Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-06
AUGUSTA LOCALS.
A SAD CASE.
Children at Rome Found
In Pitiab|e Plight.
Eight Little Ones Half Starved
And Poorly Clad.
Mr.. and Mrs. william Meader Must
Explain In Court.

Seldom if ever have the county au-
thorities been called on to deal with a
more pathetic case Of youthful suffer-
ing than that which caused the eight
children of Mr.. and Mrs. William
Meader of Rome to be taken in charge
by Deputy Sheriff w. b. Da1nren of
that town Sunday morning and
brought to Augusta last night. Accord
ing to the story told by the officer and
borne out by the children themselves,
the story is one of the saddest in the
annals of Kennebec county.
The little ones, ranging from IA
months to Is years in age, were found
by the officer in utter restitution, with
only little -four in the house, without
sufficient clothing to shelter their little
bodies from the rigors of the weather
and with only the fuel to keep them
warm which a little boy could chop
and drag to the house on a dilapidated
hand sled. Complaints have from time
to time reached the authorities, the
case having been reported some time
ago to Mrs. Ada F. Hunt of this city,
county agent of the Society for the
Protection of Children, by a traveller
who learned of the pitiable condition
of the children while passing through
the town. Later, according to all re-
ports, the neglected condition Of the
children became a matter Of common
talk in Rome until it developed into a
town scandal which resulted in their
being taken in charge by Deputy Sher-
iff Danren.
Mr.. and Mrs. Meader left Rome about
March % and went to Bangor, remain
ing away for II days, leaving the chill
dren in charge of Mr.. and Mrs. Asa
Trask, an elderly couple, who were un-
able to give them the care and atten-
ton they needed. They returned last
Saturday to find that their house had
burned down and the children, togeth-
er with Mr.. and Mrs. Trask, were re-
moved to a dilapidated structure, with
leaky roof and broken windows which
afforded little protection from the
weather 1t is reported that when Mr..
and Mrs. Meader went away they left
the children practically without prov1-
sions,
When Deputy Sheriff Damren took
charge Of the children Sunday morn
ing Mr.. Meader left for Augusta, say
ing he was going to look up the law
in the case. He had heard report that
the children were to be taken to the
Children's Home in this city and want
ed to stop proceedings and recover pos
session of them In this he was unsuc-
cessful. Deputy Sheriff Damren was in
the city bright and early Monday
morning and applied to Judge Maher
of the Augusta municipal court for
sumnnonses against the parents of the
children to appear in court on charges
of failure to provide and cruelty to the
little ones, which were readily granted.
While the officer was in court, before
the ink was dry on the papers, Mead
e1 came in to consult the court regard
ing the taking of the children and
Judge Maher promptly served the
summons on him. Deputy Sheriff DAM
rem, accompanied by Superintendent
w. C. Halves of the Augusta Children's
Home, and Mrs. Hunt, took a car for
winthrop, going from there to Bel
grade and completing the journey to
Rome by team. They served sum-
mons on Mrs. Meader and later took
the children to Waterville, from there
coming to Augusta on Train No. 2, ar
irving in this city shortly after 1890
o'clock and going to police headquar-
ters, where the children were cared for
for the night and where they will re
main today.
When preparing the children for the
trip it was necessary to apply to the
ncighbors for contributions of clothing
for them Jennie. aged three years. had
no shoes or stockings and the baby was
also without these luxuries. Another
little fellow had on practically nothing
and as the neighbors could supply
nothing to fit him he was brought here
with no clothing except an old skirt
wrapped about him and an undergar-
ment The children and their ages are:
Freddie H.. 1e; Herbert F. and Mary
E., twins, 10; Edward s., II; Daniel W..
6; Edgar, 4; Jennie, 8, and Elmon IA
months.
Mr.. ard Mrs Meader will be given a
hearing at 10 o'clock tomorrow MORN
ing