1941-10-28-sr-p6-betty-king-admits-garbage-can-baby-hers
October 28, 1941 Spokesman-Review Page 6:
ADMITS GARBAGE CAN BABY HERS
Mother, in Hospital Under Custody, Is Calm—Charge Not Placed Yet.
A Spokane girl office worker was under police guard at Sacred Heart hospital last night while officials attempted to untangle the mystery surrounding finding of a baby boy’s body in an apartment house garbage can.
The baby, born last Friday, was found yesterday afternoon by an apartment worker as garbage was being pitched into the furnace of the building. Only accident kept the body from being undiscovered.
Bundle Missed Furnace Mouth.
The worker, a girl, who was putting the garbage into the furnace, picked up a bundle, threw it at the stove opening and missed. The package burst, revealing its gruesome contents.
Last night a girl was placed on the small book at the police station and sent to Sacred Heart hospital under guard of Policewoman Amanda Pearson.
Admits She Was Mother.
“The girl confessed she was mother of the child, but seemed confused about details of the death,” Deputy Prosecutor Carroll said last night.
“I do not want to reveal her name or that of her parents or the place at which she works. I want a chemist to examine scissors and other implements I found in her apartment before we make too many statements. Then we will know what we're heading for. She was an office worker and kept working all the time, despite having the baby Friday night.
“She said the boy died the same night it was born.”
An autopsy was performed at the Merager funeral home last night. Dr. I. S. Collins, coroner, said he was convinced the baby was born alive.
A Girl Seems Unconcerned.
The girl was booked in the custody of Detectives Johnson and Meader, who investigated the case. She appeared unconcerned and was well-dressed in a red, black-belted dress; dark blue coat, silk stockings and trim, dark slippers.
She carried a dark blue, wide-brimmed hat and a purse to match. The girl appeared to be about 25 years of age. She wore rimless glasses and was comely. She amazed police with her apparent disinterest in the proceedings. “She’s more like she was waiting for a taxi to go out on a date,” one commented.
Death of the baby, it was believed, was due to excessive bleeding through improper care at birth. Carroll said he did not know what charges would be placed against the mother.
