Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-08-22
TERRIBLE STATE or AFFAIRS.
Mother Carouses and Criminally
Negiects Her Little Ones.

~ HOtner CarOuSeS ana CflHllndily
Negiects Her Little Ones.
For Months tho Family Have Been Living
In squalor aud When agent stout Made
an lnvestigatiou Yesterday the Children
We're Crying for Eood--1ho Matter
Brought to the Attention of Judge Ball.
A case Of terrible depgavity was re-
vealed in municipal court on Friday
when Ellen Dougherty was arraigned
on charge of neglecting her five small
children. Frank Stout, agent for the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Children, stated that in lieu Of in
formation he had received, he went
Thursday to Mrs. Dougherty's house,
No. 1904 Reed street. The house was
closed when he went there but presently
ne saw the mother coming through an
alley toward the house. She had in her
arms a babe about three weeks old,
and although in his opinion the
mother was drunk, when she reached
the rear of the house she sat down on
the steps and commenced to nurse the
child.
Mr.. Stout appeared on the scene after
the woman had got seated. Beside the
infant in her arms there were four other
little ones about her begging for some
thing to eat The children were
scantily dressed and actually filthy.
Mr.. Stout asked the woman if there
was anything in the house for the chill
dren to eat. She replied that there
was plenty. Mr.. Stout then went into
the house and in cupboard he found
hard crust of bread which was all
that appeared to be about in the way
of something to eat. The two older
boys, James aged 6, and Frank aged 4,
grabbed the crust and devoured it with
apparent relish.
An investigation was then made Of
the house. What was found was ap-
palling. 1t was filthy in the extreme,
and there was scarcely any furniture.
What there was was crude and dilapi-
dated. There was one lamp with a
broken chimney, which was the only
source of artificial light. The house
was not only filthy, but vermin were
seen all about.
The mother and children were taken
to the police station, where they were
put in the care of the matron. Some
of the dirty clothing on the children
was removed and clean garments sub
stituted, so that when they appeared in
the court room they made fairly good
showing. Mr.. Stout said that when
he visited the house there was nothing
on the infant but small rag which
covered only portion of its body. He
finally obtained a sheet in which to
wrap the little one, and in that condi-
ton it was taken to the station house.
The names and ages of the children
are as follows: James, aged 6; May,
aged s.; Frank, aged a; Nellie, aged 2,
and Katie, the baby, which is only
three weeks old.
Several neighbors testified to the
effect that the woman has been seriously
neglecting the children ever since she
moved to the Reed street house last
May. They also stated that she drank
great deal and frequently became
drunk. Many time she would leave
the little ones in the house alone and
go out, and the children have been
seen on the street at midnight. One
witness said he saw her carrying beer
into the house at o. clock in the morn
ing recently.
The neighbors also considered that
they were in danger of being burned
out, and in fact they were in constant
dread of the woman, she having
formed on.
1t was learned that the husband is
in Chester, he having left the city Tues
day week after being on spree for
several days. The wife said he went to
Chester to look for work. She pleaded
hard for the children and also for her
liberty. She said that she would re-
form if allowed TO go, and she went
into Mysteries at the thought that the
children might be taken from her.
There was not single redeeming
feature in the evidence, all the wit
nesses, and there were number of
them, being of the opinion that it was
one Of the worst cases of which they
had ever heard tell. One woman said
her heart has been aching for some
time to tell somebody about the woman
and few nights ago she took an officer
to the house and showed him the con-
dition of things as they could be seen
from the outside. She said she would
afraid of the woman's threats.
The three larger children were put in
the care of Agent Stout, who said he
could secure homes for them in the
Catholic institutions. The mother was
oruerou locheu up WIN lhe tWo young
ones until suitable place can be secur-
ed where she can be kept with safety
1t was not deemed advisable to take
the youngest girl Or the infant away
from her, and she will be kept with
them.
The children sat in the court room,
with the exception of the baby, who
was in the arms of Matron White.
They all seemed happy and did not re-
alize what was going on.