Year: 1870

How INFANTS ARE EARNED oUr TO DEATH


---PoIsoNED AT so Mucn PER HEAD -


REVELATION by THE LONDON PoLIcE--
/ DE,b BODIES FoUND.


! From the London Times


The BABY Farming" case at the Lam
beth Police Court s a shocking revela-
ton Of another of our social sores. This
year will be notorious for the horrors
committed or brought to light; but
in the course of the past six months we
have been startled by ferocious crimes, we
have heard Of nothing so revolving to the
ordinary feelings of humanity as the story
now disclosed. The facts speak for them
seves in language more distinct and more
distressing than any comments we can
make on them. Let us begin with the
first circumstances which led to the dis
closure Within the last few weeks sew
eral bodies Of infants were found in the
south of London. They were in baskets,
or wrapped in articles Of clothing, or in
paper coverings. No clue could be OBJ
tained to those who were responsible for
them, except that, at one recent inquest,
the name of Mrs Waters" was found to
be written on the piece of paper in which
a child was wrapped. In Pagan times
infants whom it was desired to get rid of
were exposed and left to perish, and it
seemed that this practice prevailed in
London as well as in some heather coun-
tries at this day. But for some time all
further inquiries were baffled


The next scene in this social mystery
is opened by an advertisement which We
must quote in full :-Adoption-A good
home, with mothers love and care, is
offered to any respectable person wishing
her child to be entirely adopted. Prem
ium G5, which sum includes everything.
Apply, by letter only, to Mrs. Oliver,
Post office, Grove place, Brixton." To
the disgrace Of journalism, this advertise
ment was allowed to appear in one week
y paper, if not in more, the name Of the
advertiser being constantly varied. Such
an invitation appears to tell us its own
tale, and the police probably surmised
that it might have some connection with
the discoveries of dead children. The
advertisement we have quoted was accord.
ing y answered by sergeant Of the police
and, in reply. he received letter, print
ed in our report this morning, in which
"Mrs. Oliver displays her command of
the language Of parental affection. 1t
would give her great pleasure to adopt as
her own the little boy, if not too old,and
she wishes for one as young as possible,
"that it may know none but ourselves as
its parents" 1--WE are both," she says
"very fond of children, and should you
intrust your little one to my care, you
may rely upon his receiving the love and
care of a mother" She gives an account
of her family circumstances, from which
it would appear that she had everything
to make her happy except children. The
sergeant then appointed meeting at Il
railway station, where he met the
person now in custody under the name of
Mrs. Ellis" After their interview he
followed her, and traced her to house
in Brixton. simultaneously, he had
traced to her home in the neig ghborhood
young woman who had recently given
birth to an illegitimate child, His next step
SaS to take the father of this young woman
to"Mrs Ellis's" house. After some denial
the child was produced, and was found
'dreadfully emaciated and apparently
dying" Further inquiry disclosed a scene
which We prefer to leave in the language
Of the report Witness asked the pris.
oner Ellis if they had got any more child
rem, and she said there were more down
stairs. lie went down, and on sofa in
the front kitchen he found five infants
above three or four weeks old all huddled
together, covered over with gowns and
shawls. They were quiet and asleep.
They were very dirty, and appeared to be
neglected two Of them appeared to be
dying" The reason why the poor little
things were quiet may be surmised from
the evidence Of a doctor: There we're
ten infants from three weeks old up to
three months. Some were
emaciated some were healthy. There was
very little chance of the children living
with such food as he found supplied them.
One ofthe children was under the influence
Of a narcotic. On a table in one of the
rooms he found bottle labelled Para
goric Hlixar.," A more distressing
spectacle has seldom been revealed, and
it will irresistily appeal to the just indig-
nation Of the public.


Up to yesterday our information went
no further, and the only charge to which
the prisoners were liable was that of
neglecting to give proper food and atten-
tion to the infants in their care. The
treasmy, however, have very properly ta-
ken up the chase, and under the evidence
offered yesterday it assumes a graver
character. 1t is at all events "A singular
coincidence that the name Waters, which
as we have said was written on piece of
paper in which dead child was found,
happens to be the very name under which
the MRS. Oliver" of the advertisement is
in charge Besides this, it is stated OH
the part of the treasury that other arti.
cles found with the dead infants can DC
traced to the prisoners. One important
installment of this evidence was given by
girl who was in service at the house
. where the BABY Farm" was discovered.
She states that during the three months
she had been in service four children were
taken away. Two were taken away at
|, 10 O'Clock at highland were brought back
, at IL, the prisoners saying they had been
late for the train. But the next night
, they were again taken away, aud the
prisoners returned without them, saying,
perhaps too truly, that they had been
taken "home." This girl had fetched
several letters for " Mrs. Oliver. She
has been sent to buy laudanum, and by