The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-13
CLAIMS ABANDONED BABY.
FOR TWO YEARS MRS. NELSOy
HASN'T SEEN HER CHILD,
In Hard Luck. Her Husband Left II in a Door.
way. Telling the Mother II Was In Safe
Keeping o HIS Deathbed He Confessed
Now Mrs. Nelson Wants the Child Back.

"hS' ~ nttu hphNks
Mrs. John W. Nelson. a young Swedish widow,
has not seen her three-year-old daughter for
two years. when her husband abandoned the
child, and she Is most anxious to take the
little one from Mrs. Emma J. X. Wood OF 70
Amsterdam avenue. who adopted her regularly.
knowing only so much OF the child's history
as the Founding Home people could tell her.
Mrs. Nelson did not hear Of what had become
of her daughter until n year ago, when her hus-
band confessed on his deathbed in the City
Hospital, Black wells Island. that he had left
the baby in the hallway of 80 Chrystie street.
Since the day Of her husbands death on June
20. 1890. she has been working ~ a servant and
saving money to help her to secure the return
of the child. Her adviser In the matter up to
the time of engaging Baldwin a Slater Of 100
Broadway rs counsel was the Rev. Herman
Young Of 1853 East Fffty-fourth street. She
made AFFIDAVIT yesterday to the strange cir.
cumstances of her case before George Blair.
Superintendent Of Outdoor Poor.
Mrs. Nelson says that she came to this coun-
try Ave years ago and first lived in Orange,
Mass. where she married Nelson. When
the child. Lydia, was eight months old Nelson
to this city. They lived at 1852 East Forty-sec-
ond street, and Nelson went out daily 10 look
for work., but found none. Finally he told his
wife that they must be temporarily relieved Of
the child 80 that the mother could take employ
ment rs a ser He. said that he knew Of a
suitable place where the baby. could he left
until better times came. In their dire need the
mother consented 10 this arrangement, but in
sisted on going. with her husband to see what
sort of a place he considered suitable.
On March "a, 1893, they took the child md act
out. The man walked his wife about town all
day and tired her out. but she stoutly rejected
his suggestion that she go home and leave
the baby with him. A. last they stopped in
front OF - Chrystie street. Nelson told his
said 70 her that she must not go IN MS he had
told the woman who was 10 take the child that
he was a widower.. The wife believed that.
too, and surrendered the child % Nelson who
went into the hallway. Five minutes later hs
returned and said that everything was all right
and thar they would have TO pay % a week for
the baby's board.
Mrs. Nelson had no trouble In getting a place,
and out Of her wnges she gave her husband So
each week. about all she not, to pay the child's
board. At the end Of a month she declared
that she wanted TO see the baby. Her husband
immediately left her and went TO 22i Fast For
tieth street 10 live, Mrs. Nelson went to "
Second avenue In search Of her child, but learned
that nobody there knew anything about II. She
appealed To her husband, and he said that he
had forgotten where the child had been left.
He stuck to that story until the day he died,
On the night Of March ~, 1905. the Nelson baby
was found in tho hallway at So Chrystle street
by one Of the tenants who gave the child 10 the
police. They sent IL to Randall's Island, where
Supt. Blair named her Annie Soligman.
Annie Seligman was adopted by Mrs. Mood
last November. Mrs. Nelson now lives at a67
First avenue.