The daily gazette., 1882-10-02
A LOST wOMAN's END.
DYING In WRETcHEDMEss
AND sQUALoR. Y tfl
BURIED WITHOUT A MoURNER.
The white Wife Of y Black Man Passes
Away, After Life Of Shame and Degra-
dGtion.

On Saturday night at IL o'clock, In a
miserable little room of frame house sadly
misspent and wasted life came to an end,
and yesterday afternoon the remains Of
what was once fine looking woman was
buried In o pine box IN potter's field. 4.
About ten years ago two girls came to
this city from Coatesville, Pa, and at, once
started upon life OF shame. They were
arrested sometime after as vagrants and sent
TO New Castle Jail. One expressed strong
desire to be sent home and left the city never
to figure on our streets again. L i.
The other, remained and "Long Jennie"
became notorious character on our streets.
Her name was Sarah Jane Wilkinson, a
daughter ofa respectable stone mason in
COatesville. She was about six feet in hight
and was said to have been at one time
rather handsome, although 1t was hardly
suspected by those who knew her here.
Her life was very degraded one aud she
was ON several occasions an inmate of the
county Jail and the poor house. She lived
ut one time with white man, hut as he
treated her badly she, about seven years ago
took up with Jake Wright, the black chin
ney-sweep, with whom she has since lived,
Stunned by both white and colored people.
The couple occupied little frame house
on Eighth street, near Scott, she merely
existing and dragging wearily along wait.
ing for death.
For long time she suffered from loath-
some disease, her body wasting to a mere
skeleton. The flesh was all gone from her
limbs, and her arms and legs were but skin
and bones, the knees and elbows forming
large knots or lumps. About six weeks
ago she lost control of her legs to certain
extent and they were doubled under
her SO that she was compelled to crawl
around upon her knees. From that, time
she was helpless and without doubt died
from neglect and starvation. Wright would
leave the house In the morning, not return
ing until night, and during the day she was
compelled 70 wait upon herself a. best she
could. Occasionally kind hearted neigh
Dor would slip in and ill some Of her wants,
and the woman living next door kept her
supplied with milk free of expense. Her
husband, If such he was, did what little he
could for her comfort, but failed to report
her true condition to the authorities.
A visit to the place on Thursday disclosed
a horrible picture and condition oi
humanity hard to believe possible In city
of this kind, and under the shadow almost
of the Almshouse, and surrounded by
persons of wealth and plenty. In q
room about six feet by four lay q
physical wreck. The only things in the
place were three or four miserable quilts
which the woman used for q bed, chair
serving the place of table, bucket and 9
wash basin. She was hardly able to move
the hair was all gone from her head, the eyei
| were sunken and the cheek bones cutting
through the skin; her arms were long ant
gaunt, and as she extended her hand to TIN
visitor the feeling of awe was terrible. l
seemed as If skeleton was imbued witt
life and was endeavoring to come back tt
life. She told feebly of her sufferings ant
from what could be CLEANED she was dyine
for want OF the actual necessarles OF life
The stencil in the room was almost unhearabl'
and the whole house was dirty and barrer
of even the first semblance of comfort.
The woman began to sink on Friday ant
on Saturday night, as stated before, sh'
| died In Wright's arms, the only light in thu
room being supplied by small lamp, the
| oil for which had been furnished by gener
GUS coal oil dealer, who had kept the woman
supplied with oil without cost for som'
time Almost with her last breath sh'
prayed for the man who had prevented he
| from dying IN the darkness.
Yesterday morning Coroner Weldin ISSUED
| a certificate of death, and In the afternoon
| the Almshouse wagon drove to the shanty
packed the miserable corpse in pine box
nailed the lid on, and as the wagon hurried
away the wheels ratified mournfully the re
| frain of "Rattle his bones over the stones.
|