Evening journal., 1907-01-04
A TRAGEDY OF
THE TENEMENTS
New York Couple Had No
Money to Bury Their
Child

NEW YORK, Jan. 4-Charles Gas
sert. stable hand, and his wife, Mary.
a scpuei9 woman. parents ofthd.seAsn-
mdnth-old baby boy whose body was
found abandoned in shabby little baby
carriage OF Second avenue and Ninetys
ninth street on the night of Decembef
/. are held in the House OF Detention,
as witnesses by order Of Coroner Juiius.
sHarburger pending an inquest on theI
baby's death. The case Turns c0rt.tc be
one OF poverty-and hard luck. The story
as told by Gassert and his wife Is ne
heved by the coroner. and n IL san be
corroborated 10y che police, they VIII be-
released. a
Gassert says he lived with his wife,
her nine-year- boy by a former
marriage. ana Che child whose oody
was found In a tenementhouse az -OoS
Second avenue ZIP TO December J. lhey
had had a year of hard luck, ana ore
misfortune followed fast on anolner
The baby had been Ill., and they had
no mohcy for a physician or 20 get
proper nourishment for the child.
Gassert said he was awakened eoily
on the morning OF December l by his
lwife's cries she had discovered the
Il baby dead beside her Before he could
stop her She had wrapped the child ~
/. a blanket and run over 70 the nearest
drug store. The druggist told her the
Il chiid was dead. They had no money
& for an undertaken, and dreaded sending
the child's body to the morgue and
d rotter's field.
/, They decided finally to put the body
In the baby carriage, and leave Il M
a place where somebody who might
bury it would hnd IT, An day tneS
trudged around but the woman could
not be induced TO part with the corpse
II can't do It," she sad. Il can
leave my darling out In 'the stree
alone" she sobbed. They finally go
TO second avenue and Ninetyninti
street. They had walkei miles. IN
mother was hardly able to stand. The,
had not "A cent. AS they stood Tor
moment Gassert saw something glis
tening en- the sidewalk. 10 was
2 dime.
: ~ took her into the corner saloon
= thinking a. glass Of beer would reviv
! her. as she had eaten nothing all day
D he said. I'VE left the baby In the car
I. riage When we came out there was
= crowd standing around. They we're al
4 | grumbling and making threats. and w
2 were afraid to own up to the baby beinl
ours. and we just beat IL. That's ho'
! they found my cane In the buggy.
S didn't intend to leave the baby there
n had an awful time with my wife
! She went an TO pieces
4 Gassatt told Of going back TO the'
l. iat and next day they sold their house
hold effects. The lot brought s.. The
they began to hunt for work, putting u
in a cheap lodging at Third avenue an
Fifty-eighth street The next day Oh
wife came SCREENING into the room W.T.
newspaper in her hand.
any God" she cried. they're foun
the baby. They say we killed it AN
the police are looking for us. Whi
shall we do?"
They then decided that they woul
end their misery. Sending the llt
toy out into the street they prepare
- 40 commit suicide by inhalng ga
Y, and the husband went out and bougl
70. two gas tubes. They had affixed q
w tubes, but forgot TO lock the door. ii
NJ little boy returned unexpectedly 4
ts realized what they contemplated and
- answer to his pleadings they gave
rt the attempt to die together
"a. The Gerry Society has taken char
IN Of the wonan's other child pending
- charge in her and her husbands 20
or tunes. Neither has any appearance
ns dissipation.