A Dollar for Three Children: Newport Officers Rescue the Zink Children

A tale of a drunken parent, neglecting and finally deserting his offspring was brought to light last Friday, when officers of the Washington Children's Home of Spokane came to Newport and took charge of Maggie, Ruth and Clarence Zink and conveyed them to the home.

The children have been making their home about three miles from Newport, at the ranch of Charles Lindahl. The parent's name is Fred Zink and he is a widower, his wife having died about three years ago. Since that time he has had all sorts of trouble, caused principally by his indulgence to excess in strong drink. The children are all under 10 years of age and are exceedingly bright. They have been attending the Newport schools during the past year. They have been insufficiently clad and fed during the school year and were compelled to walk the distance from the Lindahl ranch to the school, often without a mouthful of breakfast.

Three older children of Zink have run away from home on account of his bestial actions, and are now scattered about the country making a living for themselves. They have been unable to assist the younger children to any great extent, so the latter have suffered.

Zink wrote a letter to his daughter Bessie, who resides on the Idaho side of town, and gave the children over to her care, for, as he stated, that he would have to leave the Lindahl ranch. The daughter Bessie is but 17 years of age. Zink gave the girl the large sum of one dollar to care for the other children until she could find homes for them. This dollar came from a check of $21 that he cashed. The other $20 is alleged to have been spent for whisky.

According to Rev. Covington, of the home, the only home that the parent has provided for the children has been the Lindahl logging camp, where the parent and five other men also resided. The men are all hard drinkers and it was not safe to leave the eldest daughter in their custody. When the children were brought to Newport they were infested with vermin and showed the utter neglect that they have suffered since the death of their mother over two years ago.

Zink's actions will be brought to the attention of the Stevens county authorities, and if a criminal action can be sustained one will be brought and prosecuted in a vigorous manner. Some tough stories are told regarding Zink and one of the older children after the man's wife died. If they can be verified he will be made to suffer for his inhuman acts.

Rev. Rice, of the Hope Congregational church, sent a large box of Christmas presents to the Zink children on Wednesday. The presents were contributed by the members of the congregation and other friends. The children are thus assured the happiest Christmas of their lives.

Application has been made to the Stevens county superior court, asking Zink to show cause why the court should not appoint a guardian to care for the children. As it is not probable that Zink will make an answer, judging from his recent actions, a guardian will be appointed in order that the children may be legally adopted by some family. An effort will be made by the children's home people to have the three children taken into one family, in order that home ties may not be entirely severed.

A report gained circulation among Zink's friends that the children had been taken to the county poor farm. This report was spread by some of his friends, in order to discredit the humane actions of their betters.