Evening journal., 1899-03-02
NPRECEDENTED CASE.
Agent Frank Stout Tells of an
Unheard of Act of Neglect.
CHILDREN LEFT TO sTARVE


THROUGHOUT THE BLIZZARD
nHEY HAD NEITHER FOOD NOR
CLOTHING - THEIR MOTHER
DEAD AND FATHHR A BRUTE.
GIITI1LE ONES NOW CARED FOR.
Although Agent Frank Stout Of the
IS. P. c. c., has encountered many
scenes Of misery, the case he locked
into yesterday was the worst one he
had ever come across.
Acting upon information received
from near Colts Station, Maryland,
CT case CT cnuei neglect, yesterday
Mr.. Stout boarded a p, W. & B. train
and proceeded to Townsend, Del, to
look the matter up. The children in
question were Bertha May, aged 10
years; ;lNeiIie Irene. aged 3. and Elsie De
laney, 3lk years of age, daughters Of
James d. Walls, residing about a mile
from Colts, in this state.
A HORRIBLE CONDITION.
Arriving at Townsend, the nearest
railway point in this state, Mr.. Stout
procured a team and drove ten miles
to The home III the man. who had been
complained of. Here he found an un-
precedensed SKATE Of affairs. The
building, which consisted Of a one
room shack, was more filthy than an
ordinary pig pen, and huddled together
in it were the three children above
named. There was not a bite to eat
in the shanty, no fire, nor material to
make one, andrhe little ones were clad
in nothing but calico dresses with not
a stitch Of undertaking upon their
bodies. They were simply filthy, the
dirt being literally caked upon their
pensonl Their hair stood cut upon
their heads Ike the quills upon a por-
cupine, and vermin could be plainly
seen crawling over the scalp.
The bed was tumble-down affair,
and the coverings consisted OF a few
old rags that were not fit for a dog to
,ie upon. The walls were cracked and
the glass in the windows broken. al
lowing free access to the elements.
The childrens feet were upon the
ground and they wore no stockings.
A HARD STRUGGLE.
The eldest child, Bertha May. is a
bright little gigl arl stated to Mr..
Stout that during the recent blizzard
That her father was compelled to sweep
the snow from the room, which was
driven in by the piGdng wind. The
roof leaked and the rain bent i'm and
soaked everything in phe building.
cfttimes the little orss were compelled
to walk a quarter of a mile to the
home Of Mrs Addie Davis, the nearest
neighbor. and beg for food. Mrs. Davis
en- Number Of occasions, fed thsm,
and once when one CT the little cnes
was sick. Mrs. Davis wanted to take
care of her, but the father wcu'd not
permit it.
MOIHER DEAD A YEAR.
The children's mother, Mrs Anna j.
Wa..s, has been dead a year. and the
care OF the children fell upon little
Bertha. AS best she could she looked
after her younger sisters, and has
nursed THE youngest, Elsie Delaney
faithfully and with the tenderness oi
mother fer the last twelve months
Possibly the appearance Of Bsltha
would excite the most sympathy. Hel
wan. pinched face, and tattered cloth
ing bespeak of much suffering, and hel
bended figure indicates the strain thai
has besn urcn her person in carrying
about her youngest charge.
FATHER AWAY.
When Mr.. Stout arrived at the hous'
ne found that the inhuman father haC
in some manner learned of his comini
and had crossed over into Maryland
thereby avoiding arrest. The littl'
ones were placed in the carriage AM
driven to Townsend, where they wer
given a good mlaal by Mr.. Stout. The.
ate as If it was the first meal they hat
received for a month. Fully 200 peopl
assembled at Townsend and looked il
wonder upon the appearance Of the lit
tie children. Arriving in this city III
children were taken to the Children
Home, near Riverview Cemetery, an
there were taken care Of. They wer
given a bath, their hair cut off an
each little girl was Supplied with c,esi
clothing
In speaking of the case Mr.. Stou
said that although he was often calle
upon to witness many cases Of suffer
ing, that this was the worst one tina
had ever come under his observation.
TO MY CUSTOMERS.