The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-21
NINE DEAD FRIENDS
TWO OLD MAIDS COMPELLED TO
PART WITH SOME OF THEIR DOGS.
Bit of n Pretty story in Lonely
Household Down on Charles
Street.

There is story In the death Of nine dogs,
at No 466 Charles street, where live two
old maids named OFT, who lead practically
the life of hermits The women are Ger
man born and although they live in a neigh
borhood where their language is little
spoken they have never learned TO talk En-
glsh. The sisters owned fifteen dogs.
which disturbed the neghbors and led to
complaints going 10 the superintendent of
police. Officers were dispatched TO the
house. but they could not gain admission,
though they called when the sisters were
known to be at home. The matter was
turned over to the city sanitarian. and day
before yesterday DIR. Wynn and one of his
sanitary officers called at the house. The
sisters had been seen TO enter, but they
would not open the door. A dog seen
in the cellar, and Dr. Wynn was led TO be-
lieve that the place needed sanitary inspec-
tion, but he did not feel at liberty to break
in the door. Learning that the women
talked German only he went back TO his
office and addressed them a letter in Ger
man. which he uses fluently, and asked one
of them to call at his Office. The visit was
made yesterday afternoon. Owing TO his
knowledge of German, DR.. Wynn soon won
the confidence of the woman, tall, thin
and very plainly-dressed person, whose face
bore lines of privation and misery. She told
him that she and her sister had come to
this country from Germany six years ago
and had settled here. They found work in
Kngan's pork house, and had taken the
house where they now lived. They had
never learned TO talk English, and lived
apart from their neighbors. They were
lonely indeed, for after their days work
was done they went home to a cherries
fireplace and spent the evening amid the
dreary surroundings. One night about four
years ago last winter when the snow COW
friendess dog in their yard. 1t had a lame
leg. and was suffering from the cold. In
house. gave it shelter, and it became part
of the family. They became very much at
tached to it, and when ii added six pups
to the household they took care of the brood
and became very much attached TO the
young dogs. In time the number of dogs
in their care reached fifteen. The dogs. OF
turbed the neighbors so that, the sister said,
they often said to each other that they
must have some of them killed, but they
could not find the heart TO take the step.
The dogs were shut up in the house during
the day while the women were at their
work. and when they let them out at night
play. For three years they have paid IL
cense on four of the dogs. Finally, in de-
spair they went to German whom they
ought TO kill some of the dogs, and they
hired him to kill them in the easiest way
possible He laid nine of them cold in death
by a drop of prussc acid on the tongue, and
stheir bodies were yesterday piled in heap
in the yard when the sanitary officer went
to the house. The city wagon was called
to remove the bodies.
DR.. Wynn talked TO the woman kindly,
and made an engagement 10 call - her
house to-day for inspection. She wept
while she talked, and showed that she had
been suffering keenly in mind She showed,
also, that she is ignorant and i'll prepared TO
deal with the world. DIR. Wynn was moved
to sympathy with the sisters in their help
leSsneSS.