The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-12-21
Did MOSCOW PEOPLE LEAVE
YOUNG BABY ON THE TRAIN?

A baby girl, from 10 days to two
weeks old, was left on the Northern
Pacific train last night and was taken
off at Lewiston, where it is being
cared for by the Red Cross, while Of
ficers are trying to locate the persons
who deserted the child. 1t is claimed
that the seat in which the baby was
found at Kendrick was occupied by
people who left the train at Moscow
and that a woman, who said in the
Spokane depot that the child is hers,
got off the train with two other child
'ren at JOEL A sensational story will
probably be developed when the facts
are brought out as they probably will
be soon. The following story pub
lished in this mornings Lewiston
Tribune, tells of the finding of the
baby and the facts so far discovered
in the interesting case:
"An abandoned girl baby, from a
week to ten days old, was brought
into Lewiston last night on the train
arriving at 1920 o'clock. The pres
ence of the baby was not discovered
until the train reached sKendrick, but
the baby was placed on the train at
Spokane, Brakeman "Pat" Graves re-
membering the bundle when the wom-
an ascended the car steps. He paid
no attention to the woman and can
not give a description of her.
''With the baby was a bundle of
towels wrapped in Spokane news
paper of yesterday evenings edition.
The child was taken to the Children's
Home last night by Mrs. Porter
Shafer and Mrs. P S, Stookey, Red
Cross women, who met the train to
render assistance to returning sol
diers. Superintendent John Rowland
of the home gave assurance the child
will be provided with good home.
"Mrs. David E. Kelley was a pas
senger on the train last night from
Spokane. She said she saw the baby
in the Spokane depot fully two and
a half hours before the departure of
the train and gave attention to the
child during the time. She said her
attention was attracted OF the bundle
lying in rocking chair near a radl-
ator when the child moved. She
asked the woman nearby where the
mother Of the child could be found
and was informed the mother had de-
parted some time ago. She said she
then ministered to the needs OF the
infant for a period of about two and
one-half hours when the mother re-
turned with two children, one about
8 years of age and one about 5 years
of age. She said the mother paid no
to the baby, but she asked
her if the infant was her child. Mrs.
Kelley said the woman told her 1t was
her child and that it was two weeks
old. Mrs. Kelley said she then called
the attention of the mother to the
fact that the child needed food, and
the mother left the depot rooms and
in a bottle, some Of which she gave
returned in a few minutes with milk
to the baby Mrs. Kelley again saw
the woman when she left the train at
Joel with her two children, but did
not notice that the woman was not
the infant. She said she
thought nothing more about the mat
ter until the presence Of the aban-
doned infant was discovered by mem
bers of the train crew some time
later.
"With the infant was bottle con-
tanning a light colored liquid that
members Of the train crew believe
an opiate that caused the
infant to sleep Conductor Jack Gala
han was in the coach for the greater
part of the time from Spokane to
Kendrick and said the infant made no
noise to attract the attention OF the
Of the train crew or the pas
sengers.
'The infant was found in a rear seat
on the opposite side of the aisle from
the seat occupied by the Joel woman
and her two children. When the train
left Spokane the seat in which the
infant was found was occupied by
two women having tickets for Moscow.
At that time the seat in front was
thrown back to form double seats and
on a part of the trip to Moscow a
Moscow citizen occupied the front
seat and conversed with the women.
can investigation will be instituted
today by the officers in an endeavor
to ascertain the identity Of the person
guilty of abandoning the infant"
Sheriff Campbell had heard moth
ing of the case until asked by The
Star Mirror about it. No report has
been made to him nor has he been
asked by the Lewiston authorities to
take steps in the matter. AS Joel is
in this county one would naturally
expect the Lewiston authorities to
with the sheriff here,
out they have failed to do so.