The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-02-22
WRONG BABY
BURIED IN M|x-UP.
Confusing Of Charts Leads to
Astounding Results.
TO EXHUME AND IDENTIFY BODY

Woman, Whose Daughter Supposedly
Had Died In Philadelphia Hospital,
Claims Little One Refused by Par
ents of Another.
Philadelphia, Feb. 22-The confus-
ing of two tiny pasteboard charts at
the Philadelphia hospital for Conta-
gious diseases, at Second and LuG2rne
streets, has developed astounding re-
suits in the burial OF one child under
the name of another, who, to her par
ents overwhelming joy, has been re-
stored to them as one raised from the
dead.
The living child Is three-year-old
Mollie Engelman, daughter OF David
and Mary Engelman, 629 West Mont
gomery avenue, where all day long
friends have collected in dazed sur
prise to express congratulations which
are all too weak to meet the remark
able situation.
In another home, that of Mr.. and
Mrs. Isadore kaufman, 2944 Westmont
Sll6Gl, LuCl z 10 UuI oOoO1dIAA5
sorrow, for there has pierced to their
hearts the terrible conviction that
their daughter, Beatrice, whom they
thought soon to have back in their
household, lies under the earth in Mt.
Carmel cemetery.
The remarkable revelation which
carried such overpowering joy to one
home, such narrowing grief to anoth-
er, came when the kaufmans refused
to accept the child offered them as
their daughter. Immediately there be-
gan an investigation which showed
that the little girl really was Nellie
Engelman.
Hope died hard with the Kaufmans.
but it died at last. Mrs. Kaufman,
racked by sobs, her eyes red and swol-
len, her face wet with tears, said that
she was finally possessed of the dread
certainty that the child buried as Mol
lie Engelman was Beatrice kaufman.
ooh, the horror of it.! the horror OF
it," she cried. 81 had looked for Bea-
woman flung herself moaning upon .
couch.
The identity of the child who died
will be learned definitely, for the body
will be disinterred. 1t will be taken to
the hospital and there viewed by the
parents The hospital authorities, like
the mother, are convinced, however,
that the body will prove that OF Bea,
trice.
Both Beatrice and Mollie, children
of corresponding age, were taken to
the hospital with scarlet fever. They
were admitted within a day OF each
other, and because of the overcrowded
condition of the ward they were put
into the same bed.
The investigation, so far as 1t has
gone, shows that the charts for the
children, bearing their names and
their histories" were placed on 2
window sill near the bed. In the case
of Beatrice, diphtheretic symptoms de,
veloped, so she was renewed to anoth-
er ward.
Apparently, in removing the child.
the nurse picked up the wrong chart,
the one bearing the name Mollie En-
german, and as Mollie Engelman was
Beatrice known in her new surround
ings; as Mollie Engelman, it seems,
she died. The hospital placed the
blame on the nurse. She has been
discharged for inefficiency.
Mrs. Engelman was permitted to
take her daughter home from the hos
pital They went in a closed carriage
"My Mollie! My Mollie!" sobbed Mrs.
Engelman, as she caressed the girl
and smothered her with kisses. They
tried to make me believe you were
dead, but 1 knew better. My little girl.
Oh, how happy 1 am to see YOU"
The child first only stared at her
mother. She could not comprehend
the situation. But finally she cuddled
up to her parent and seemed to re-
cognize her. The little girl had scar
let fever, and the physicians at the
hospital fear the disease may have af-
iacted her permanently.