34,000 illegitimate children born in U.S. annually; Experts say 30,000 of these are killed either suddenly or by slow starvation, 1920

From the Elizabeth City Independent, Oct. 8, 1920. "There are 34,000 illegitimate children born in the United States annually and experts say that 30,000 of these are killed either suddenly or by slow starvation."

The genesis of the corpse of a new born girl baby found in an alley in the business district of Elizabeth City Friday, October 1, is a mystery which still puzzles the physicians and the police. There is strong circumstantial evidence that a colored girl named Zula Gibbs, employed as a domestic in the home of C.E. Kramer, gave birth to the child. But the corpse was white, as white as any child of pure Caucasian strain. The Gibbs girl is dark.

When the corpse of the new born infant was found between the Y.M.C.A. and the Elks Club, a dog had it. But the dog can’t talk and no one knows where the dog made its find. The dog was seen dragging the corpse across the street into the alley. When the police arrived the dog had chewed off an arm of the baby and had gnawed its head until one couldn’t tell whether the head was the head of a white or colored child.

The corpse was that of a normal, healthy, promising new born girl infant, weighing about eight pounds. An examination by the County Coroner established the fact that is was born alive. The lungs were taken out and they were distended, full of air, and floated like corks in a basin of water. The heart contained blood, indicating that its heart had functioned.

Evidence that the baby might have been the child of Zula Gibbs, the colored domestic, is furnished by Dr. H.D. Walker who had attended her that morning. The girl is only 14 or 15 years old. At the age of five she was without a home and lived with relatives. When she became old enough to be useful the Kramers discovered her and gave her a place as a domestic. She lived on the premises. Dr. Walker, a member of the family, suspected something was wrong with the girl three months ago, but she convinced him that all was right with her.

Friday morning, Oct. 1 the girl was discovered in the kitchen at an early hour with a basin of soiled clothing. She was singing lustily and appeared happy, well and strong. Her gaiety and the soiled clothing around suspicion and Dr. Walker questioned her. She said, “I’m all right now; my tumor busted last night and all the swellin’s gone.” She resisted examination, but the physician’s examination revealed the fact that she had given birth to a child and she was put to bed. But she swore there was no child and a painstaking search of the premises that morning failed to reveal anything.

A more horrible or baffling case of the kind has never come to light in Elizabeth City. There are 34,000 illegitimate children born in the United States annually and experts say that 30,000 of these are killed either suddenly or by slow starvation. Elizabeth City has regularly contributed its share to this number, but this is the first case on record here of such a baby being literally thrown out to the dogs.

A warrant was issued for the Gibbs girl shortly after the inquest, but was not served while the girl was under the care of the physician.