The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-10-29
LEFT BABE IN AN AUTO
GIRL FROM ST. JAMES HAD
ABANDONED INFANT
PitifuI Story Told Authorities
BY Miss Marie Diers, Eigh-
teen Years Old

Miss Marie Diers, an eighteen year
old girl, who had been working in
restaurant at st. James for the past
two years, is now languishing in the
Blue Earth county Jail where she is
being detained on the charge Of aban-
doning her two and half months old
baby boy, Walter. Edward ]. Bros
nan, living at 21O North Fourth
street, who had left his automobile
standing near the curb near his resi-
dence while he was in at supper, was
at a loss to know what was contained
in bundle in the car when he! came
out with the intention of driving down
town. Investigation showed that the
bundle contained a sleeping baby
Mr.. Brosnan at once notified Chief of
Police Jacob Hilgers. This was about
$50 last evening.
Babe Taken to Hospital.
Soon afterwards Chief Hilgers took
the baby to Emmanuel hospital, where
he left him in care of nurses. When
the wrappings were undone, which
were about the child, a bottle contain.
ing olive oil and camphor, and bear
ing the label of the Shanks drug store
at st. James was found. This gave
Chief Hilgers a clew to work on. He
soon afterwards called up Chief Her
man Schweppe of st. James, who in
formed him that a Miss Marie Diers,
who gave birth to child at mater
nifty hospital in Minneapolis some two
months ago. and who had been work
ing in the North Side restaurant at
ST. James, left that city yesterday
with her child stating chat she was
going to Minneapolis.
Bought Ticket to Mankato.
Inquiries, however. the st. James
chief said showed that she had only
purchased a ticket as far as Manka-
to. Chief Hilgers finally located the
girl at the Omaha Union depot about
8:15. She at first told him that her
name was May Olson, but admitted
that she worked in st. James. Later
she admitted to Chief Hilgers that
her name is Marie Diers, and that
she came to Mankato with the pur-
pose OF leaving the child.
Born In Wisconsin.
This morning the girl stated to
County Attorney G. E. Phillips that
she was born in Comstock, Wis,
eighteen years ago, that her father
died some time ago, and that three
years ago she went to st. James to
work She has sister, according to
her statement by the name of Mrs.
w. c. Niemier, living nine miles from
st. James on farm. She stated that
the baby, Walter, was born in a Min
neapolis city hospital two and half
months ago.
Was Sent to Hospital.
Child welfare officials had sent her
to the Minneapolis hospital some time
previous to the birth of her child.
Later she had returned to st. James
and the officers of the child welfare
ing to get a home for the child. She
had made every endeavor to get a
home for the child herself, but with
out avail. She had found 1T difficult
to get employment on account Of hav-
| ing the child to care for.
She Became Desperate.
| Becoming desperate. she decided
yesterday to come to Mankato to look
up what appeared to be a good home
and abandon the child there. She re-
NAMED at the Omaha depot until six
o'clock yesterday evening and then
went out to look for a place to abon
! don the child. Seeing a car standing
outside of a home on North Fourth
street, and seeing the family through
the windows eating supper she left
the child in Mr.. Brosnan's car while
1t was sleeping and hurried back to
the depot, intending to return to St
James, when she was picked up by
Chief Hilgers,
| Kept Company With Young Man.
| According to the statement of the
girl, she had been keeping company
with young man at st. James by the
name Of Filing Olson for two years
He left st. James last April, and she
received a letter from him in August
from some town in Norway.
County Attorney G. e. Phillips has
taken the matter up with the ST.
James authorities, and meantime the
girl will be detained at the Blue
Earth county Jail.