Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-14
JEFFREY FINDS
FILTHY CONDITIONS
Probation Officer Visits st. AL.
bans-14 Neglected Children
to Be Cared For,

st. Adams, Feb. 10.-As the result Of
general investigation in this city and Rich
ford by State Probation officer w. H.
jeffrey Of Montpelier, provision has been
made for the care Of u children, IL from
this city and two from Richford. Some of
the children will be sent to institutions
and others cared for here. Following the
Investigation Frank Finnemore Of Water
street was arraigned in city court yester-
day morning before Judge N. N. Post and
sentenced to serve not less than q year
and half and not more than two years
In the house Of correction for cruelty to
his children and not taking proper care Of
his family. He was placed on probation
and will be under constant surveillance. II
conditions are not satisfactory no will be
sent to the house Of correction without
further trial. Local people who were
principally instrumental In having Mr..
Jeffrey come here express themselves we'll
pleased with the result Of his investigator
and the way he handled the situation
generally. Filthy and unsanitary condi-
lions were found in many Of the 10 places
visited and other conditions Of revolving
nature were disclosed.
Although Mr. jeffrey refused to be inter-
viewed in the matter Il 10 probable that
the State board OF health will be called
upon later to investigate some places. It is
understood that tenement house conditions
In the section Of the city which was visited
are very unsatisfactory to the board of
charities and probation, which Mr.. jeffrey
represents.
| In the house on Water street occupied
by the Finnemorss each Of the two chill
dren. aged two and four years. respective
ly. was found dressed in a short calico
garment. They wore no underclothing,
shoes or stockings, and they were very
dirty. In court yesterday Finnemore
testified that at times he earned as much
as $1s or $40 week. In the other half of
the same house was a family consisting
OF man and his wife and four children.
All the children were out Of school, one
with withersd arm having Just been
sent home on account Of his physical
condition The boy wore no underclothing
and his body was unclean.
On Lascelle street in a family where
bad conditions were found. one Of the chill.
dren 10 mute. This family is said to be-
long to Morrisville. The man is now "a
years old. For his first wife he married
a A-ysar-old girl and of this union two
children were born. The wife died and the
man married another N-year-old girl. To
them II children were born. Four are in
the State Industrial school.
In another home on Lascelle street was
found family consisting Of two men and
their wives. another woman, now out of
the house Of correction on parole who is
sister Of the other two women, and 10
children The family occupied three rooms
and there were two beds in the tenements,
one double and one thrse-quarters bed.
| On the same street were found condi.
lions filthy and unsanitary in a home, the
wife having been feeble-minded at the time
OF her marriage several years ago.
In Federal street home two rooms
were found occupied by a woman with
three children. her sister and Ave children
and boarder. Two young men at the
house at the time OF the Investigation were
said to be callers. There were two beds
! for the entirs family. The woman with
the hve children has been taken to the
hospital. The sanitary condition at this
house. the yard outside and the cellar,
were probably the worst Of any Of the
places Investigated. Evidently canned
goods were used great DEAL bushel
or more Of empty cans being found in the
cellar. This house was Guaranteed last
spring for infantile paralysis.
Ono Of the houses where conditions were
found bad was on Houghton street.
In one Of the homes visited was a bed
In use which consisted Of nothing but q
piece Of floor carpeting over some springs