INHUMANITY TO A BABY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 85, 18 April 1885, Page 3

INHUMANITY TO A BABY.

An Infuriated Etepiro.her £eta It on

Red_2ot __<-.*-.

The name of Rose Dreyer, aged 26, of 210, Madison-street, was on the returns from the Seventh precinct at police headquarters yesterday charged with assault in the

socond degree. She had beon arrestsd on

Saturday night by Word, Detectives Cofneliits Leary and Creed. Tho woman is the wife of Louis Dreyer, a pawnbroker, who has for some time been doing business at 85, Division-street, and they have been married for two For the greater portion of that timo, the husband allegos the conduct of Rose has been anything but that of an exemplary wife, and on more than one occasion he has been forced to remonstrate with her. Several times she has left home, but a reconciliation has always been effected. At the timo of the last separation, Dreyer came homo and found that his wife had had all the furniture taken away from the house, and with his six children by a former wife had gone to Brooklyn to live. Droyer succeeded in tracing her out, and had her arrested for talcing tho furniture and leaving him. They became reconciled, however, the charge was withdrawn, and the family returned to New York to live. The woman's promises of reformation were not fulfilled, however. She neglected her family, frequently stayed away frOifl home all night, and when she was at home made the lives of her hunband and stepchildren miserable by her violent outbursts of temper nnd a system of petty persecutions that were almost unbearable.

About three weeks ago sho came home after having been out all the previous night, and wont into the room where the sorvant girl, Lena Cohen, was washing and dressing Rose's little stepdaughter, aged 3 years and 6 months. For some trifling misdeed of the child, Mrs Dreyfcr snatched ii from the arms of the servant girl, and taking it to the stove, whioh was almost red hot, deliberately set tho baby on it, The heartrending screams of the tortured baby did not move tho inhuman woman, and the child was hold on tho stove till its body was burned in a horrible manner. The chances aro that its injurios will make it doformod for life, even if it does not die. Tho servant girl and two little sons of Mr Dreyer were present when the atrocious act was committed, but their screams and efforts were unavailing for a time to turn tlie woman from hor infernal pleasure. They havo all threo made affidavits to the facts as stated abovo. At the time of the outrage Mr Dreyer was down in bed with rheumatism, and has been confined ever since. For this reason no action was taken at tho time.

The conduct of the woman continued even worse than ever. On last Friday night sho was away from home all night. When sho returnedonSaturdaymorning her husband remonstrated with her. She became enraged, and after pouring out her wrath in a torrent of abusive language, she wont to a shelf filled with crockery, and commenced throwing some heavy teacups at him. He was helpless, and though he dodged tho flying missiles as we.ll as he could, he was considerably cut around the head. After the crockery had been exhausted she continued her work of destruction by breaking two plate-glass mirrors, and destroying nearly all the rest of the furniture that could easily be destroyed. After she had done all the damage she could the woman left the house. In tho meantime the husband had sent ono of his sons to the Seventh precinct station-house for help. Detectives Leary and Creed were sent in answer to tho call, but arrived too late to secure the woman. Dreyer told the whole sad story of his troubles, and tho detectives began an active search for the woman. On Saturday night they succeeded in finding her in the house of a cousin at 86, Norfolk-street. When the officers told her she was under arrest she at first mado a show of resistance, but then concluded to go peaceably to the police station where she was locked, up. The ollicors then began a search for the servant girl, Lena Cohen, who had left Dreyer's employ aftor the burning of the baby. Sbo was* found yesterday afternoon, and

signified her willingness to testify against Mrs Droycr. It was resolved to make a charge of assault in the second degree against the woman for her brutal treatment of the child, making no mention in the complaint of tho assault on hor husband.

Dreyer has tho reputation of being a respectable, hard-working man, and in his troubles with his second wife has tho warm sympathy of his neighbours. When he married Rose he was a widower with six childron. Erom tho first the woman seemed to tako a dislike to tho children, and was constantly beating them. Tho case has beon reported to tho Socioty for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Children, which will aid in tho prosecution of the inhuman mother. Tho woman will be examined in tho Essox Market Police Court, before

Polico Justico Gorman, on Thursday, by which time tho case against her will be thoroughly prepared.—"NowYorkHerald," March 3.