The accident occurring to Kate Slavin, aged three years, at first appeared inexplicable from the fact that it was reported about the same hour at two precincts so widely apart as the Fifth and Seventeenth. Both reported that while sitting on the steps of her house, No. 406 Washington street, she had been struck in the mouth by an ignited fire-cracker thrown by a careless boy, and had been seriously injured. It now appears that after the accident, the child was taken by its mother to the Fifth Precinct Station-house in search of surgical aid. Sergt. Field, who was in charge, instead of summoning the Police Surgeon, said "it would half a dozen doctors to fix up that young one," and sent her into the street. She wandered about a considerable time, and was at last escorted to the Seventeenth Precinct Station-house where she received the attention which should have been before extended, and the injuries of the child having been dressed, she was sent to Bellevue Hospital. A complaint has been made by Superintendent Jourdan and Capt. Petty against Sergt. Field for his conduct in this matter, and he will be immediately brought to trial before the Police Commission.
New York (New York) Times, June 16, 1870.