
older brother They were amazed when the other
members Of the family calmly aun''eo ea' 'N' wv
told the truth.
d" Abey,sn clothing was produced and after he was
dres-,a and fed the officers took him 10 the Central
| Office in company with his parents and his brothef
samuel who were placed under arrest The prisoners
were taken TO the Essex Market Police Court later and
were remanded to the custody OF inspector byrhes u
today when the Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty
10 Children will be asked TO prosecute them "Abey'
was placed In the care OF Matron Travers at Pohcs
| Headquarters.
The boy said his mother taught him to steal and
| tool, from him what he stole. on Monday ne kep'
So which he had stolen from wOman's pocket his
brother Likely told his mother and she mace
demand for 1t. When he denied having Kept tle
money She began to beat him. He ran away and iouha
shelter in a lodging house In Hester-st On Wednes'
dav his brother samuel found him and took him home.
Ills mother gave dollar to samuel for his trouble
Then she and samuel stripped oil his clothes ana pea'
| him ON the body until lie was ready TO faint. HIS
father came home later and beat him with leathern
strap the buckle of which cut Ids face and made ING
blood flow freely. Then he was locked up IN the darx
room to lie on the bare floor and shake with the eoia
for two nights and day. All the clothing he laa
was the half Of an undershirt. The boy was IN oaa
way when he found by the Officers but 1000 ana
clothing made a surprising change In him and ne Was
getting along nicely last night. Ills father saa tns
boy had been punished for his good lie admitted tna
his wife was thief. The woman denied that she haa
stolen anything or had taught her sons TO steal
hheyn had been punished for running away from
! home she said. The punishment was not TOO seVelc,
She thought. Such treatment Of bad children was MOI
uncommon in the country from which the family came.