The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-04-09

That baby farming" is conducted
in Pensacola is the assertion of the
coroner's jury which made an exhaust
i've investigation into the death of the
four -months-old child, whose nude
body was recently cast up on the beach
at Warrington. The jury hadx many
witnesses before it during the day,
and went into the Investigation from
many angles. While it could not learn
the identity of the child or how it came
to death, it nevertheless learned of
practice in Pensacola that, in its
judgment, should be stopped. The ver-
is as follows:
coRoNER's VERDICT.
"That the infant came to its death
in manner and from causes unknown
to the jury.
However, the evidence adduced in
the jury's investigation developed that
Ia system of baby farming exists in
Pensacola which in the opinion of the
jury merits a thorough investigation
by the proper authorities of the
county,
Quite a number of witnesses were
examined, and interesting testimony
was secured from several women who
had been subpoenaed. Mrs. Reoumont,
residing at the corner of Twelfth
street and Perry avenue, Pensacola
Heights, related how child which
had been placed with a, negro family
for care until the physician would call
for it, testified that the child, a boy.
had been brought TO her home where
it remained for several days, and then,
under orders from the physician, was
taken to New Orleans, where it had
been placed in the st. Vincent Wait
Hospital. received by the Sister SUI
perior She said that her expenses
were paid to the Crescent City and
that she received $40 for the trip. She
did not believe, she informed the jury,
that she had been guilty of anything
wrong.
Nellie England, white girl who at
one time was employed by Mrs. Reu-
mont when the latter resided at .217
Ninth avenue, said she had been t4ld
that baby had been given to Mrs.
Reumont,' the information being
given her by a negro girl, who, she
said, had been sent up the road"
She meant the negro had been sent to
JAIL but her memory was very indis-
tinct as to dates and other material
points. She said that the child had
died.
An attempt was made to connect
that child with the one which had
been taken from the negro woman's
home by Mrs. Reumont, but that party
stated that a child had died at her
home, parentless child, so far as she
could inform the jury, and that it had
died in January told the jury that she
did mot want to expose the girl" She
claimed that two children at her home
now were adopted ones, and that they
were by the same mother.
OFFICIAL RECORDS.
Following up the connection of the
child dying, the record in the Office OF
the city clerk shows that one child.
named Joe Merlin, had died at Little
Bayou on January ), and had been
buried at ST. Joseph's cemetery. The
child was a male, six months old, had
been attended in its illness by Dr.
Bryans, and had been inferred by F.
R. Pou, undertaken. Nothing was dis
puted in that respect. DIR. Bryans,
VINO was called at the afternoon ses-
sion of the jury, testified that he had
attended the child in its illness, but
had no record of it's death.
DR.. Bryans was subpoenaed at the
afternoon session, and he was quite
free with his testimony, as was also
his clerk, Jas. w. Gingles, the latter
saying tndt cases come 10 HObiee ot
physicians at times where an inherent
sympathy for humanity impels doc
tor to take notice. THE city won't
do anything for them, the county has
refused, and gentlemen, it is only
humanity that the doctor should take
notice of these kind of cases" DR..
BTyans strongly asserted his opinion
relative to the falseness of any con-
nection with the baby found on the
beach and the one sent by him to New
Orleans. He told the jury that he was
quite free to reply to any question
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