Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-15
OFFICERS WILL INTERFERE
AND AID THOMAS FAMILY
Woman and Four Children Neglected
by Father, Who VIII Be sent
to Knoxville.


Armed with requisite authority to take
charge of a family of sorely neglected chill
dren, Probation Officer Herner went to a
little taxpayer shanty located in the old
Driving park grounds at what is now the
junction OF Seventeenth street and Avenue
II yesterday morning, but found the mother
had taken her brood and fled. The husband
and father, Abe Thomas, a capable me
ohanio who earns 81 a day when he works
is now in the Omaha jail serving a SEN
tence for knocking down his sister while
she was trying to protect her dying mother
at the home, 27Os Spaulding street, Omaha,
after his brother had thrown himself on
the bed after a night of dissipation.
The attention of the Council Bluffs Off
GERS was called to the case at noon Thurs
day, when Mrs. Blanche Stephens of Den
yer, accompanied by her daughter, Mrs
ID. b. Dawson. wife of prominent Denver
merchant. appeared at the police station
and asked for protection for the children,
and told a story of shocking neglect and
debauchery. Mrs. Stephens had been called
from her home in Denver to attend her
dying mother, Mrs. Jane Stephens residing
at the Spaulding street address.
While the mother lay unconscious upon
the bed Mrs Stephens and her daughter
say Abe Thomas and his brother entered
the room in a maudin state of intoxication
and Abe fell across the bed upon the body
of his unconscious mother, Mrs stephens
says she attempted to arouse him, but
failed, and when she tried to pull him off
he staggered to his feet and struck her
in the face, knocking her down The Omaha
police were called and both men were
taken to the station and given fifteen day
sentences. Mrs. Stephens then came to
I oil Q1VVFF a.,
Of her unnatural brothers children. She
found things in such distressing condition
that she appealed to the local authorities.
The family has been living in a wretched
shanty built in about the shape OF a box
car and not over eight feet high at the
| gables. Several OF the glass Of the two
| little windows were broken out and somo
| OF the holes stuffed with dirty rags Only
one bed was visible and the neighbors saw
the whole family OF parents and four chill
/ dren slept In this bed. The oldest child
is boy alleged to be 10 years old. but
/ Mrs. Stephens says he is but 10; another
is a deaf and dumb child, who is otherwise
mentally and physically deformed; the third
Is bright boy of about years Of age
/ and the fourth Is a babe.
Probation officer Herner had been nre-
viously called to the place and says the
condition Of the family Is the worst that
has come within his knowledge The par
ents claim the boy is past the compulsory
school age and he helps support the family
| by driving garbage cart. The informa-
ton to the officers is that Thomas sauan-
ders about all Of his earnings. County At
torney Capell filed an information yester-
day charging Thomas with habitual IN
toXication and he will be brought from the
Omaha jail and sentenced to a two or
three-year term in the Knoxville inebriate
/ asylum
The humane officers yesterday found a
starving pony shut up in a shed OF about
/ the same character as the house Ii is be
Heved that Mrs. Thomas went to Omaha.
and when she returns her neglected chill
dren will be cared for. 1t is said Thomas
has squandered several thousands OF dol
lars.
WSnted-Good boy to carry papers in
west part OF city. Can 10 Scott street
Wanted-Good boy TO carry papers in