The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-30
BABIES WERE BRUISED
HUMANE AGENT MOAK INVEsTI-
GATES REPORTS, ABOUT THE
CRUEL TREATMENT
OF SOME LITTLE CHILDREN


There to- Bel Cared For, with
Abusing Her Helpless Wards
story of AM Eye Witness.
.sS1 Z ''-s -
Mrs. Bridget Murray, living at 700 Lee
avenue. has been engaged for some time
in caring for bables and little children.
Reports Of the unpleasant, almost inhu-
man, character recently .reached the ears
| Of the agent of athe Humane society and
yesterday he undertook to ascertain their
correctness. The evidence he secured
convinced him that the woman In charge
OF the babies has on numerous occasions
been anything but kind to her helpless
wards. go ,-x 7isS.-
The elimination of affairs came on
Tuesday when Mrs. Rose Smith. a mother
scarcely twenty years old. went to Mrs.
n. Harnish; 1867 West Seventh street,
with her infant in arms, and showing
her bruises on the back of the child 8
head, claimed that, they were inflicted
by Mrs. Murray: that on the day before.
when the child was fretful and cross be-
cause hungry, Mrs. Murray took the in
FAINT by the legs and pummeled his head
currence, Mrs. Laura Polonius, who has
been an inmate Of theshouse on Lee ave-
nue. and has helped to care for the children
for a month past, yesterday corroborated
the young mothers story, and in addition
told of another instance of the same kind.
AS a result Of yesterdays investigation,
Agent John A. Aoak will today apply for
a warrant for the arrest of Mrs. Murray,
on the specific charge Of having cruelty
beaten and maltreated Ernest Smith.
child four months old. on June 10.
In company with g l o b Q reporter
Agent Moak went out, to the place to get
Mrs. Laura Polonius, of Silver Lake, tenn
porarily residing with Mrs. Murray. The
two were met at the gate by Mrs. Muir
ray, and were greeted with scathing
harangue. The 1Woman suspected that the
children were tor be taken from her and
was up in arms. - Il
What do you Want here?" she thunder
ed, by way of greeting Il don't dope de
kids and / don't want none of yer holy
shows around my house, ~
The humane society agent remonstrat-
ed and tried to persuade her to allow the
young woman to CO.
''She can't gosi almost shouted Mrs.
Murray. 81 donitgwant no impudent huz-
zy lying about pae.AsShe amt got moth
ing to say and Itwon't have her go away.
You are both lying. miserable pups!'
Mrs. Poionius, however, got away, and
once out Of danger spoke freely concern
ing what, she had seen there. She re-
ferred to Mrs. Rose Smith, at present
boarding at GAO Randolph street, as a per-
son who could vouchfoF the truth Of what
she said, She was much incensed against
Mrs. Murray for the treatment of, the
children, and was willing to go to court
In case her evidence would SECURE better
treatment of the infants. She gave the
story OF what has happened during the
past month at the Lee avenue house as
follows: a4
1 =: g.. 1872 .1-.ss4.g@
ST went to Mrs. Murrays Iaonth ago.
/ came from Silver Lake WHARF l live.
In hope of gaining. admission 10 the city
hospital. They WSG1d not admit me. and,
+ went to board consIlee ayenuess1 paid
for. my keepeby shelping about the house;
and caring for the children.'a There We're
five children there when T first went.
there, and two more came In later. one
of them has been removed by it's mother
Two of Ethezfel1A dFsn zbeaonged to cooks
who We're. in Dakqta-. One OF them be-
longed to. a woman working. In a srestau-s
rant on Fifth street, enssbelenged to7Mrs-
Smith, who Is now atsS40 Randolph street.
one belonged TO a woman living in the
country and the other two. think came
from the city hospital. The Oldest was a
year and the youngest four weeks, old
Mrs Murray abused the children so
much SO that many times had to speak
to her In fear. that she would do them
serious harm. The oldest boy, Harold Nc
LaughNn, one year Of age, has mother
in Dakota She took especial dislike
to him, and whipped him every day and
sometimes twice. He was a little fellow
and sickfy. One day, about. a week and
a half ago. she said she was going to
punish. him. She filled tub with hot
-4.i,.. ~{-,s,. IT, O1,{ f(NnIY h Inv
by the back Of the neck and plunged him
in. He shrieked and cried until it nearly
broke my heart. I spoke to her. and she
pulled him out. His skin was as red as
fire. She held htfnsup by the neck. and
said, He, looks Ikea boiled lobster
ION Monday of, last week Ernest Smith,
four weeks oldbF,h began to cry. Mrs.
Murray took him and afterwards I saw
her take him byz the feet and hit hts
head on. the floor as she said, because
he was mean and cried. There were sores
on his head afterwards, and I told his
mother, and she took, him away.
81 think that he-ehildren were INSULT
GENTLY fed. Mrs. Murray took a quart
Of milk in the morning from a woman,
told me when I. went there to fix the
milk by taking two cups and mixing 1t
with four cups Of Water. This was put
in bottles and given to the children. They
did not get enough, I think. because
they cried and were fretful, as If they
were hungry. Sone.1of the oldest were
given oatmeal ia *he milk, and water.
The two little boys. each nearly year
old, were allowed to sit at the table and
get all they wanted, one of them was
favorite with Mrs. Murray. The two
quarts of milk were all that she used
to keep the children through all day and
all night. The sickly baby looked as if it
has all shriyeled up. Its mother Is the
one who lives on the farm 1t used
to get spanked with the rest. Mrs.
Murray used her hands, 80
The story which Mrs. Rose Smith told
when seen at the boarding place yester-.
day. was pitiful in the extreme. Her hus-
band was killed three years ago in Wis
consin. She Is barely out of her child
hood. and has been a circus performer.
She came to. the cities last July, and has
worked in St. Paul and Minneapolis ever
since. She listened to the endearments of
man and was deserted in her time Of
trouble.
when I came, over. to ST. Paul to see
the baby on Monday said she. with
tears in her eyes, Mrs Polonius told me
how Mrs. Murray had beaten it's little
head on the floor, The child looked pinch
ed and sickly, and I took it away at once
When 1 got him there. was a big bruise
on the back of his head, bruises behind
one ear and. on his body He don't seem
the Same In; some way, and just lays IN
my arms and meyer seems to smile even.
He is sick guess ] didn't see Mrs
Murray misuse Rimn but the marks and
his condition make me think that he was
not treated properties
Mrs. j. j. Ellis, s145 West Seventh
street, the wife of the master mechanic
of the Omaha sheps,I said last night that
she had heard nRighbors say that chill
dren in the homeT@p Lee avenue were rot