The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-10-12
CHILD MURDER
MYSTERY SOLVED
Police Of Burlington Trace Move
ments Of Inhuman Mother Step by
Step but Her Whereabouts
are Unknown.
LEARN OF CHILD's BIRTH
Born Three Weeks Ago in ST. Francis
Hospital-chief Has Damae-
ing Case Against Babes
Mother.
LEARN OF CHILD's BIRTH


baby found IN the river at the foot OF
the Harrison street steps last Thurs
day morning was the victim OF muir
der has been thoroughly established
by Chief of Police Hiltz. That the
mother OF the infant, either crazed BY
shame or spurTed By brutal desire
10 be rid of the responsibility of the
infants care, committed the deed,
has also been proven by the chief.
Step by step Chief HiItz and Captain
Anderson have traced the case until
the only missing link is the where
ahouts Of the woman who committed
the crime Her identity is also In
doubt However, the surrounding
country has been flooded with no
tees and the arrest of the woman is
expected at any hour. She claimed to
be married when she was admitted to
St Francis hospital, but the police
believe that she was unmarried and
rid herself OF the infant for obvious
reasons
The infant was born at St. Francis
hospital three weeks ago last Thurs
day. The mother entered that institu-
ton on August s. She was in destitute
circumstances and the county paid
her expenses. She left the hospital on
Monday morning. October 8, stating
that she had found a home for the in
FAINT From that time her movements
we're traced until she returned in the
afternoon for valise she had left at
the hospital Several clues as to her
whereabouts al the present time have
been followed but they have proven
fruitless. The woman gave the name
of Mrs. Johnson, claiming that her
husband had been killed while engag-
ed in railroad construction work at
Creston on January 10, this year.
She gave her age as 81 years and
Is described as being about feet. Z
inches in height She has thick black
hair, dark complexion and her face
is considerably freckled. When she
left the hospital she wore black hat
white shirt waist and blue serge
skirt.
Tracing the Case.
When the news of the flnd-
ing of the infant reached Chief
Hiltz he at once commenced to un-
rayel the mystery. Having received
information previously that two men
had seen woman with a baby on the
Prospect hill bluff Monday morning,
Oct 3, he sought out the men and
learned their story. His informants
are two citizens named Mooney and
Shirley. The latter stated that he
was on the river in d skiff when he
noticed woman on the bluff carry
ing q basket She hailed him and ask
ed him how she could reach the rail
road track. He rowed into shore and
there met Mooney.
The woman in the meantime had
started 10 descend the Hill and fell,
her flight being arrested by tree
Shirley climbed the bank and assist
ed her 10 the railroad track, and
Mooney held the baby. He brushed
her clothes and she said she wanted
70 go 10 Viewer, and the men gave
her what information they could con-
corning the distance. This was at
point midway between the bridge and
the Harrison avenue steps.
The men thought the actions of the
woman we're rather queer and watch
ed her az she disappeared down the
track. Afterwards renarking to friends
CT the circumstance.