The herald., 1898-03-22
LEFT ON TIE PORCH
WEEK OLD GIRL BABY CRUELLY
ABANDONED
THE RANsoME HOMES FIND
Two men Tried to Get the Natron 70
Receive Their Bund1e-A Fire
s''. Nearby

Another waif was deserted last night
but In this case the people who wished
to be rid of the child were sufficiently
human to leave the babe on the porch OF
the Ransome home. where 1t will be sure
of good care.
The inmates Of the home. at 1856 East
Jefferson street, were more than usually
perturbed over the arrival Of the child
because Of the suspicious manner Of those
who took the parcel to the home, and were
also alarmed by fire which was burning
near the place. Had not the matron, Mrs.
], Bowlsby, misunderstood the errand OF
the men and answered their rap at the
door she might have got a look at them
and learned something Of their reasons Tor
deserting the babe. AS 1t happened. the
men escaped without being seen and now
1t is not likely that the detectives can get
trace Of anything that will lead to the
Identification; of the child.
It was about IL 80 o'clock last night when
Matron Bowlsby heard loud rap at the
front door. Hastily donning wrapper
she went to tho door. but preferring not to
open it for fear that those on the outside
might have a wrong purpose in calling,
asked what was wanted. No response was
| reCelVcu, dAu tuch SAo WSAAN N"~S' ~'--s
to be disturbed by the knocking once more
Again she went to the door and. IN answer
to her query, heard a mans voice, evil
IDENTIFY disguised, say that there was
bundle for the home. Mrs. Bowlsby still
feared for the safety Of those in the house,
as all were women or infants. so she de-
clined to open the door.
One of the inmates of the place then went
to a door on the upper porch and, looking
down, saw a man standing near the porcn.
muffled in an overcoat. The other man
could not be seen. The latter evidently
had .the babe and was waiting to hand It
to the matron, had she opened the door.
BY this time a fire in barn belonging
to a Mr.. Mckay, block further east on
Jefferson street, had begun to blaze. and
the matron and the other woman grew
frightened. thinking that the home had
been set on fire. Instinctively they con-
nected the fire with the visit Of the two
men. During the excitement the un-
known men went away, and, as 1t was very
dark, there was not the slightest chance
for the watchers in the upper windows to
distinguish who they were. They had left
the babe behind them, for in a short time
the child began crying. and then Matron
Bowlsly knew what was in the bundle. No
one dared to venture to open the door.
however, but when the fire engines began
passing the women called to the firemen
to come and take the babe to the door. One
of the crew did so. He discovered a tiny
baby, tucked In a common old basket and
nearly hidden by a Paisley shawl. In an
other basket were pillow, baby food and
clothes. Detective Goodman and Sergeant
Smith reached the home shortly after the
bundle was handed to the matron. They
made a careful search OF the basket and
examined the clothes. but there were abso-
lutely no marks on any of the pieces which
would supply clew to the identity of the
child's parents. The clothes were better
than people in average circumstances
could afford, but were evidently not new,
but had been freshly laundered. 1t was a
girl baby and probably week old 1t will
be kept at the home until some disposition
can be made OF 1t.
The barn near by and horse and buggy
were destroyed before the department ar
rived.