The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-02-07
CAN SUCH THINGS BET
\ Mother Crashed to Death In . Struggle
For Bread In the Year 1894

4 Mother Crashed to Death In . Struggle
For Bread In the Year 1894.
Mrs. Anna Lindgren passed from des-
titution to death last night. Except for
the suffering that preceded her end, no
one can say it was not the happiest thing
that could have happened her.
While striving to get food for her sick
husband and starving children she was
fatally injured yesterday by hungry
mob in the county agents office. A few
hours later she died in her cherries
home. Mrs. Lindgren and her husband
had never before appealed for aid at the
county agents Office. The husband was
sick and the woman weak. They had
reached the last stages of restitution and
went together to the agents Office
When the husband looked at the push
ing, jostling mob. he said he was too
weak to hold place in the line, and
Mrs. Lindgren took place.
AS the crowd at the Office increased
the pushing and fighting became worse,
and soon there was terrible crush. The
mass in front of Mrs. Lindgren surged
back to save themselves from suffoca-
ton. The waiting ones behind pressed
forward, made reckless by empty stom-
achs. The woman was caught between
the two waves of humanity. Men and
women were fighting and pushing one
another. They had lost all sense save
that of their own hunger.
The weakest had to go to the wall, and
the weakest CHANGED to be Mrs. Lind
gren. With a cry she sank. The crowd
around her cared nothing for that. Their
fight for bread was continued undis-
turbed by so small circumstance as the
loss of woman's life. Heavy men
planted their boots on her body and jos
tied and struggled.
Officers drove the crowd back, and
Mrs. Lindgren was picked up in an I'M
conscious condition. She could not be
restored to consciousness, and an ambu-
lance was called to remove her and her
husband to their home.
The county physician for the poor was
sent for, and he found that Mrs. Lind
green's left hip had been broken. In her
emaciated condition her injuries were
serious, and she died last night.
The officers made an examination of
the two small rooms in which the fam
lily lived, and they found not even
crust Of bread. The wagon was re-
turned to the county agents Office, and
supply of meat, bread, provisions, etc.,
and load Of coal were sent out. So
Mrs. Lindgren won bread for her chill
dren, after all. While they were de-
vouring the food the county undertaken
drove up and left pine coffin.
County Agent Happel said that the
accident was due wholly to lack of room
to receive the crowds at his Office. eve
have from 1900 to 1900 people. every
day." said he. Eve have been criticised
for not allowing them all to crowd into
the Office at once, and we threw open the
doors with this result"
The crowd in front of the county
agents Office today blockaded the side
walk and extended half way to the mid
die Of the street. Gaunt famine showed
on the pinched features of every one,
and ragged clothing gave but scant pro-
lection to chilled bodies. Women made
up more than three-fourths of the strug-
Cling mass.
But only as many as the clerks inside
could take care of were let in at one
time today. Six policemen could not
control the hungry outside. Chicago
Special in New York World.