The New York herald., 1879-02-07
pANCS OF POVERTY.
pITEoUs STORY OF STARVING FAAIILy--THH
MOTHER FOUND INsENsIBLE HOLDING HER

pITEoUs STORY OF STARVING FAMILY-THH
MOTHER FOUND INsENsIBLE HOLDING HER
DEAD CHILD IN HER ARMS
Matthew Flanagan left the cheerless room which he
called his home in the building of No. II Ludlow
strNet at noon Wednesday He had been for
long time of work and every day for weeks past
he made the frutess search after something to
do something that would put food in the mouths OF
his starving wife and children. His wife, Bridget
coney woman. met with severe accident in the
summer of 1877. While going up the stoop OF the
house in which the family then lived. ~ Desbrosses
street. the rickety wooden structure gave way and
precpitated her TO the sidewalk njuring her spine
in such manner that she has been partially para
lyzed Since The helpless condition of the
mother has also paralyzed the efforts OF the father to
provide for the family, especially since he has met
with nothing but cold denals this winter in all his
applications for work. There three children
boy of eight years, girl of six and baby girl Of
two months. At four O'Clock the same
day the father climbed up the dark
forbidding stairways in the wretched tene
ment to his room On opening the door
he fonnd his wife lying on the foor with her dead
baby tightly clasped in her arms. Hunger and
weakness had done their work, and the white hue Of
death had enshrouded the pinched features OF the
child.
THE ABODE OF POVERTY.
taincss windows yesterday morning it lighted up
the pallid, attenuated form OF the dead baby
cs Gs Of an Ma Ua na sv Sns on
covered with well worn sheet, which the in
valid mother with pair bf scissors had made
into shroud. The skeleton outside
Of the shrond and the little fingers joined
gether. as it were. i'll supplication. The sunken
checks and the tightly drawn lips told the sad story
There other light than that OF the dawn in
the wrctched apartment. Father and mother sat
beside the babys corpse the sole Watchers without
The U lay on he
floor asleep Devoid of furniture, except feY dilap
dated utensils, the room was indeed the abode Of
poverty.
Last night HERALD reporter visited the suffering
family. Kind hands had been there before him. 4
basket filed with food. aud said that she would
return again with more when her father came homo.
A fire was i'll the rusty stove. candle placed in .
broken kerosene lamp, and two synpathizing neigh
bors there. The poor mother sitting on
chair near her dead baby, eroaning in pain. her
fearless eyes and haggard face telling i'll the most
eloquent terms the terrible tale Of poverty. The
father sat down. and while tho tears trchled down
his wan cheeks he told the reporter his story.
FATHERS STORY.
81 have tried all that could do this winter to
get work. The sight of my poor suffering wire and
since she met with her misfortune in Desbrosscs
street she has been almost helpless Yesterday she
tried to do. some washing, holding the baby to her
breast to keep it warm, for, sir we had no food nor
fire. When came back after tranping everywhere
there with the poor baby dead in her Oh. SIR
it is better of than in this cold world have
TWO cnHuren buried III calvary Cemetery, ana own
the grave. 1t will break my heart if cannot bury
the baby beside them. Yet, what can do? Without
money Potter's Field is the only place LETT for it,
am driven to desperation"
At the Eldridge street police station sergeant told
the reporter that Flanagan told the police that he
came home on Wednesday and found his wife lying
the floor in beastly state of intoxicaton, with
her dead child beside her. He said that an officer
who sent there confirmed the statement Of tho
father.
Is that true 2? inquired the reporter of the father.
'liod knows it is not, sir. / said that my wife
paralyzed. not drunk. Why should they say such
that"
Coroner Woltman called at the house yesterday to
investigate the of the death of the child Tho
sight of such extreme suffering almost overpowered
him. and he gave the poor parents money to relieve
their pressing necessities.