Evening star., 1949-01-10
.BabySitter, 58,
Fined SIS in
Infant Beatinq
Woman Denies Hittin.
Child; Nelson Sees
Marks on Body

'~~
A white-haired baby sitter toda,
was sentenced to pay $25 or spenc
10 days in Jail on a simple assault
charge in the beating of a six.
month-old baby left in her care
She paid the fine.
The woman, Miss Harriet Fitz.
gerald, 58, of the 1900 block of I
street NV, denied she struck little
Kathleen Morton and declared, g,
love babies
But Judge George D. Nelson
after observing the baby's buttocks
said he found what appeared to b,
the mark of hand He said th'
slight pat" which Miss Fitzgerald
said she administered to help tn,
baby burp would not have made
such clear marks.
Both Parents Testify.
The child's parents, Marin,
M Sergt. Donald j. Morton, anc
Mrs. Morton of Abs Arkansas ave.
nue. NV both testified.
Judge Nelson said he had con
sidered probation for the baby sit.
ter, but that examination of he
police record showed seven arrest;
for intoxication between 1887 anc
1947, including fines and foffeitures
He said probation had been denied
once because of her alcoholic
tendency"
Mrs. Morton, testifying with the
pink-overalled baby in her lap tolo
of finding black and blue marks on
the child's body on returning from
a three-hour period away from home
last Friday morning
She said she had left specific in
structions for the baby's feeding. but
found these instructions in the
wastebasket. The baby, she said
had not been given her cereal as per
instructions and had been given
milk which was against orders.
Woman Stresses Experience.
Miss Fitzgerald said she had had
"a baby in my arms every day for
the last Is or 16 years" She said
she considered baby sitting a grave
responsibility"
Judge Nelson commented that
"the child in this case is the bes,
witness"
Mrs Morton said before the tria
that she called the baby's physician
DR.. Carolyn Pincock, 1000 Sixteenth
street NV, who found multiple
bruises all over the buttocks" which
apparently were caused by severe
blows.
DR.. Pincock, who examined the
baby less than two hours after the
mother returned, said the bruises
appeared to have been inflicted
within the previous "a hours. She
treated the baby with local heat and
sedatives and said Kathleen should
be completely recovered within two
weeks.
First Time Away From Baby.
Arrangements for the baby sitter
were made with a mothers registry
last Wednesday when Mrs. Morton
learned she would have to go down.
town on business for a few hours
Friday, she said.
Because it was the first time she
had left Kathleen alone, she ques-
toned the agency closely as to its
reliability and was assured only the
finest registered baby-sitters were
employed, Mrs Morton said.
Miss Fitzgerald arrived at 8:45
q tx Yniy1rfnc lot
pointment, but Mrs. Morton pain
stakingly outlined Kathleen's sched-
uls before leaving. the mother
added.
Returned Three Hours Later.
Returning at 11:45 am, Mrs.
Morton said she found Miss Fitz-
gerald holding the baby, who was
crying. But in response to a ques-
ton, the baby-Sitter assured Mrs
Morton that Kathleen gave hel
no trouble, and on the contrary was
"a little dear"
Then, Mrs. Morton added, Mis-.
Fitzgerald told her:
Il want to tell you something
You have very nosey neighbor anc
want to tell you what she did, be.
fore she does. She knocked on the
door and accused me of beating your
baby. The baby was crying, and
have discovered that it soothes g
baby to pat it. That's what I was
doing"
1t was not until she began pre-
pairing the baby for a bath that she
noticed the bruises, Mrs. Morton
said. She called her husband al
the Marine Corps Headquarters
Arlington, and he hurried home.
Then she telephoned her landlady,
Mrs. James M. Rodgers, who oc-
cupies second floor apartment
above the Mortons.
Slapping Noises Heard.
Mrs. Rodgers told me she heard
the baby crying about 1870 O'Clock
and thought she heard slappine
noises and came down to see about
It," Mrs. Morton said.
Mrs. Morton said Mrs. Rodgers
told her she stood outside the door
about five minutes, believing the
sounds might be made by some one
trying to amuse the baby by slap.
ping newspaper.
When she knocked, Mrs. Rodger
was greeted by Miss Fitzgerald, who
was holding the crying baby.
The landlady told Mrs. Mortor
she accused the baby sitter of mis-.
treating the baby, took Kathleen
from her, wrapped her in some
blankets and put her in a carriage.
Mrs. Rodgers told the baby site
she would return and get the baby i
she heard any more noises, and tina
since she had key to the apart.
ment, there was no use trying tt
keep her out, Mrs. Morton was told
About 20 minutes after Miss Fitz.
gerald left, she telephoned Mrs
Morton and asked whether the lat.
ter was mad at her." the mother
said. The baby sitter again urgee
her TO pay no attention what neigh.
bors said, Mrs. Morton added.
Ar&;aaaI II c~L>aI