The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-12-03

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An act which for heartlessness and cruel
ty finds few parallels in human exper.
ience, was committed in the outskirts of
this city Saturday night. An innocent and
tender babe was maliciously abandoned
to its fate by those who should have been
its protectors and left to the mercy Of the
elements, on the door step OF farm
house. An alert New Foundland dog,
however aroused his master and the
child was discovered and its life saved.
About IL o'clock Saturday nigh. when
things are generally very. quiet in the
rural regions large New Foundland
dog belonging to Peter Geary
began to cause q terrible commo-
ton around the door of the house.
Geary is farmer who lives about mile
house on the first road running south
from the Massillon road. He is well to do
and sells milk in the city TO large num-
Der of customers. On Saturday night he
returned at the usual hour and all the oc-
cupants of the house were wrapped in
slumber when the dog began to bark out
side.
His persistent noise awoke Mr.. Geary
and when the canine did not cease, but
kept increasing in earnestness, he con-
cluded something must be wrong
and he accordingly arose and
went down stairs to see what
was the cause of the dogs disturb
ance. AS he opened the front door he
beheld large clothes basket piled full Of
clothes, with the dog standing over 1t and
barking with all the earne-tness he could
command. Judge OF Mr.. Geary's surprise
when, upon looking more closely into the
basket he
BEHELD A SMALL BABE.
He hastily summoned his wife from her
couch and the basket and contents we're
taken in out of the cold. An examination
was made and bright looking handsome
little girl apparently not more than four
or five days old was brought forth from
beneath the clothes. The child was
a beautiful one and was clad in elegant
and substantial clothes, The basket also
contained all the wearing apparel essen
tial for its use, there being enough TO last
it year in the outfit. The assortment
was complete and even bottle of milk
was furnished and equipped with nipple
| ready for use. After the first experience
of surprise had passed away the question
confronting Mr.. and Mrs. Geary was as
/ to what to do with the newcomer. A con-
| sultation soon brought forth decision.
Mrs. Geary had q brother named Asa
Queer who lives at Alliance and is en-
| ployed as a flagman on the Ft. Wayne
/ road. He was married five years ago but
no children have ever graced their nome.
Mrs. Geary had heard his wife say some
thing about going to the Children's Home
and securing a child to raise.
1t was thought they would be glad to
adopt the new found infant and accord
ingly early Sunday morning Mr.. Geary
| hitched to his buggy aud with his wife and
the little baby well wrapped in blankets,
1 together with the clothing that had been
| left with il in the basket they started for
Alliance. They arrived all right and Mrs
Queer was
DELIGHTED WITH THE CHILD
as was also her husband and when the
/ story of its abandonment and discovery
/ had been rehearsed to them they readily
consented to take 1t and were enthusias-
| tic over its adoption.
Before leaving home with the babe Mr..
Geary had said nothing concerning II and
| evidently he did not care to have the
story get out.
A NEws-DEMocRAT reporter however
heard of IL and this morning went to his
home to see what information could be
ascertained. Knocking at the door, a
voice was heard to say come in and the
| scribe entered. The only occupant of the
house seemed to be young lady about
| twenty years of age, who said she was Mr.,
Geary's daughter. She acted rather eva
| sively when questioned by the reporter
] concerning the finding of the child, and
said mono had been left there. 1t looked
as il she had been posted as to what to say
| and no facts could be secured from her.
| She said Mr.. and Mrs. Geary had gone to
/ attend lawsuit Saturday at some little
country town west of Massillon, the name
| OF which she did not remember.
The reporter came away but did not
cease his Investigations. Mr.. j. Il. Queer
| of Alliance, father of Asa Queer to whom
| the child was taken was found, and moi
having been posted not to tell, the entire
4 I, taH AIH Il n
| happened to be in the city at work, he
being a carpenter by occupation. The
| story Is as romantic as the abandonment
| of The helpless infant was brutal. Who
| thus deserted the child and threw 1t upon
| the world in this unceremonious fashion
| is n mystery, but it is evident from the
4 outfit that IL came from some one who had
considerable of tuis worlds goods,
The exclusive article in last nights
NEWS DEMOCRAT regarding the finding OF
| n babe on the steps at the residence OF
Peter Geary, west of the city, was the talk
| of the town.
The NEWS DEMOCRAT continued the in
| which puts the case in a different light
| Last Saturday night was bitter cold and
1 the residence of Mr. Geary is situated
| quite distance from the road, being in Q
| large patch of woods. 1t hardly seems
| probable that any person, would leave a
II
must have been we'll acquainted with the
locality and IL such was the case, certain
| Iy knew that Mr.. Geary kept large New
| Foupdland dog, who would resent the ap
pearance of strangers after dark. 1t nov
appears that Mr.. Geary thinks it was abou
I9 o'clock when he discovered tn
baby, instead of midnight. The part!
who would leave helpless babe on tn
door step on such cold night withou
even knocking at the door to awaken tn
household, should be punish he'd in tn
most severe manner imaginable.
Ii would seem to an ordinary persol
that the residence of Peter Gen woult
be about the last place on earth wnere an
one would leave a baby. There ar
plenty of places in the city whore tn
basket could be placed on the doorstep
and after ringing the bell the party disap
pear without any fear of discovery.
| A NEwS-DEMoORAT reporter visited AL
lance yesterday afternoon and called a
the residence of Mr.. Asa Queer, near tn
Ft. Wayne depot. Mr.. Queer
| q hagman on the Bt. Wavne roa
and has a pleasant home. Nj s. Quee
greeted the reporter kindly a..d readil
complied with his request to see the littl
waif. II is bright eyed, little creatur
and does not cry. The baby sleeps
great deal but appears to be perfectl
healthy. Mrs. Queer said she had no
fully determined whether she would kee
L M and Mra Gaarv hYouaht tha haby 4