The New York herald., 1869-01-03
STARVATION AND ueATH N 4 populous CITY.

from the Louisville Courier Journal Dec. SOL
upon to Sod an unon the 6oS, 81
named Catharine Samples, and was directed 70 90
70 house on the Cane Run road, some eight miles
from the city, where the body OF the deceased was
reported TO be. Promptly answering the summons,
che Coroner at once left town by the Cane
given him, at length arrived at si his se'sy. css
tnation: Inc house proved 70 be httle log
the eyes OF Mr.. Moore as he stepped into the cabin
was one such - few men ever looked upon. Such
OF woe unutterabe, he at least had never before
been called upon to witness. Crouching over
man, surviving 70 draw q little warmth nom the hsif
burned pieces, While about hlm were y numuer OF
ragged dirty aud neglected clildren. This old man
was william Samples. On fthy. tattered mattress,
the shucks from winch were scattered about the oor
lay the corpse Of his wife, Catharine samples while
girl OF teen apparently In the last stages OF some
fatal disease. Two OF the smaller children were also
III, making three out or the SIX children VINO were
The Coroner ascertalned that the mother had died
OF pneumonia on Sunday evening, and that ane had
All this time the eldest daughter, who has been
seized with pneumonia, had been lying help
sss a ves s ns side vn e ns
mile away and none knew OF the terrible suffering
and distress In the little cheerless cabin The old
an invalid, and has long been suffering fr0M dis
ease Of the heart SO that he was unable to make any
e0rS toward the reol OF his dying WIG anu starv-
ing children. Gaunt and spectral, with not an inch
OF clothing that was not torn TO shreds, the half
naked children huddled about him. AS filthy
as they were ragged, the poor little crea-
lures were indeed pitiable objects. They were
dition, the youngest Of i've OF them beng
almost infant and neither OF the four being over
ten years OF age. the cabin itself was q wretched
place. the AO0r being aii upon the ground, and the
roof letting In the cold rain which trlckled down
upon the mattress, where lay the dead and dying.
Little pools OF rain water and nth were formed
about the door, and everything seemed to c0nduce
to the squali1 wretchedness OF the surroundings.
1t was stated to Mr.. Moore tnat Mrs, Samples, the
dead mother, had been Q hard working, deserving
woman, who had with her own hands supported her
large family ana up to the time OF her being seized
with pneumonia some ten days ago had tOiled In
cessantiy TO keep them from starvation. When the
recent cold weather set In the poor woman found
the struggle to be too much for her overtaxed pow
ers, and both she and her Oldest daughter were
struck down by disease brought on by cold and ex-
posure. She was about thirty nve years OF age Mr..
samples had lived In the neighbornood some twenty
yeure.
Coroner Moore cio nvs hold an ,nauest Int with
the assistance OF some negroes placed the body Ol
Mrs. Samples In comm which he had procured.
The husband, when he saw what was going on was
nearly frantic with Erief and the little ragged chill
dren were all permitted to 9ather round and take
last look at the face of the dead mother Then they
bade her last farewell and the coffin was closed
and conveyed away to the city.
In the old Western Cemetery the remains OF the
unfortunate woman were laid away. and the Cor
Oner promised to mark her grave tnat 1t might be
known when her children should come to seek it.