William BIGALKE, 17 years old, of the town of Lindina, and Bertha BUBLITZ, 24 years old, of the town of Marion, are the parents of the little babe that was left on the front porch of Ald. H. Grimshaw's house on the morning of February 13th. About two weeks ago District Attorney Dithmar was called up by telephone from Mauston, and inquiry was made as to the whereabouts of the baby that was abandoned here. He made a good start on a clue by gleaning the information that the parents of the young mother wanted the child. He proceeded cautiously and finally learned who the persons were, and learned, also, that the girl had made a confession to her parents.
It seems that Bigalke was at Arpin, Wood county, where he was joined by the girl. On the 12th of February, when the child was about three weeks old, they left Arpin and arrived at Mauston at 11:30 p.m. of the same day. They hired a livery rig with which they drove to this city and disposed of the child as announced in this paper at the time.
The young people then went to their respective homes, but the girl could not forget the little treasure she had cast to its fate, and her continued weeping made it comparatively easy for her parents to get a confession from her. After getting possession of these facts the district attorney and Deputy Sheriff George started for Mauston. They stopped on the way, at the home of Bigalke's parents, and, placing the young man under arrest, took him along and put him in jail, while the deputy sheriff went after the girl. They were brought to this city yesterday by Sheriff Loomis, and made a written confession before Justice Phillips. They were bound over to the circuit court.
The penalty for the offense of abandonment, as charged, is from one to three years imprisonment.
The Elroy Leader, 22 Mar 1900
