Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-08
BABE LEFT IN WOODS
Grave Charge Made Against
Young Colored Woman.
RESIDENT OF VIRGINIA
Alleged to Have Abandoned Her New
Born Child.
RESCUE RESULT OF ACCIDENT
Sheriff of Alexandria County to Make
an Arrest Following an
Investigation.
.ESCUE RESULT OF ACCIDENT

After being abandoned to its fate in the
woods, where 1t remained for eighteen
hours, newborn infant, the child Of a
young colored woman, was discovered
Thursday afternoon near Rossiyn, Va, in a
condition bordering on dissolution. By
prompt attention it was soon resuscitated.
The infant was found by several young
men who, in passing along the public road,
noticed bundle in a ditch under some
trees not far from the highway. They
made an investigation and lifting the cloth
which covered the object disclosed the lit
Tie creature. which was still able to make
a feeble outcry.
While the young men were examining the
child three colored women approached, evil
IDENTIFY searching for something and were
informed of the discovery One Of them
lifted the infant, which was literally COW
cred with ants and other insects, and con-
veyed it TO a barn nearby, where remedial
measures were adopted. In short time,
as stated, the child showed evidences of
returning vitality.
Meanwhile Sheriff William Palmer of AL
exandria county was notified of the dis
coVery. He went to the place and received
the statements OF the colored women and
the youEg men. Later he made report of
the matter to Commonwealth Attorney
Crandal Mackey, who promptly instituted
the reputed mother of the infant at the
home of her father In Rosslyn this morning
after which he will determine upon what
course TO follow in the case. He said last
evening that unless the child died from the
result of Its exposure it was probable that
the only proceedings instituted would be
on the charge of abandonment 1t Is un-
derstood that the sheriff expects to make
an arrest in connection with the affair
today.
Local Police Notified.
The police of this city were notified and
have secured information bearing on the
case. 1t was stated last night that any
action of the local department would de-
pend In large measure upon the result
of the investigation by the Virginia au-
thorites
When Sheriff Palmer arrived on the
scene soon after the discovery of the infant
ne was besought by the colored woman who
had conveyed 1t to the barn to allow her
to take 1t to her home. She promised that
she would give 1t every attention in the at
tempt to preserve it's life. Her request
was granted and she brought the infant to
her home at 96 d street southwest, where
she has constantly attended to 1t since
The child appears to have good chances of
ultimately recovering from its terrible ex-
perience.
The woman mentioned her name as Lena
McDow. According to her statement she
was in Rosslyn Thursday afternoon and
overhead a conversation between two of
her acquaintance in which the abandon
ment of the infant was discussed. Her in
terest in the fate of the child becoming
aroused, she proposed. she states that the
three should go to the woods to see If the
baby were still alive. Her suggestion was
carried out with the result stated.
Gives Particulars
The mellow woman claims to have learn
ed that the child placed on pillow in
trunk and left in the woodshed from
o'clock Wednesday morning, the time of its
birth, until s O'Clock that evening, when,
she states. sister Of the mother and an
other woman wrapped 1t In a cloth and
placed 1t In coal scuttle and conveyed 1t
to the woods where it was left on the
ground until the time of the visit of the
women the following afternoon.
The mother of the infant, the McDow wo-
man states. has been employed a teacher
In one of the colored schools of this city.
She Is said to be Ill in a room at her
fathers home in Rosslyn. 1t was her sis
ter, according to the story of the McDow
woman, who went with the party Thurs
day afternoon to the spot where the child
had been abandoned. Lena Mellow also
asserts that the infant was taken to the
woods at the direction of its mother