Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-10-14
ABANDONED BABY
Case Quickly Cleared
Up by Police
Discovery Of Newly Born Infant on
Brush Heap off Washington Street
Followed by Prompt Work by Off,
eers-Mother Of Child Located in
One Of Edwards Company's Tene-
ments-Admits Forsakins Infant

Admitting that she gave birth to a
child while walking on the Washing
ton street sidewalk on Monday morn
ing and that she had then cast the
child away and forsaken it. Mrs.
Thomas Boucher of this city solved
the case of the abandoned baby"
which held the attention Of the Au-
gusta police force on Monday. 1t
certainly was a strange case which
was begun at about 5.45 Monday
morning with the finding Of new
ly-born male infant, without cloth
ing. by Benjamin Poulin, on a clump
of bush below the bridge on Wash
ington street.
The lusty cries were what attract
ed Mr.. Poulin as he was on his way
to his store at 60 Washington street
which is. just a short distance from
The bridge on the opposite side of the
street. Faint cries which at first he
could not place. were heard by Mr..
Poulin. Thinking the sound was
coming from one of the open win
dowss of the lodging house which is
on the south side of the bridge, he
continued along his way. But when
he reached the railing of the bridge
he found he was nearer the cries
He then thought that some child Of
the neighborhood may have been
lost, and he went across the street
to the home of Mrs. Joseph Roy at
a. Washington street. In company
with Mrs. Roy. who carried lamp.
he went back to the bridge. There
in the faint light of the lamp they
saw the child in the bushes. lying
partly on it's right side, on the brush,
fully 10 feet below the level Of the
sidewalk.
The baby was taken at once to the
home of Mrs. Roy. Another woman.
living in the neighborhood. directly
opposite the Poulin store, was called
and she washed and dressed the baby
and took it to her home. DR.. D. L.
Berube was called to attend the in
FAINT. The right side of the little fell
lows face was found to be scratch
ed, but not badly, and it's head was
bruised on the right side. The morn
ing air was bitter cold and the es-
cape of the baby from death seems
almost miraculous.
The rolice department was notified or
tie finding of the baby. Description OF
a strange woman wearing a brown coat,
white stockings and black nat, seen
in that ne.gkborhood in the morning,
was given to the police department by
Mr. Poulin, Mrs. Joseph Roy and MI
chael Lambert.
CITY Marshal George Mckinney called
by the Edwards Manufacturing Co. by
telephone on Monday afternoon anc
stated that he was going to look
through the company's tenements to
see about health conditions. The inves-
tigation was started by the city mar
shal, Police Officer Michael Bolduc ami
DR.. Rerube. who were accompanied by
Charles r. Chase. paymaster of the Ed
wards company.
In Block No. Sc, Tenement No. 6, they
found the woman in the case. Mrs. Bou-
cher, who was lying in bed. Mr.. Bou-
cher was also in the apartment Mrs.
Boucher admitted that she gave birth
to the baby while she was walking on
the sidewalk on Washington street and
that she had then deserted the baby
b cause she was afraid to take it home.
Mr. Boucher stated that he knew moth.
ing of the matter until he had heard
that a baby had been found and he hal
tren asked his wife II 1t was her baby.
He denied that he knew Of his wife's
condition. Mrs. Boucher was formerly
Miss Olive Della Kittridge of Hallowell.
and was married last Saturday to Mr..
Boucher by City Clerk Joseph Young.
She is 10 years of age.
Mr. Boucher was arrested pending