The Jersey City news., 1891-03-04
AN INHUMAN MOTHER
She Agrees to Sell Her Two
Year-0ld Girl For
S25o.
TIE sTEP-sIsTER ISTERFEREs.
Given by the Court TO q Relative
For Safe Keeping, the Mother
Takes 1t Away.

W hlle hounosman Stanton OF the Ho-
boken police force was patroIling WASH
ington street in that city Yesterday after
noon young man named Gelger rushed
mp to him and said that mother was
about 10 sell her babe to Jew from New
York for $3.50. While Geiger was talking
TO Stanton handsome young girl passed
with child in her arms. The girl was
crying bitterly. There Is the baby now'
said Gsiger pointing 20 the baby which
the weeping young woman carried. The
officer questioned the girl and decided TO
bring all the parties before Recorder Nc
Donough. There a story was told which
created sensation
The girl who carried the child said she
was Maggie Murphy, and that she lived
with her parents at No 4 Ferry street.
About one year ago her father married .
Mrs Leary, a widow, who had one child,
a glrl, AZ that time one year and six
and was very pretty. Murphy, who Is
'longshoreman. at once, il Is said, formed
dislike for the child and Mrs. Leary did
not appear to care much for her either
The little one was not fed or clothed
properly and finally some neiQhbor In the
condition, took IL and cared for it.
About week ago Mira Murphy went
to these good people, and, protesting .
sudden interest in the little one whom
she had 50 cruelty neglected, again OBJ
taiued possession Of 1t. The nsighbors
thought that the mother had some other
motive besides humane one, and decided
to watch the child. On last Saturday :
shrewd looking man, with Jewish cast
Of features, called on Mrs Murphy and
remained there for over an hour He
called again on Monday morning Mag
| gle Murphy, Mrs. Murphy's ssep-dauRh-
ter, was in an adjoining room whsn he
called, and then she Overheard q story
which greatly excited her
The fellow. who had called on her srep-
mother, was there for the purpose Of buy
| ing little Nora. Mrs Murphy had an
| swered an advertisement In a New York
paper which called for a two-vear-old girl
and the fellow was an agent for the peo-
| pie VINO wanted tbs little one. Nora was
shown 10 him and Maggie overheard him
say
II guess the little one viii I'll the bin.
She is pretty and has blonde hair and
| blue eyes. / will call again and paw yov
| $50 but do not say a word to any one in
| the meantime. This was all Maggie
Murphy waited 20 hear. She left fhs
Geiger family. at No. 80 Monroe
street, who are friends of hers.
\ and told them what she over
| heard. Yesterday afternoon she went
| back 10 her stepmorher. She cried and
| implored the inhuman mother not 10 sell
| the child, but all her entreaties were in
vain. Then she secured permission to
| have the child's photograph taken, and
was on her way TO photograph gallery
when RoundEman Stanton learned Of the
case
s'WeIl, this beats anything that have
heard in my judicial experience" re-
| marked the Judge when he mad heard the
above story. Here is a mother trying to
barter her own child as If it were SO much
merchandiser'
The Judge then awarded the custody Of
/ the young one to Mrs Geiger, who left
| the court room with the little one In her
arms The child was laughing and pratt
1 ting happily, all unconscious OF what was
/ taxing place
About eight o'clock last night Geiger
rushed into the police station again and
said that Mrs. Murphy had taken the
| child away from him. Roundsmau STAN
/ ton went around to No. Ferry street.
| Mrs. Murphy had the child and refused
/ to give it up. She said that she did mos
want TO sell her child. but added that the
| child was a nuisance anyway.
| At the Murphy household this morning
| Mrs. Murphy was reported not at home
1 The policeman on the beat has instruc-
| tions 10 watch the house and If any man
/ with a Jewish cast OF countenance Is
| caught leaving the house with q sus-
| picious looking bundle he Will be ar
| rested.
Recorder McDonough says that If any
| further ATTEMPT is made by Mrs Murphy
| 70 sell her child he will find law 70
| punish her.