The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-01-04
SAY IGNORANCE NOT Crime"
District Attorney Says Mother Of Child
Has Suffered More Than Any Penalty
State Gould Impose Against Her
No Warrants Are Issued In Case.

The body of baby girl, wrapped in
swaddling clothes and carefully con-
cealed in a straw covered suit case was
in the custody of the police today and
later on the orders Of the coroner it
was sent to the Hansen morgue and ord
cred prepared for burial-possibly in a
nameless grave out at Green. Ridge Gem
etery. The story of the coming of the
unwelcome little stranger and her tragic
death make up the saddest chapter of
the Christmas season in KenOsha. The
body Of the child was turned over to
the police and the District Attorney late
Thursday night after they had unearth-
ed the story of the child mother and
the birth and death of the infant daugh-
ter. 1t was story of poverty and
ignorance coupled with the shame of
unexpected motherhood and so much of
suffering had entered into the life of
the woman that the District Attorney
declared that he would not make public
her identity and that there was no law
under the code of Wisconsin which could
be put into operation to punish her for
her ignorance. The death of this child
was due to ignorance and misfortune
and the criminal intent was entirely
lacking" said the District Attorney
an discussing the case. I" After you
have heard of the story of it 8 coming
into the world and the unspeakable men
tai and physical pain that it 8 mother,
a girl but seventeen years of age and a
bride of only q few weeks has suffered
you will appreciate that the law could
impose no penalty half so severe. The
parentage Of the child is in no way in
doubt. The husband Of the young wo-
man who gave birth to it and con-
cealed the facts in regard to it's birth
for more than week even though the
concealment came near being at the cost
of her own life, was the father of the
child and he has made this admission
to this office. 1t is only the part of
kindness to allow the little child to be
buried and let the mother forget if she
can.
According to the story brought out
by the Investigations Of the police and
the district attorney the child was born
on Wednesday morning, December Goth,
but the fact that the miracle of birth
had been performed did not become
known until last Wednesday night. The
young woman in her statement to the
district attorney and the officials de-
clared that all she could say was that
she suffered intense pain, that she be-
came unconscious and that when she re-
gained her senses she found the body
of the dead baby under the bed clothing
of her bed. She declared that all she
knew was that she no longer suffered
from the pains. When the young wo-
man found the body of the child in the
bed she got up and wrapped it in
towel which she found near the bed. She
placed it in the suit case and concealed
it under the bed until last Wednesday
night, Then she told her husband what
had happened and he took the dead body
of the baby girl over to another part
of the city and concealed it in hay
NOW until it was turned over to the
police on Thursday night and taken to
the police office. There was no seem
ing intention on the part of the young
woman to escape any responsibility in
connection with the birth of the child.
Physicians who at the order of the cor
oner made an examination of the little
body late Thursday night declared that
the child had either bled to death or
had died from suffocation. They de-
cEared that there was no doubt but
that it was normal child when it was
born. On Wednesday night after the
young woman had revealed the secret to
her husband physicians, were called to
attend her. They found that she was
very near to death but today it is de-
clared that she will probably recover.
The police officers refused to reveal
the home of the young woman where the
baby was born or the home of the father
where the body was found on Thursday
night. 1t was learned, however, that
the child was born at house on the
north side of the city and that the body
was found on the west side.
I" 1t is an unusual case" said Chief
Q Hare this morning, "and I believe
IL there ever was a case where Christian
charity might be drawn over ar erring
man and woman it is this one. Both the
mother and father have made complete
statement to me. Neither of them had
any criminal intent in the matter and
on the suggestions of the district attor-
ney the records of the case have been
sealed"