Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-26
WHO'S TO BLAME!
A Terrible Case OF Desfifution and
Dcath-A Poor Man Breathes His
Last Attended only by Three Little
Boys.

n IeEFfDle NaSc Oh restitution and
Death-A Poor Man Breathes Hi,
Last Attended only by Three Little
Boys.
Our readers have frequently heard Of
sSthe woman in whiter-a poor demented
creature, who has wandered UP and down
the streets of Nashville, at intervals, foI
year or more. Mention was made in
these columns about a month ago of the
fact that she had been sent to the Insane
Asylum by the county authorities. Yes
terday afternoon Christopher August Selle,
tile husband of this unfortunate woman,
died under circumstances disgracefui to a
Christian community. Hearing that
this death had occurred at a house on
Front street, near Broad, a UNION AND
AMERICAN reporter visited the building
designated yesterday afternoon.
He was met at the door by three little
boys, who he found were the sons Of the
deceased, and upon making request to be
shown to where the body was lying, was
shown up ricketty ladder by one of the
boys, into a long, narrow room, almost en-
tirely destitute of furniture. An odor so
foul filled the room that the reporter
fastened to an open window to get breath
apartment. At the further end was bed
stead upon which was mattress; about the
center of the room stood a cooking
stove and another bedstead, the lat
ter bare of bedding. Within a few
feet of where the reporter sat, the
dead body was lying upon an old piece of
carpet, and covered with a dirty sheet. A
woman's apron was thrown over the face,
about which the flies were swarming. Near
the body was a round table, covered with a
ragged wooden shawl, and on this table were
a few bottles of medicine and fan, extern
ported out of sheet of stiff paper thrust
into a cleft stick, the fan having evidently
been used for keeping the flies from the
sick man before his death.
The reporter approached the body, and
gently lifted the apron from the face, the
little boy standing at the window mean
while, and watching him closely. The
face was that of an intelligent man, but the
cheeks were sunken and the features bore
indictions of want and suffering. Return
ing 10 the open window, the reporter inter
rogated the boy with regard TO the circum-
stances attending his fathers death.
THE BOYS STORY.
sleeve of his ragged jacket, the little fellow
began: "Pa hadn't been eating much but
beef tea, and made that for him. About
three O'Clock this afternoon, / made some for
him, and then / left the room and went
out Willie called to me -Willie's my lit
tie brother, not the right littlest, cause he's
only year and half old, and he stays at
Mr.. Dixie's. Well, Willie he called to
me, and said pa was dead, and came right
in and found that he had quit breathin'.
August, he's the baby, and he's at Mr..
Dixie's house. Then there's Willie, ami
I'm third, and Fred is fourth. Fred he's
thirteen years old. There was a heap o.
people came here since pa died, cause Fred
went up and told the city mayor that pa
was dead. One man that was here wrote
down pas name in book. They said some
thing about funeral; do you think they'll
bury pa tonight"
The reporter said he didn't know, but
some arrangements for the funeral
would be made at once. The boy con-
.inued:
spa was sleeping OH that bed, but last
night he said he was so hot and tired and
sore that the boards hurt him, and so Fred
and me made this bed down on the floor,
lnd we took him by the arms and he walked
10 il and laid down. The doctor has been to
see him several times, and he's comm
lgain tonight, but it won't be no use if he
Ices come, will it?"
'.NO, he'll come too late. Have you any
hing in the house to eat?
ayes, we've got four loaTes of bread and
iome butter. Fred saws we owe the doc
or about a hundred dollars, and know
We owe the drug store man heap o money |
or medicine. You see pas been sick sew |
,ral weeks"
'iIow old was your father"
''Fifty-three, or fifty-four, don't know |
which,"
'.Have you any friends in the city?'
'.NO, but pas got three sisters in Europe. |
We've got horse. He's out in the pas
ure. We pay man 81 month for takin' |
are of him. We used TO keep him down |
IN the first floor, but he made so much |
loise that he disturbed ba'.'
eAnd then he'd eat so : uch,n interrupted |
Willie, the youngest of the three boys, he
md Fred having come up stairs while the
was going on.
By this time Councilman Beierlien, Mr.. |
Tohn Dix-referred to by The boys as Mr..
oO'SAeA JULIO iNASOAo O>hAA-S III
o make
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUNERAL.
From these gentlemen our representative
earned that fhe family had moved into
heir present quarters last winter; that the
athei was wagon-maker, and that he had
ought some land recently on time, and
lad saved up nearly enough to make the
asst payment. After the mother had been
aiken to the asylum Mr.. Dix had taken the
Oungest child, and had assisted the family
n other ways. A small collection was
AIKEN up few days ago by Mr.. Beierlien,
nd given to the boys in ter cent pieces.
nd of this money but ten cents remained
at the time of Mr.. Selle's
cath.
1t was suggested last evening that the
mount yet remaining unpaid on the land
e raised by contribution, so that the land
lay be secured for the children of the de-
eased. 1t is to be hoped that this sugges-
on may be carried into effect.
DR.. Schif' has been attending the de-
eased, and he says that Selle had been
filicted with typhoid fever.