The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-10-11
She Declares That Poverty Only
Induces Her to Part
With Child.
WAS DESERTED BY HUSBAND.
Cannot Find Work When She
Has Little One - Refuses
Many Applicants for
Infant.
REPURLTC sPErTAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York. Oct. 10-Unable to obtain
employment because OF her baby boy. Il
weeks old. which she is nursing. Mrs.
Hannah LittaUer advertised her child for
sale. II was only after many tears had
been shed and when she found herself a
homeless wanderer in a strange country,
without money or food. that the woman
could bring herself TO offer to sell her on
" baby like 50 much chattel.
Il was the cry OF the hid for food
which she could not supply that finally
induced Mrs. Littauer to get a friend to
write the following advertisement. which
she had inserted in n morning newspaper:
FOR BD- bright baby boy. Il weeks old:
mother cannot keep him. as she has 70 so
out and work by the day. For particulars ad-
dress Mrs. Hannah Littauer. No. IL East one
hundred and Tenth street.
Mrs. Littauer Is & years old. She has
only been in this country two months,
having come here in search OF her hus-
band. who deserted her in Australian
gary. She is a woman Of evident refine
ment and unused 10 the miserable sur
roundings IN which she finds herself at
present. She Is living through the chart
~ Of some friends, as poor as herself, in
floor OF a tenement-house. But, being too
proud 10 have the people with whom she
IS living know she is willing to sell her
baby. she advertised 1t from the home OF
another friend.
MANY OFFERS REFUSED.
All day Mrs. Littauer sat in the front
room OF the basement interviewing per
sons who came in answer to her adver-
tisement. With her was her baby boy, a
pretty, d~ark-haired youngster.
Every time the bell rang the mother
would hug the child to her and sob over
MIN fearing AZ last the ne~GOn had rOu1a
who would taxi him from his mother, al
though he might find q better home. At
these signs OF affection the hill would
clutch the mothers waist and hold on to
her. as II 1t knew the mother might let
Many persons called who wanted to buy
the boy. Some offered several hundred
dollars for him, and presented indisputa-
DE guarantees that they would care prop
a material standpoint, were acceptable as
iOSter-parentS were OF q different faith
than the mother. and she would not per
NIT her hid TO be brought up In any
other religion than that OF her own.
cannot tell what heart pangs I am
suffering" Mrs. Littauer said in her ma
i've tongue. Every time the basement
bell rings # seems to me like the sound Of
warning and Of danger. And yet I wish
! could ind a good home for him
DESERTED BY HUSBAND.
My troubles all began when my hus-
band deserted me. Two weeks after he
A1AN tx Inc GullA was DNEu. 4 lGaIQ my |
husband came to this country. and as soon
as I could I followed him over here, think
ing l would easily find him. I used all my
money in paying my expenses TO this city, |
but 1 could easily have obtained work as
q domestic II II were not for my baby. No |
one wants a woman who has q child Il
weeks old to nurse
I tried every means TO obtain some
work which would enable me TO keep my
boy, but have at last given up in despair.
If it were not for the kindness OF some
friends both my child and l would have
poor, too, and can continue 10 look after
ne, and 1 feel that II IS easier for me TO
part with my boy than to see him go
"I have been used to a better existence
than this. Ny husband was a mechanic
lived comfortably. I do not know why he
deserted me, especially at a time when I
needed him most.
Il put the Advertisement in the paper be-
cause 1 know there must be some rch
people who ave no children and who
would like to have q boy. People buy cats
wouldn't they sooner have a little child
whom they could watch grow to be a man
and who would some day repay their kind
ness and affection?
BABYrS CRY FOR FOOD.
Since I placed the advertisement in the
ape folks ave come to me and said 1t
a shame that a mother should want
TO sell her baby. These people have never
known what It Is to 20 hungry and to have
a baby cry for food which you could not
give him 1 tell you, II breaks my heart
10 carry that child about in the streets
and try to caress him to sleep so that he
VIII not feel the pangs Of hunger. Why,
one day he had nothing to eat from early
morning until s O'Clock at night. when I
appealed to a rabbi, who gave me some
money.
II think IT is more cruel to go on lead
Ing this sort Of existence than to give him
to some rich family. To bring him up in
this poverty would be cruel to the child.
To have some one else adopt him h ,.rts
only me, and I think I would rather endure
the pain OF parting than see him suh7r."
Why don't you permit some charitable
society to axe charge Of the boy?' the
mother was asked.
Because I don't want him to go to an
institution" she answered. Il want him
TO be brought up in a good home under
people Tho viii be lik a father and a
mother to him"
Mrs. Littauer has not yet found g person
TO whom she would surrender the child.
She said she hoped some woman Of the
same religion as herself would call n
offer to buy the boy.