The record-union., 1898-03-31
A LUhATlC MOTHER IN JAIL.
SAD CONDITION OF THE WAL
DEIT FAMILY.
The Mother Abused and Nearly
Starved, and Her Infant
Almost Famished.

Last June a Mrs. Waldeit, who lived
with her husband and children in a
hut in the brush beyond the north
levee, was committed to the insane
Asylum at Stockton, where she had
previously been for insanity. Ihe
Sheriff's deputies who brought her IN
found the large family of children IN
q distressing condition, owing TO the
mothers mental aff1iction and the
fathers seeming incapacity to reallze
that matters were at all wrong.
subsequently Waldeit was permitted
- take his wife home from the asylum
as she was approaching confinement,
and about two months ago she gave
birth to an infant. In the meantime
Waldeit was given employment in the
railroad shops and the family took up
its residence in town. Recently they
have been living in the alley between
n and o, Fifth and Sixth streets.
Neighbors have complained to OFF,
Ger Dan Healy of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children that
the Waldeit children were being sadly
neglected, and he sought to investi-
gate matters Mrs Waldeit however,
threatened TO kill him if he attempted
to enter the place, and as Healy felt
that he was hardly prepared as yet to
answer the embarrassing questions
that would be put to him if he sought
10 climb the golden stairs he did not
put the erratic woman to the test.
Things had been getting so much
worse, however, that yesterday he re-
solved to act, and Sheriff Johnson sent
Deputies Hunters and Schwilk with
him as a bodyguard. The officers sue
ceeded in securing Mrs. Waldeit with
out the shedding of blood, while Healy
captured the infant, and a pitiful look
ing mite of humanity it was. The
poor little thing was nearly famished
from want of sustenance and other
wise it showed the lack of a mothers
care.
Both mother and child were taken to
the County Jail, where they will be
properly cared for pending further ac-
ton Deputy Schwilk went out and
procured a nursing bottle for the in
fant. and the unfortunate little thing
will not be allowed to starve, should
it survive the harsh treatment it has
already received.
The mother will of course have to be
she evinces great affection for her in
fant they must then be separated. It
would seem that the proper place for
the child is the Founding Home, which
was established by the people for the
care of abandoned infants, but it is said
that the managers of that institution
have positively refused to accept any
children from the Prevention of Cruelty
Society
officer Healy says he will have to try
and find a home for the little one and
if successful the father will be made to
pay for its maintenance.
Mrs. Waldeit says her husband has
been abusing and starving her-that he
beats her constantly-and she bears
fresh bruises on her face that she says
We're caused by his fists. He has
steadily objected to having his wife
taken away, and says the doctors told
him that the only hope for improve
ment in her condition was for her to
continue to bear children.
This of course is a mere subterfuge,
and even though the woman may be q
harmless lunatic, Waldeit should be
prohibited from further experiments
in the curing Of Iunacy. Society should
have something to say about it.