Evening star., 1896-03-24
VERY SAD CASE.

Bad Surroundings for Some Young
Children.
There was a sad spectacle witnessed in
Judge Milier's court today when Agents
Lewis and Parkman Of the board of chill
drens guardians presented three little chill
dren, Daisy, Clarence and John Ball, aged,
respectively, fourteen, five and three years.
and asked that they be turned over to the
board. 1t was claimed that they had been
living in immoral surroundings, and that
poverty had perhaps caused them unneces-
sary suffering Their mother, Mary Ball.
was in court to defend the action brought
by the agents who care for the little ones,
and was defended by Lawyer Kuhn. Geo.
Ball, their father, is in the penitentiary
embeZZlement when he was employed at
the Ebbitt House stables.
When the husband was working and
SIe nding his employers money he was not
at home much OF the time, SO it was
stated in court this morning. Mrs. Dun
ming, South Washington lady who is iden-
titled with church work of charitable ma
tcre. was an important witness in the case.
The agents of the board told Of their in
vestigation. When one of them visited
Mrs. Balls house he found nothing to eat
in the house, other than some corn meal
Both agents were certain" from the sur
roundings, that the condition of the chill
dren would be bettered by turning them
over to the board, in order that they might
Agent Lewis that she would rather live in
the home of the Children's Aid Society
than to return to her mother.
Mrs Dunning told the court that Mrs.
Ball and her children were assisted last
winter. and she said that on one occasion
Of her visit to the house she found Mrs
Ball In nude condition, and there was q
colored man in the room with her. The
children were lying on the floor
This Is heartrending thing" the court
remarked. Its very sad, indeed, that a
state of affairs should exist which makes
it necessary for the authorities to come
irto court and ssk that mother and chill
dren be separated" --s'..
'In view of this evidence" said Lawyer
Kuhn, "I'll abandon the case. I think 1t
would be better for the children if they
were put In some institution, and the little
girl tells me she wants to leave her moth
err"
Daisy was called to the witness stand and
questioned by the court. She said she pre-
ferred to remain with Mrs. Wilson rather
than return to her mother.
Mrs Wilson, Agent Lewis explained, is
matron at the home of the Children's Aid
Society.
against her by Mrs. Dunning, and said that
the latter must have mistaken her for some
one else. She denied that there was any
colored man in her room, as Mrs. Dunning
stated, and also said she had not been as
sisted by Mrs. Dunning.
The evidence given by Mrs. Dunning was
repeated, and the witness said she could
rot be mistaken about this case.
Relatives of the woman were in court,
and they offered to take care of the chill
dren. The court thought the best thing to
do was to turn the children over to the
board. and the agent could put them with
the relatives and then have them under his
supervision.
An order turning the children over to
the board was thereupon made, and they
will be cared for at the home of the
Aid Society for short time before they
ere put in other homes.