Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-30
FAIL TO REVEAL
IDENTITY OF MYSTERY BABY"
Infant ChuckIes as Officials
Pursue Serious Business of
Scanning Records.
Child Left With Cabin John
Couple Proves Puzzle
to Authorities.

While the subject of their grave de-
iberations gurgles with delight over
his ticklish footprinting experience,
police and welfare authorities of two
Jurisdictions admitted temporary oe-
feat today in their efforts to identify
5-month-old Francis Warples," Mont
gomery County's mystery baby"
Little Francis. left last May at the
home of Mr.. and Mrs. N. w. Saunders,
in Cabin John. Md, by a man who
failed to give his address, is as tickliSh
as anything on the bottom of his feet.
II was but natural, therefore. that he
should chuckfe in high good humor
when stern officials Smeared some sticky
black stuff on his chubby foot and then
stuck his toes and heel on a piece Of
paper.
Identification Effort Fails.
The Serious-minded men couldn't re-
strain a smile themselves for Baby
Francis chuckles are most contagious.
But the smiles disappeared when, later.
they shook their heads and announced
that Francis footprint didn't corre-
spond to any of those examined at Co
lumbia Hospital where he had been
taken in the hope of identifing him.
This didn't make any difference to
Francis, but it certainly swelled the
worries OF Montgomery County welfare
officers over the light-haired. blue
eyed infants future. Mr.. and Mrs
Saunders would like to keep Francis
in their modest home in nearby Mary
land, but both are getting we'll along
in years and feel they are unable to
care for him much longer-especially
when finances are considered. Mr..
Saunders chief income is from selling
honey at a local market, and the honey
business has been in something of a
slump of late.
Although he is unaware of it and
refuses to be in the least concerned
about anything. anyway, Francis short
career of five months in this old world
has been a rather hectic one
Last May Mrs. Saunders advertised
in The Star for baby to board for the
Summer. A day or so later young
man of good appearance drove up to
her home with the squirming bundle
of cooling babyhood that was, he ex-
planned, Francis Warples." He told
Mrs. Saunders. she said today, that
Francis mother had died when he was
born, about month previously in North
Carolina, and that he, the father. was
unable to care for the child properly.
Couple Interested in Baby.
The man left Francis with Mrs.
Saunders after promise to pay for his
support, and he has not been seen by
her since. All efforts to find him have
proved unavailing. Some weeks ago, she
added, a well dressed young couple
stopped at the Saunders house and, see
ing the baby, manifested great interest
in 1t. Mrs Saunders since has come to
believe that this couple may have
known something about Francis
parentage.
Mrs. Saunders recently notified Miss
Irma E. Moore, Montgomery County
welfare officer, that she was at her
wits end about what to do with Fran
els. Miss Moore went to the home and
investigated the case. On piece of
the baby's clothing she discovered
tag bearing the mark of Columbia Hos
pital, here.
Officials at the hospital were brought
into the inquiry. They agreed to take
Francis footprint and compare 1t with
those OF all babies born at the insti-
tuition in May. Five prints on file in
the hospital were selected as resembling
those of Francis. It was agreed scien-
tific advice would be necessary, so Sergt.
Sandberg, the Police Departments fin
gerprint expert, was appealed to.
Sergt. Sandberg studied the prints
carefully and decided that none of the
five curious little smears before him
had been made by the quite distinctive
foot of Baby Francis.
Officials Left in Quandary.
Now officials are in a quandary as
to the next step to take. It is possible,
however, that the county authorities
will request the hospital to extend the
search for Francis footprint into files
for April and March, in the belief that
Francis age may have been stated in
correctly by the young man who brought
him to the Saunders home.
In the meantime Francis continues
his gurgling and chuckling in his crib,
as he examines his toes.