FULL TEXT: Dr. Nagle, Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics, called the attention of the Board of Health yesterday to an establishment at No. 149 Charles street, in which there was a remarkable infant mortality. Dr. Nagle stated that no less than six children had died in the house within the past month, which was in itself a good cause for investigation. The deaths of these children were all verified to by reputable physicians, and there was nothing suspicious about the diseases from which it was reported they had died, the chief cause being cholera infantum and marasmus. Sanitary Superintendent Day was directed to make an inspection, and Sanitary Inspector Hughes was detailed for that purpose. The house in question is kept by Mrs. Rozilla Worcester. It is a two story brick house, very respectable in appearance and the interior is remarkably neat and clean. Mrs. Worcester, on being questioned by a Times reporter, denied that there had been any unusual infantile mortality in her house. She said that there had been only two deaths there in six weeks. One of these children was at his birth so weak and puny that it lived only a few hours. The other died of marasmus. Both had proper medical attendance. During the excessive heat which last Summer proved so fatal to children throughout the City three children died at her house from cholera infantum. Mrs. Worcester said that she kept a private lying-in establishment.
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FULL TEXT: Mrs. Louisa Fischer of No. 81 Sheriff-st., who is a midwife in good standing and is authorized by a physician’s certificate medicine, called on Dr. Nagle at Police Headquarters yesterday and stated that the published reports in regard to Mrs. Worcester of No. 149 Charles-st. had brought to her mind an occurrence which she deemed worthy of his consideration. Her story was in substance as follows: In July, 1875, she was called to attend a young lady living at Lewis-st., who was delivered of a healthy female infant. As soon as the child was born the mother of the young lady, who was present, desired that it should be killed, and implored Mrs. Fischer to bleed it to death, offering her a sum of money and a promise of more at a future time if she would perform the operation successfully. The young lady added her own supplications to those of her mother, saying: “Kill it, kill it; I will give you anything if you will kill it.” Mrs. Fischer refused to comply with their wishes, and after seeing the child properly cared for, left the house. The next day she returned and saw the patient and child, and while in the sick-room noticed in an adjoining parlor a woman whom she afterward knew to be Mrs. Worcester of No. 149 Charles -st.
During her visit the mother of the young lady said to her, “Well, since you will not conform to our wishes in regard to the child, we know of some one who will.” Two days afterward Mrs. Fischer learned that infant had been taken to No. 149 Charles-st., and having her suspicions aroused, went to the place and was met at the door by Mrs. Worcester, who admitted that the child was at her house, but refused to let her see it. Mrs. Fisher then went to Police Headquarters and related the circumstances to Capt. Irving, who was at that time in command of the detective force. That officer also made a visit to Mrs. Worcester’s house, but with no better success, and Mrs. Fischer let the matter drop, though convinced that the child had been murdered.
A reporter of THE TRIBUNE went last evening to Mrs. Fischer’s residence and was told substantially the same story as that related to Dr. Nagle. He also learned that the name of the young lady referred to was Miss Mary Emma Graham of No. 64 Lewis-st., now Mrs. Capt. Joyce of Stanton and Lewis sts. Mrs. Fischer also stated that after she left Police Headquarters yesterday she went to 149 Charles-st. and recognized both the house and its mistress as the same that she visited nearly two years ago. The reporter afterward called on Mrs. Joyce, at Stanton and Lewis-sts. He found the lady to be about 22 years old and prepossessing in appearance. When asked to give an explanation of the circumstance related by Mrs. Fischer, she stated, with some embarrassment, that the child was sent to Mrs. Worchester’s to board, as her husband, Capt. Joyce, was away from home when it was born, and she did not know at what time he was to return. The child was with Mrs. Worchester about a week and was then taken home, where it remained until it died, at the age of about 14 months.
Ida Dowery, a colored woman, living at 142 West Thirty-fifth-st., called on Capt. Copeland at Police Headquarters yesterday afternoon, and wished to deliver to the care of the proper authorities a child 2 ½ years old, whose name she said was Ada Walsh. The woman stated that she kept a boarding-house for the children of the married women, and intended to take care of them as long as their parent paid the weekly or monthly board bill. After that she said she would have to give up the care of the children. She declared that, having read the report in regard to Mrs. Worcester, she did not wish to be placed in the category of those persons who permitted children to die for want of proper nourishment, and having at present a beautiful little girl whose board had not been paid, she wanted it taken care of. The child was placed in the care of Mrs. Webb, the matron of Police Headquarters, and the whole matter will be the subject of investigation by the police authorities and the Health Board.
[“Mrs. Worcester’s Care of Children. Charge Against Her By Another Midwife – A Deserted Child Given In Charge Of The Police.” New York Tribune (N.Y.), Feb. 8, 1977, p. 2]
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For more cases of “Baby Farmers,” professional child care providers who murdered children see The Forgotten Serial Killers.
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