Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-26
UNNATURAL MOTHER
Who is Accused Of Killing Her
Babe.
Town Of Canaan Suffers from 4 Blk
Pife.
Hdsa's Vaiu itlon over Four aed Hat
0iIlicns.
Especial to the KEssxBEc JOURNAL. |

| Especial 10 the KEssEBEc JouRsAL.l
| GARDINER, Feb. 25.-City Marshal Nor.
ton Of this city is now at work on = case
the details Of which are Of 3 most revolt.
icg character and the conception and exc.
| cation Of which was more cruel and cold
oloodei than any crime committed
here for many years. The JOURNAL
secures the following story regarding i.
On Sunday morning at abo1t 4 O'Clock, q
vomsn named Mary Dsnforth, . work girl
in the boarding house Of Mrs. Benz.
Stone, 25i Water street, gave birth to q
child. She is, 20 far as learned. unmarrie
| and those about the house knew nothing OF
| what was to occur As the girl did her work
as usual Saturday right. At about 8 30
| the same morning Mrs. Stone went TO her
| room, but saw nothing to indicate the event
which had taken place. A short time later
| chili's cry was heasd and Annie King, q
young wsmsn employed about the house,
| went to the room, saying, There 10 . child
| here, Mary No there isn't," answered
| the woman. But what was that crys"
asked the girl. 1T was the man down stairs
| snoring" No it wa.n't, il was 4 child, y
| persisted the girl. at was NOT, il was the
| cat, answered the woman As she lay in bed
| with her hands under the bedclothes.
| GIVE the baby to me. Do not kill it.
| will take care of it," Annie said, but still
the woman persisted in her statement that
! there was no child there. At 10 80 the
| same forenoon, DR.. Strout was summoned
by Mrs. Stone. He entered the room and
| as soon as the woman saw the physician
| enter che remarked: II do not want you.
There is no child here and l do not need
| need any help" Dr.. Strout could detect
| no exterior evidence Of what had taken
place and left the house. Later Mrs.
Stone heard the child's cry agxin,
| and going to the room As she en-
tered the door she heard . gurgling
| sound as though the child was choking
under the bedclothes, but the woman still
denied the existence Of her child. At 5
o'clock in the afternoon Annie King again
| went to the room, and Mary DAnforth drew
| from beneath the clothes 8 bundle done up
| in sheet and threw it under the bed, re-
marking II wish you would throw that into
| the stove for me-" As Annie stopped to
pick the bundle up there fell from it the
| lifeless body of child. Perfect Of form
ard feature, the lille body lay upon the
| floor, devoid of 'he life wf ;ch il had pos
sessed TO, only q few short hours,
and which had been wrestsd from it by
the woman who gave it birth. 1t was 3
| terrible scene. The women in the house
rushed to the room, but nothing could be
done as there was no life in The little form.
| DR.. Stout " IS sgs'n summoned and the
child pronounced dead, 'hc wome refusing
much assistance and repeatedly cntresting
| those about her to bum the body. The
matter was kept quiet until Marshal Nor
ton was summoned yesterdsy. He visited
the house, interviewed the woman and
promptly telef, .aphed County Attorney
Carleton, who a;sived here this afternoon
with Coroner Libby of August,. They
went Immediately =, the police station
where al aut )psy was held on the body OF
the infant, conducted by Drs. Giddings and
Turner. The child was pronounced fully
developed every organ perfect and
every indcs on showing conclusively
that it had bresthed 'he breath of life.
| There were no indications of any violence
which might cause sfrsrgulsi on. A micro
scopical examination Of the juices in the
stomach showed conclusively that the child
had rot been nursed ard other matters
proved that it had received absolutely no
care. After the autopsy City Marshal
Nortop, County Attorney Carleton, Coro-
ner Libby and the JOURNAL representa-
live went to the home where the alleged
crime vas committed ard interviews we're
held with Ms. Stone and Miss Annie King
and also with the woman. Mary Dsnforth.
| The two former stated the facts sub5tan-
| italy as given above. The latter main
| tanned stoical Indifference which was
astonjshing during the entire interview
and though given chance to make an
| explanation if she had any said she had
| nothing TO say. Close questioning failed to
produce any affect whatever. no feeling or
concern being manifested. The evidence
| secured was decided TO be sufficient to
warrant her arrest aud as soon as she
RECEIVERS sufficiently che will appear before
Judge Larrabse on the charge Of man
| slsughter.