The morning call., 1893-02-17

sental for these aged
children, but perhaps of all things some
little respect aud consideration might be
shown for the years, if not for theshatural
feebleneSs, of the old men.
But add to age, sickness and poverty. and
you have the condition of most of the Aims
house inmates.
The Almshouse!
Who would expect love and tenderness
there? 1t is public institution, whittier
the idle are not TO be attracted by the assur-
ance Of an easy, luxurious life. but where
an improvident or unfortunate old man may
just exist
Amy other almshOuse than that is of
course UtOpian, a dream, absurd.
Sill there must be some mysterious public
sense as TO what is proper at the Aims
house, because of the ind guation excited by
Hopes story.
Hopes, who is "a years of age. told how
he had been inyeigled out to the AlmshOuse
under the idea that he was going to a hos
pltal; he told how he had been made TO
walk up three flights of stairs, although
sick; how II was three days before he could
get word to the doctor and four before he
could get medicine; how he was knocked
down by the chief nurse (Iilson) and
dragged out of bed by subordinate; how
he was made to stand in line before meals
out in the open, IN the rain; how there was
no place to lie and hardly any 10 sit down
during the day. and many more alleged
sSperIties OF the benevolent institution.
All thess things, he said, could be cor
rOborated by a COMPANION, Daniel Deuel.,
who left the institution at the same time
that he did.
Daniel Deuel., an old man of 6S, was found
in his room at downtown house yeSter-
day and told a piteOus story corr0borative
Of Hopes.
When asked about his experience at the
AlmshOuse the old mans face worked con-
yulsvely and finally he concealed 1t In his
hands, while his whole frame shook with
sobs
When a little recovered he said lie was
carpenter and formerly miner by trade.
but had become paralyZed and afflicted
with diabets. BE had received a letter
from the Health Officer To Mr. Weaver OF
the AlmshOuse in the first week in Febru-
airy and had gone out expecting TO be treated
in the hospital there.
Instead of that be had been thrust into
the Almshouse, and all the time he was
there he couldn't get drop of medicine.
BE was put up two or three flights of stairs
and had no light and was made to get up st
o'clock III the morning. He was ordered to
make his bed. but refused, being unable.
One time he went into Tison's office for
medicine with Hopes. Tilson was not
there, so they sat down to wait for him.
When TilS0n came in Deuel. asked him for
medicine.
''Tilson said" continued the old man be-
tween his sobs, Get out of here, you old
bumsY and gave lie a shove that almost
knocked me over
After pushing me ahead. heard him
strike Hopes, who was behndme. whether
with the fist or open hand / don't know,
so that he went down.
Then he shouted. Now get out of here,
you old - or III pitch you out and
break your neck / had asked Hopes 10
accompany me TO Tilson's room. because
of the high steps which l could not get up
alone"
Mr.. Deuel. said he was never so treated in
his life. He to had stand in the rain and mud
before meals. the rule being strict that the
inmates should get in line outside the hall
door. There was no variety in the food, NJ
sugar, and you couldn't tell If you were
10 depreciate the food. "A man could live
on IT," he said.
They would not let inmates wear shoes at
night, and they had 10 traverse barefeet
a hundred feet of cold floor of the wards
and corridors. This. for any one with his
complaint, was very dangerous.
Deuel. said he heard many complaints
about TilsoB. the chief nurse, from the in
mates. One story commonly believed, was
lhat be had struck a man and thrown him
out into the rain. where he died.
There was DO bench or place to sit down
occasion, when the management was having
the floor of the reading-rOom washed. Til
son kept the inmates out Of the building in
the yard, where they had to stand or lie in
the mud.
Nobody could reach Weaver, and when
one man went to the Office and asked for
paper, pen and ink TO write letter they
drove him out Of the Office.
They are very rough with the old men
out there" concluded Deuel.. II think |
am very much worse for my visit, because |
had to stand up SO much. got completely
tired out. | often fell down and sometimes
dragged down with ne the friend who
might be supporting me-
Il don't know what | shall do. / am
almost penDlless and cannot move out of
this room, but l will never go back to the
Almshouse."
Hopes. although better in health. is also
nearly destitute and relies upon gaining a
precariOus livelihood by canvassing for sub
scriptions for books. When a carpenter he
lived twelve years in Oakland, and among
other work In the interior built the YOsem-
lite House at Stockton by contract.
Neither Of the old men, according to their
own account have any relatives TO care for
them and their chief claim upon cOnsiGera-
ton seems to be that they are old and poor
aud, In DepePs case. helpless.
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