Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-01
1RAFF|CK[RS N BABES
FRIENDLEss AND lLLEGlTiMATE
INFANTS DISPOSED OF FOR
A PRICE.
STATE CAPITAL is CENTER
OF NEFARioUs BUSINESS
Humane Society Gathering Evidence
in Effort to Stop Practces-Men and
Women Seen Making Frequent Trips
With InfantiIe charses-What Be.
comes Of Them?

Des Moines, April 1.--Officers of the
Iowa Humane Society believe they
have uncovered an organization which
lis buying and selling babies in Iowa
Humane Officer Eckles is hot on the
trail of woman who arrived in Des
Moines today With child and who is
reported to have, been seen bringing
children into the city at various times.
She was trapped into conversation
with Des Moines man on the street
today and told him that she receives
$50 to $50 apiece for taking babies out
of various counties. She refused to
tell what she does with them. Her
identity is unknown but the officers
believe they have her located.
Is Mrs. Baird, secretary of the humane
society, admitted she has been trailing
baby traffickers for over year and has
kept her findings secret. A man has
been meeting Des Moines trains at the
union depot with a suit case containing
live baby, which he handed to a wom-
an. The woman in turn boarded train
and left the city with the child. All eff
forts to trace these cases and capture
the woman Or man have thus far failed.
When the humane society once discov-
cred the identity of the man and Wom-
an handling the babies, they disappear
ed and soon entirely different charac-
tiers took. their places The baby traf-
fic continued. Reports of babes con-
veyed in this manner in grips always
came in to the society's office too late
to capture them at the depot.
Children Left on Doorsteps.
From over the state during the last
few months Mrs. Baird has had many
reports of babes left on doorsteps. Al
one time Catholic priests were victim
lied by the baby dealers. Many re-
ports came in of infants found on the
steps of houses occupied by priests
and always the children We're locked
in suit cases.
On the Rock Island morning train
from Iowa City yesterday handsome
woman fashionably dressed attracted
the attention of a. prominent Des
Molpes man whose name the humane
society refuses to divulge. He con-
versed with the woman and finding her
reticent took advantage of courteous
conversation to press her for partl-
culttrs. Finding that she endeavored to
shift the topic he persisted and she
finally admitted that she makes a bust
ness of travelingover the state of Iowa
{disposing of, babies. She stated that
she is paid by various coutnies which
employ her $25 to $50 to take friendess
babies out of the county and cause
them to disappear. She did not explain
her methods and refused to tell her
name
Becoming very suspicious of the
woman, whom he describes as of SUI
perior intelligence, the Des NIoines
man went at once on arrival in the city
to the office of the humane society. Of
hcer EclleS took up the WOman'S trail.
The deaconness on duty at the union
depot admitted that she had noticed
woman answering the description given
frequently coming into Des Moines
with one or more children. She .e-
member the woman mad told her she
represented home finding society.
Many Cases in Des Moines.
From Davenport the humane society
has recently had reports of woman,
claiming to represent Des Moines in
stitution, who took many children out
of town, presumably to bring them to
Des Moines. The case is yelled in mys-
terry. =
"Des Moines is in serious condition
just now" said Mrs Baird, ''in the
matter of caring for young girls who
run away from other towns and come
here to hide their shame and find a
place where their babies may be born.
There are no places where they can
go. The Salvation Army home is not
taking them because of some legal bar
to possession of the home and no pri-
waite individual dares interfere with the
new law governing maternity homes.
The city physician has been helping me
to get them into the hospitals for the
clinics. but there is not nearly enough
room for them all.
This is why an opportunity IS Of
fered for criminal practice in baby
traffic. There is no way of Knowing
what may be done with many of these
babes. Inscriptions criminals might
be committing wholesale murder for
all we know. This much is certain:
There are many of the people who are
dealing in babies and some of them
have headquarters in Des Moines. We.
are going to find this woman who ar
rived today and make her show what
she does with the children she brings
here"
The police and city detectives have
been notified to locate the mysterious
woman and her capture is practically
certain within a few hours.
jolly Awarded 81 Damages,
Sidney, April DIR. Arnold Jolly
was awarded verdict Of 81 in his suit
against Mayor Enoch FILLER of Ham