New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-07-10
WHEN CHILDREN ARE LOST.
THOSE THAT ARE REALLY UNFORTU-
NATE AND OTHERS WHOM RELA-
TIVES CONVENIENTLY LOSE
FOR THE DAY.

Little winnifred Cannon. of Jersey City. was the
sole occupant of the quarters SET apart for lost
children the top floor of Police Headquarters in
Mulherry-st- yesterday She had strayed onto
boat she said, but could remember how. and
after wandering about the West Side for q very
lorg time was picked UP late night by police
man Ten other boys and girls who had been
brought in from the various station houses Of the
city after 8 o'clock the preceding evening had all
been reclaimed by their parents long before noon.
big square inside is devoted to the
waits. and is separated. prisonlike. from the hall
by tall iron screen. This is necessary, because
once the youngsters fail into che hands of city
officials the department is responsible for their
keeping until they turned to parents or
guardians. or TO proper authority. and should one
stray from there serious trouble would befaI
those in charge. dozen tiny chairs. the stoutest
wooden that be found: a desk with a
big book and framed lithograph showing a
staIwart policeman with arms and hands full OF
lost children all indicate the character of the
place In inner room there are two cribs and
e single bed for little who left uncalled
for over night and meals provided at the
family table OF the police matron who lives on
that floor. Circus time. May parties June walks
and holidays always result in increase of strays
and mean work for the police in reuniting sepa-
rated families.
On the lower East Side II IS not unusual for the
Russian Jews especially and the italians occa-
sonally when they desire a holiday trip for them
selves to drop an inconvenient child or two in the
neighborhood Of police station. and leave the
officers there 10 care for their offsprings for the
day Little mothers" and little fathers" too
have been known adopt the same method and
TO shift the troublesome baby brother or sister 70
the Of the policemen in similar fashion call
ing for II early enough 10 prevent its going to
Mulberry-st This department regularly
done by a nine-year-old kid for several weeks"
said a sergeant the police station in the Ar
senal, at Central Park, yesterday. A very pretty
precocous mite of a girl became habituee Of
the place and all that she could tell that
she brought to the park by brother joey
About o'clock in the afternoons the days Of
her visits in would rush small freckled faced
youngster about nine years old, in apparent frenzy
because his sister had wandered away from home
Her visits brought abrupt close by
call Of one OF the force at Joey's home.
The children are anothers best CONSIDERS
tried Intellectually by every form of bribery and
corruption known TO the department to console
Naillng child the appearance OF another dirty
faced little heather like itself VIII work sudden
change ard viii give way TO cherubic smiles.
small boys and girls, perfect strangers assume the
iondest relations to each other with little delay
Some cbfIdren .nv,ear rsqIlarlv They have no
fear or the big, kind policemen, and seem to like
the uniforms and enjoy coming back
Two thousand three hundred and ninety-slx chill
oren were lost this city last year. OF that num-
Der 2,O32 not restored to parents or guardians
eight claimed, fifteen being sent TO Belle
Nue Hospital thirty-nine committed 10 the Gerry
society. 10 St. Vincents Hospital and three 10
me Commissioners Of immigration A nouceable
feature Of the records is the increase in numbers
curing the spring and early summer. 1924 having
been found during the second quarter of the year,
which includes April May and June, and only 199
curing the first quarter $50 during the third quar-
Yer and 32S during the fourth
Delay is often occasioned in restoring the little
ones 10 their parents by people with the best or
motives, who take the wanderers in for rest ana
authorities. Babies under two years Of age are
al taken to Bellevue.