The sun., 1901-08-27
AGENT STOUT
HORRIFIED
-a-a
Found Terrible Condition in Fam
lily Near Harrington.
A WFUL DEGRADATION
Father Diseased and Nude, Children
Almost Naked anu Woman Who
Claims to be Their Mother,
Scantily Attired.

In n cabin of rough logs, through tn"
wide chiEkS of which the elements could
play ut will, amidst d wild tahale of
vegetation and giant forest trees Agent
Frank Stout Of the :. L. G. c., uneartheh
perhaps, ore Of the most sanguinary
hnunts OF degradation in the State OF
Delaware, Yesterday about ten miles
below Harrington.
Nude, unknmpt and diseased, the
inmates of this primitive dwelling seemed
more like people of bygone age, than
d,nizens of Il civilized community.
Two weeks ago Mr.. Stout received il
letter from Harrington, in which com
paint WAS mad" to him of the leplorabe
condition Of iltrec children living near
the abandoned village Of AnIerrillc. wln
neglected and naked, were allowed to
roam about the dense pine forests of that
locality, unrestrained and with no
mothrrly hand qualified to guide them
Alright. He hurried to the scene. but
through some miSapprehensiOn.t the sloyen-
~ woman. who called herself the mother
of the children, had received warning
of his approach and had hidden them
away. He could, therefore do nothing.
Yesterday morning another message
came from Harrington bidding Mr.. Stout
10 hasten there. lie boarded the first
express pn the Delaware rond and. arriv-
ing ut Harrington, was again driven
to tn" stor'nhoatun hut IN the forests
of fors;tkrn AlderviIlc. He was ac-
conilnni.d by Dr. Barber of Harrington.
Bearing warrant sworn ont before
Magistrate Van easel of Harrington.
Mr.. Stout pushed his way through the
.lcnsc underground and knocked on the
loor of the crumbing cabin. No answer
"a.ne to his summons and he knocked
again. This time the POI tai slcMly oEnll.
cd revealing the wrinkled aud drawn
visage of repulsivc hag, who, in an
unnatural voice, demanded to know the
nature Of his business Mr. Stout pushed
by her into thn cabin and there bcheld
scene of degradation that fairly ap-
pallcd him.
Five persons occupied the single room
Of the hut, which had no floor. save
the beaten ground. The interior was
dark and loathsomc, The only ventilation
being from the ramshackle door and the
numerous chinks between the logs. Flnas
and other vermin infested the place and
ran about urmolcsted. ut will. The willis
We're unadorned, and no furniture WAS
visible. except a table Of rough boards
and 4 few empty boNes used to sit upon.
With nothing to cover his nakedness.
man was lying on two split logs on
which had lecn strrwn Il pile of forest
leaves. \ horrible disease had seized
him in an iron clutch. About him play.
I'd three children. two boys and girl,
also nude The woman was hut scantiIy
ltiircd. The children shrlnk from the
strangers ut first. but, becoming boldcr
Ia;
duccd Il black jug. ;lnd, after takin:.
drink herself allowed them to have t'lcr
I'LL of its fiery contents.
llolrih"d at the spectacle. Mr.. Stout
,laced the woman under arrest ANA with
the children, returned To Harrington.
Arranged before Magistrate Van
tir>cl, shn said that She had been marri :. |
four times, ana tlat She had been liv.
,ng with her last husband. Joshua F..
Jones. Previous t. Jones. she said her
name had been changed from Mary Ellen
Scott to Many Ellen Todd and from that
10 Mrs. Frank Allat The children. she
alleges. are helS by Tcad, her seco.rl
husband The girl, whose name is 3cs
sic Mary. is IL years old. The boys ar,
past 8 wears and are twins. Their names
are lillph and James Henry Todd
Magistrate an Gesrl imposed Il fine of
so upon her. and gave the children into
he care of Agent Stout. who will place,
them in the Home for Fricndless AID
Destitute Children ~ this city.
The Itev. Il. G. Atkins of Harrington
took nn active interest in the ease ana
was one of the witnesses against the
woman.
George l., Baird proprietor of the rail
O,ld restaurant tpl tho cit tlrpu prior
10 leaving Harrington. They ate raven
,uSly and appeared to have had nothing
10 eat for sometime.