New-York tribune., 1905-07-19
BABY "GRAFT' CHARGED.
Money Made in Obtaining Vet
Nurses, 1t Is ALLEGED.

That there Is a system Of "graft' IN founding
&b1ss-farming them OUT to Door Italian mothers
from the Convent OF the Sisters OF Mercy in VII
loughby-ave-. Brooklyn-wss alleged yesterday by
M PfZsrro, agent OF the chudrens society IN the
Harlem police court
They are made TO pay large revenue In the
way OF commissions 20 e woman acting as agent
for the institution. II is alleged.
The disclosure came through the ar-est On Mon
day night IN her home, in tenement house a. No.
20 East u5th-st-. OF Mrs. Lstizia Tonbarfna
charged with nursing child turned over to her ty
the Sisters Of Mercy without license by the
Board OF Health as e wet nurse and the arrest in
the court yesterday morning of Mrs. Lena Scucci-
marc. OF No. SS2 East Il4th-st, who is accused by
Pizarro OF being the agent though she is tech
nIcauy charged with aiding and abetting Mrs
Tombar1na IN her alleged misdemesnor.
Mrs Tombarina held for trial in $500 ban
while Mrs Ecuccimaro held In $500 ban for ex-
animation to-day. when. according Pisarro II is
likely that more serious charges VIII be brought
against her.
Pizarro says he and several other agents Of the
ch1dren's society have been watching Mrs. Scucci-
raro for more than year. At last, he thinks. he
has the evidence against her that he has been seek
ing.
The system Of graft with which Pzarro hopes TO
connect Mrs scuccimaru he says Is this: Her
husband is q barber, and knows many Of his coun-
rrynen, and does she, having lived several years
q the Harlem Italian colony She applies TO the
Sisters OF Mercy. IN Brooklyn, for infants OF nurs-
ing age FOR whom she has women who viii under
take their care The Sisters OF Mercy pay so
month for the support Of the children According
20 Pizarro, Mrs Scuccimaro lev1es commission OF
- for the month q child is cared for
This commission he says. is repeated more than
once with the same child, by changing its foster
mother every month or two, In which the first
months commission again falls 70 the agent The
result. so far the health. and even the lives OF
The children thus farmec out are concernsds Is not
II u said. OF the best.
When Mrs. TOmbar1na was arraiEned in court
yesterday she had with her twenty uontha old
child, christened Joseph Lencregan, whom she had
agreed nurse for 80 q month, half the first
months pay going 70 the agent
According % the testimony or witnesses produced
2y P.zsIro. including the Tombarina woman
herself, another infant. a year old, who had been
taken from the Brooklyn Sisters OF Mercy and
turned over 70 her by the agent. died IN her home
last Saturday after she had had II only three days
seat and nlaluUtrttton the supposed causes OF
tie ctld's death In spite OF its death another
enid was given 10 Mrs. Tomba-ina through the
agent the day after
Mrs Tombarina has I've children OF her own
Ihe youngest ig still nursing.
Mrs Scuccinnaro denies the insinuation OF graft
OF that the children she farmed suffered from
improper She said Sisters from the convent
Visited them weekly. and that she herself visited
every child daily. In almost the same breath she
SAID she had at present IT'S children out among
-ssaalsn women on the upper East Side. and that
ehe mad placed snd received commissions for sew
efal hundred Pizarro says 700 in the last year.