Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-03-10
LET HER BABIES SAIL ALONE.

Ia, as Second-claSs matter.
LET HER BABIES SAIL ALONE
Hedwig and Johann Sivva, aged re-
spectively two years and three months
came over the ocean without theil
mother on the steamship California,
which arrived yesterday from Ham
burg. The mother, Anna Sivva, q
years old, q native of Galicia, appears
TO have abandoned them at Havre. II
seems that she has husband, Stanis
laus Sivva, who, according to the Ger.
man records, lives at "Falls Glases," in
this country, place that it will take
the postoffice experts to identify, and
that the baby is hers but not her hus'
bands. So when her husband sent for
her and his child, she feared, at the last
moment, that it wouldn't be safe
for her to arrive with two children
The California left Hamburg on Feb
ruary 49, Mrs. silva took passage
there with the two children. Her hus-
taud who had left her in Galicia nearly
two years ago, had prepaid the passage
money. She told some of the female
passengers that she had been deserted
by the man who was the father of her
baby, and having been cast oil by her
relatives, had decided to come to Amer
lea and ask her husbands forgiveness.
She was pretty young woman, with
blonde hair and blue eyes, so pretty, in
fact, that, although she was poorly
clothed, her beauty was noticed even
by the captain.
Her child, Hedwig, became the pet
of the ship from the moment she came
on board. She has blue eyes and blonde
hair like her mothers, and is of live
ly disposition.
"She is little angel" said Captain
Schmidt yesterday, in speaking Of the
child.
The California arrived at Havre at
midnight on February D. Mrs. Sivva
had not slept a wink from the time
the steamship left Hamburg, and
seemed greatly depressed. At o'clock
on the morning of the 23d the Califor-
MIA left Havre. The passengers and
crew were all astir as the steamship
left the quay. Ten minutes afterward
the steward told the captain that Mrs.
Sivva's children were crying in their
bunk, and that their mother was no.
where to be found. The captain had
several of the crew search the ship, and
he interrogated the steerage passen-
gers. One of them, Joseph Schmidt
by name, said that shortly before the
ship left Havre he saw Mrs. Sivva 60
ing ashore. AS all the passengers were
forbidden to leave the steamer he
thought it rather peculiar, and said:
"Schatz'chen, where are you going ?"
The woman made no reply and slip
ped past the watch on the wharf.
Schmidt did not see her come back and
gave the matter no more attention
until inquiry was made for her.
Capt. Schmidt heard the story she
bad told the woman and made up his
mind that she had deserted her chill
dren. He got one of the women to
take care of the little ones. Now that
she had deserted them, Hedwig
became more of pet than ever, and
sailors and passengers did everything
to make her happy. Both children
were in good health when the
steamship arrived yesterday morning.
Sivva had expected the California to
arrive on Saturday and was at the
Barge Office waiting for his wife and
child. When he got no tidings of the
ship, however, he went home, as his
limited means would not allow him to
remain in town until she arrived. He
had prepared his wife's passage direct
to his home.
When the California was docked
Capt. Schmidt sent two of his crew
with the children to Ellis Island. where
they were examined by DR.. Wheeler
and turned over to the matron. They
will be held until Sivva is communi
Gated With.