The Detroit times., 1910-05-25
NO TRACE FOUND
OF BABY WEBB
Child Was Received in Providence
Hospital, But There's No Record
of What Became Of II.

The quest OF Mr. and Mrs. Melvin
Webb, OF No. SO West Jefferson-ave,
for their son, Melvin, now 2 l-2 years
old, begins To look very much like a
vain search for a hopelessly lost
child.
Baby Melvin" recorded in the
Providence hospital only by a pencil
memorandum, and by no other avail
able record OF his arrival or disposi-
ton, is probably the much-sought
baby. Baby Melvin. according to the
memorandum in possession Of Sister
Alexia. arrived In the Providence hos
pital, Jan. s, 1909. What became OF
him, no one seems to know.
There ought to be some record or
that baby" said the sister in charge
OF the institution, Tuesday morning,
"but there Is none, so | don't see any
thing that can be done mere about 1t.
Mrs. Anna Lentes. Of No. 70 Assist.
who boarded the baby for Mr.. and
Mrs. Webb, and sent II to the hospital
on account Of the non-payment or
board. declares that she acted on adj
vice received from the superintend-
ent's Office at police headquarters, and
that the course she pursued was en-
tirely honest and above board. She
said. Tuesday morning. that no one
was more anxious than she to have
the baby returned to its parents, but
she insists that the strange disappear
ance OF the baby. and its entire loss
OF identity, is up to" the Providence
hospital.
Mrs. Lentes willingly discussed
every phase Of the strange tangle, and
left the impression that though she
might have made a mistake Of judg-
ment. in giving up the Webb baby,
there was plenty Of reason for her
action.
When turned Baby Melvin over
to Sister Alexia In the Providence
hospital, Jan. 5, 1909, | never thought
there would be all this trouble" said
Mrs. Lentes. Sister Alexia asked
me the baby's name; asked II its par
ents were living, and wanted to know
why I was leaving II there. She was
surprised when | told her that the
parents owed me $40 for the child's
board and that they paid no attention
to my demands for the money. l ex-
planned that | had a struggle OF my
own, to care for my Ave children, and
couldn't keep the baby any longer.
Sister Alexia wrote down the name
and some other things on a paper, and
/ left. didn't mean anything wrong.
I couldn't afford to keep that baby for
nothing. Time and again. I had talk
ed with Melvin Webb, telling him he
70 oh L. hnh xy ID
him to pay me for its board and take
1t, but he never paid any attention.
About Jan. l. 1909, felt that he would
never take the baby, or would never
pay me a cent, so l went to police
headquarters, and asked them what
to do. Some man there advised me
to put the child in the institution. He
told me to see the poor commission,
first. and get an order. gia
II went to the poor commission,
and Supt. Dolan told me I'd have 70
keep the baby. just couldn't do It,
SO took 1t to the Providence hospi-
tai. had taken other babies there.
Sister Alexia knew me, and so they
took the baby"
Mrs. Lentes says that 1t Is not true
that Webb received letters, either
from her on her daughter, after the
child had been taken to the institu-
ton. Attorneys Stafford and Trendle,
No. $40 Moffat bldg, who are repre-
senting the Webbs, say that they
haven't the .etters, but they believe
Webb's statement.
Sister Alexia testified I'm Judge
Murphy's court, Monday afternoon,
corroborating Mrs. Lentes' statement
that the latter had taken Baby Melvin
to the institution, Jan. s, 1909, and
that there was. unfortunately, no fur
ther record Of the child.