The record-union., 1896-08-19
DRAGGING GIRLS TO RUIN.
An Old HaS'S Traffic in Children Of Ten
der Age.
Mrs. Elliott, Alias Parker, Held for
Trial Shocking Practices in
Her Den.

The old hag, Mrs Elliott, alias Park
er, who was arrested the other day on
complaint of Daniel Healy, officer of
the Society for the Prevention of Cru
city to Children, on a charge of procur-
ing children for immoral purposes,
was yesterday examined in Justice
Henry's court and held to answer in
$1,000 bail. District Attorney Ryan
conducted the prosecution, and j. c.
March and J. o. Prewett appeared as
counsel for the woman.
The evidence elected at the examin-
alton was of the most damaging char
acter-indeed, it might be designated
as most damnable. The testimony was
such that it cannot be printed in de-
tail, but it showed the woman to have
been engaged in the most shameful, not
20 say horrible, business possible to
human creature.
Little Daisy McCarty, - years of
age, who belongs to a family living at
Oak Park, told between sobs how she
had been enticed from her home to that
of Mrs. Elliott, in the northern part of
the city, where she was required to SUBJ
NIT to most shameful abuses at the
hands of two white men who were in the
habit of visiting the place.
A still smaller child, named Phoebe
WeStervelt, testified that she was a fire.
quent visitor at the Elliott womans
den, and that white men, Japs and Chi
Hese were in the habit of calling
there. This diminutive girl was sharp
and cunning, however, and would not
admit that anything wrong had been
done by her, but she said Mrs. Elliott
promised to make her the incest girl in
town if she would go and live with her
She also explained the conditions on
which this promise was made-namely
that she was to surrender herself to
the Cinnamon that visited the house.
The McCarty child also testified to
similar inducements having been held
out to her by the old hag.
Mamie McCarty, the eighteen-year-
old sister of Daisy, told her story more
freely than the latter. She said that
Mrs. Elliott made a proposition to her
and another girl of her age to aid her
IN establishing at Sixth and S streets
house of prostitution for the exclu-
sive patronage of Cinnamon White
men talked too much, and they We're
not to be admitted. Alluring promises
were held out to them of making plenty
of money, and she (Mrs. Elliott) was
10 have a percentage of the receipts
The witness and her friend at first
intimated to the woman that the prop
osition was agreeable to them but denied
that they had seriously intended to ac-
cept it.
Referring to her little sisters disap-
pearance for two days, Miss McCarty
said she was satisfied the child had gone
to Mrs. Elliott's and that she suspected
what she was there for, but it was not
until the second day that her father
and herself went after the child. In
the meantime the latter had left Mrs
Elliott's and returned to her home.
Flora Sofa, the friend of Mamie Nc
Carly, corroborated the latter's state
ments. Instead of going into Mrs Ell
liott's Chinese scheme she had gone to
live with barkeeper named Reed. She
appeared to be satisfied with herself
and her present surroundings.
Two ladies who live in the vicinity of
Mrs. Elliott's place testified that the
latter appeared to be rendez-
Vous for certain class of
white men, Chinese, japanese and lit
lie girls, though they had only their
suspicious as to what was going on.
None of the witnesses would admit
that they knew any of the habitues of
the place. except a wood-sawyer named
Moln, better known as Linn" The
children acted as if they had been in
timidated and were afraid to implicate
the creatures they had met there.
Mamie Westervelt a flower seller and
older sister of the little girl who had
testified, was also a frequent visitor to
the Elliott woman's den, indeed the lit
tie McCarty girl said it was with her
that she went there. She was wanted
as witness. but had gone to Folsom
where her father is said to be mining
She was the boon companion of Oracle
Nelson, the fiower-girl who was sent
away week ago, and both are said to
have been engaged in the business OF
procuring girls for Mrs. Elliott
This Westervelt girl is Ii or 15 years
old, and viii be an important witness
at the trial of Mrs. Elliott if she can be
found.
a gentleman who was present during
the examination stated to a Record
Union" reporter that he recognized Mrs
Elliott as a woman whom he had seen
in court in San Francisco on a similar
charge several years ago. One of the
neighbors who testified yesterday also
said the woman had made a remark tc
her to the effect that the business in
which she has been engaged here was
one that she had previously followed.
1t is evident from the disclosures made
IN this case that there is a big field here
for exploration by the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Pos
sihly there are other creatures like Mrs
Elliott in the city who have managed tC
keep their hellish work under cover But
If there are, il should not be a difficult
task to unearth them. A few citizens
Ike Mr.. Healy. who are willing to de-
vote even a very small portion of their
time to the work in their respective
neiehborhoods might be able to bring
20 light some male or female fiends who
are in league with debased white mer
and Mongolian beasts to ruin little girls
whose parents exercise no care nor re-
straining influences over them.
Millions of dollars are annually sent
out of the country by well-meaning peo-