Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-20
PLEADING FOR BREAD.
Under the Very Shadows of Pittsburg
Churches, a Woman Starves.
AWFULDESTITUTION OF MRS. APPEL
Deserted by ALI Her Relatives, She Is
Slowly Dying in q Howell.
NOT ENOUGH CLOTHING TO COVER HER.

In the heart of the Twentieth ward, with
church bells ringing on all sides, stands
little eight-by-twelve, white-painted cottage,
which contains but two rooms. 1t Is within
hearing of the palatial residences OF Shady
side and Roup. From the little door, with
its untrimmed grape vine hanging overhead,
can be seen the shaded piazzas of Fifth
avenue, and on the other side are magn1h-
cent houses on Ellsworth avenue, where
church societies meet, and, over cups OF
fragrant tea, gossip as to the best method of
improving the condition of the African
savage or carrying the gospel into the heart
of the Chinese empire. Within that cottage
woman is starving; and for years has suf-
fered for want OF food. Her
name is Mrs. Sophia Appel. Her
s6 years of age have made her hair
snowy white, as well as scanned and fur
rowed her face with wrinkles. For years,
apparently, she has not been washed, and
each seam has become but streak of black
so deep that one would almost believe they
were painted there.
A Picture of Affect Poverty.
When spoken to last night she reached out
her hand. 1t was but the bony, skinny con-
tinuation of an arm that more resembled
the claw of q beast than a human member.
Her tossed hair was screwed into the SEM
weird look. She wore only q knitted waist
that partly covered her, with the assistance
of a torn and ragged skirt that reached only
above her knees, leaving her limbs ex-
posed and devoid even of shoes or
stockings. So much of her was re-
vealed in the moonlight that stole in through
the rents in O horse blanket that served as
blind for the one window. The strange
scene and the deepened shadows seemed to
lend to the place that uncanny feeling that
is associated with the witch stories of child
hood. Her bed was but pile of rags more
filthy than those she wore. How long she
has worn her present clothing no one
knows, for day or night she is always attired
the same.
The room she occupies takes up but half
the cottage the other room being s vacant; 1orad ad
all sorts of rubbish. In one corner Is q
broken stove, and scattered everywhere are
old shoes, rags, horseshoes and bits OF iron
she had gathered up in her wanderings.
Broken In Mind as Well as Body.
To say the place is filthy would hardly
describe the dirt that exists in the hovel.
The woman is childish, and her sufferings
have broken her mind, although there are
still traces of reason. Often she is unable to
hunt for food, and lives only on what the
neighbors carry in to her. Frequently she
has gone for days without food.
Yesterday her case was brought to the at
tention of Humane Agent O'Brien, and an
attempt will be made to-day to take her to
the City Farm.
The history of this strange woman is that
she came from Germany with her husband
40 years ago. He was a butcher, and they
lfyed well until he lost all his money by
speculation. Four years ago he died in abb
ject poverty in the hovel in which she still
lives. Since then she has eaten only when
the neighbOrs brought her food. She has
two daughters married and living in Pitts
burg in good circumstances. One of her
sons-in-law, Mr.. Smith, owns the house in
which she lives as we'll as two others 1t Is
said he once offered her home, but she re-
fused to go, and since then but little atten-
ton has been paid to her. Last night there
was not the least bit of food in the house.