Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-24
GOTHAM'S TRADE IN BABIES
In Sharp Demand in Brooklyn, but Drug
in New York.
Police Investigate New ssRabr
Market" Conducted nv Mr.. u.,
kinS-FOundlinss of a Day.

FIom the New York World
An important industry has been brought
to light in Brooklyn
There natronly parsonage. Mrs Jemima
watkins by name. has for some time been
quietly conducting a baby market" where
childless wives could supply themselves
with ready-inade families at small cost.
Ihere Is no knowing how long the worthy
MRS. watkins might have carried on the
work unseen by the public eye but for an
unexpected rush of custom
Two babies were wanted In a hurry. and
the supply IVES short. Hence Il happened
that young woman. well dressed and
fuil OF business. appeared at the depart
nent of charities and confronted Chief
Clerk Short
Il want two babies for adoption" said
ihe visitor, with matter-of-fact dIrectness;
one white and one black. Both must be
heaitny- Can you supply them at once?"
Clerk Short gasIed for breath and feebly
wants emp"
oh. that will be all right" was the
rapid reply. My mother Mrs. Jemima
Watkins. wishes them for two of her GUS
toner's"
The further fact being elected that Mrs.
", watkins conducted hospital" at No si5
bergen street. the young woman departed
promising 10 return later for the babies
clerk Short lost no time In reporting the
case 70 commissioner Henry, who will at
once Investigate.
Mrs. Jemima Watkins was found at
nome by World reporter. There is Moth
ing deceptive in her nature when asked
ABOUT her business she burst into food
of condolences
Il do an adoption trade she exclaimed.
poor parents are willing to part with their
little ones, while any number of financially
"el-nNed wives are eager to adopt babies.
NOW, the two babies wanted Just at
present, she ratified on. are for particu-
lar customers. l want the white habv for
sea captains wife who lives In Montague
street. The colored one is for the wife of
a Jockey. at Coney Island"
But how about the husbands" aueried
the visitor.
There is the best part of the joke" re-
pied the amiable dealer in infants: "these
women come to me for several weeks
Then they return to their homes with their
adopted babies just like the genuine, don't
them, are fooled"
The official investigation of this unioue
Industry promises to be interesting
While babies are in demand in Brooklyn,
New York seems to be suffering from a
plethora of fri-ndless infants Following
are the foundlings of a day:
Lena 1ppick, fourteen-year-old girl
who lives at No. 400 East I'D street found
negro baby, clad in 2 dirty red Jacket
ana torn wrapper, kicking up its heels in
baby carriage she had left in the hallway =
but Few minutes before. The baby which
nanny
a mite of humanity could be found in a
weeks walk.
Lena wheeled the baby out in the street
ana told Policeman Sampson about *; The
namesake OF the strongest man that ,ver
Hved dld not want to carry the child to the
station, and asked Lena to lean hin, the
baby carriage. She consented. and Sarap-
son trundled the founding away Ions,
line OF curious men and boys followed
some of the boys singing AL coons look
alike to me-"
Altoni Pospisil, a girl of ten years. who
lives at No. 5l1 9th street, was sitting on
bench in Tompkins Square. when a real
nice old lady came along and gave her
two cents to hold cute little baby" At
least, that is the way she tells the story
The nice old lady went to buy some candy
for Altoni and the cute little baby. and did
not return. The baby. which is about two
weeks old and a girl, was taken TO Belle
we Hospital
A pretty little two-months-old girl. finely
dressed, was abandoned by a young wo-
man in the waiting room of the South
ferry last night. Passengers saw her leave
what looked like bundle on the seat ana
run out They called TO her. but she gave
no heed When Policeman Downs exam
iled the bundle, he found il was baby,
and sent it to Bellevue.
Richard Conroy of No POS I'd street, Har..
rison, n. J.. sold his furniture yesterday
and disappeared leaving his three chill
dren, aged three. four and fourteen Years,
behind him. His wife died a year ago.