Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-05
NO WHERE TO REST
A Poor Sick Boy Unable to
Obtain Relief
FROM THE POOR DEPARTMENT
OF the City Is Taken TO the County Su-
perintendent by Reporter for the
"Herald"-- Gets q Meal.

A reporter Tor THE HERALD entered
City Physician C. NJ. Kelly's Office yes
terday and found boy. about l6 years
old, lying on the floor back of the
stove apparently very i'll. On being
questioned the boy gave his name rs
Frank Russell, said he Was entirely
without fricnds, and that he had spent
his last cent tor . bed the night before.
Until three or four months ago he
worked at the Kent furniture factory.
but at that time he was taken sick and
had been Unable to do anything since.
When Df. Kelly came in he said that
the boy was in very bad way, and
needed care and attention Immediately;
that he was suffering from exposure,
but had nd signs Of disease about him
save bad case of the grip; that il
would not do to give him any medicine
until he was located in q place where he
would be taken care of. and that Mr..
kruse, the city director OF the poor,
would give him an order for admission
into the hospital, either at the U. b. A. or
st. Marks. Accompanied by the re-
porter, the boy went to see Mr.. kruse,
but ne was not in. His clerk said that
he did not usually come III during the
afternoon, but took that time TO inyes-
tigate the cases that were brought to
his notice. The clerk, however, asked
the boy several questions, and finally
said he could do nothing for him with
out Mr.. Kruse's authority.
The boy had had nothing to eat dur
ing the day, but the clork was not en-
powered to give an order for meal.
The only thing he could do would be
to let the bov sit IN the office, In the
hope that Mr. Kruse might come in,
and then if Mr.. Kruse, upon investiga-
true, that an order on one OF the homes
would probably be given.
Begged For Assistance.
In the meantime the poor boy was
very Ill and fairly begged for some
place where he might "lie down." Af-
ter being assured that nothing could be
done until Mr.. Kruse investigated, and
that Mr.. Kruse might not be in al all
during the afternoon, the boy was taxi
en- over to the county directors of the
poor. A glance at the boy convinced
Mr.. Lancaster that something ought to
he done, and done Immediately, but the
fact that the boy had lived in the city
two years, according to his own story,
put the case out of the jurisdiction of
the county. However, Mr.. Lankester
went over to see the city du uector's clerk
about what could be done, where he
was told that Mr.. Kruse would be in,
and that the boy would be taken care
of.
The boy was fed and left;n the>c
Of Mr.. Lancaster, who promised that if
Kruse could not ''inyestigste" in time
to secure shelter for the night that he
would assume the responsibility him.
self.
The facts are simply these: 1t was no
reported" case-the boy was there
himself. Every line of his face showed
that be was suffering, aud the cough
that shook his frame was severe enough
to alarm any one. His clothes were
whole, but not sufficient to protect him
from the bitter cold. He was weak,
hungry, cold, sick, penniless and shell
terless. And in spite OF all Of these an
investigation" of whether what be
said was true O. not had to be made be-
fore he could be gwen bed on which,
to stretch his aching bones. Not even
a meal could be given him without an
investigation"