The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-30
POVERTY And DEATH
A Story of Elopement, Cruel Treat
ment and Broken Heart
FAR FROM HER RELATIVE
Charitable Ladies' of WalkervIlle
Offer to Assist In a Decent
Burial of One Whose Life
Had Been Crushed Out.

An item in yesterday mornings STAN
dard relating to an inquiry from Potts
vile, Pa, about the death of one Mel
lie May Wythe brought to light a sad
story involving an elopement, a broken
home. poverty and sickness, and an un-
happy woman's death among strangers.
The womans father Is a Jonas Slime,
living at Pottsville. and about a week
ago he received a telegram from Butte
announcing the death of his daughter
and asking for money to pay her burial
expenses. AS the father had not heard
from his daughter in several years and
did not know her whereabouts, he
doubted the genuineness of the tele-
gram, and when he learned that there
was no record of the death of such
person as Nellie May Wythe, he start
ed to Investigate the source of the tele-
gram. The result has been the dis
covery that Mrs. Nick Perkins. who
died In want and squalor in Walker
Vile last Wednesday and Nellie Wythe
were the same person, though until
within few days of her death none of
her neighbors knew her by any other
name than Mrs. Perkins.
Five or six years ago, IL is related,
the woman lived with her husband, a
printer or newspaper man named
Wythe, at Pottsville. She was then
about p or % years of age and they
had one child, a boy about two years
old. Nick Perkins, man now about
40 years of age. lived near the Wythes.
He was a bachelor, and a carpenter by
trade and had frequently performed Ia
Dor for Wythe. The details of what fol-
lowed are wanting, but one day Mrs.
Wythe and Perkins disappeared. She
took the little boy with her and the
wronged husband, II is understood,
made no effort to find them or bring
them back. All the facts known of the
elopement were related by the woman
during her last illness In Walkerville.
From Pottsville. IL appears, they went
to Pittsburg, and lived there year or
two and about three years ago they
came to Montana and soon afterwards
located in VAUDEVILLE. where girl ba-
by was born to them about two and
half years ago. Those who know Per-
kins say that soon after their arrival
in Walkerville he began to Ill treat the
woman and compelled her to take in
washing and do other hard work to
support him and the family. She had
a hard struggle of II, and finally. about
seven months ago, as winter was com
ing on again. she had the courage to
protest and asked him to try and get
some employment and help to support
the family. This angered him and he
charged her with wanting to get rid of
him. He abused her shamefully and
then smashed all the furniture in the
house, including her sewing machine,
upon which she had partly depended as
a means for earning support for her
family. After he had broken nearly
everything in the house he left and the
woman did not see him again. She con-
tinued to take in washing and doing
other work, but her health and
strength soon failed her,a and IL is re-
lated that for days at time she had
w,asel. e.. l. 4.
self and children warm. Some of her
neighbors finally learned of her condi-
ton and obtained aid from the county
for her. IL Il. also related that the un-
fortunate woman had expected to be-
come a mothe' tgain and that an in
discretion in lelt ton to her condition
was the immedia e cause of her death.
A physician was called in too late to
save her life and she died at her home
on West DAILY street last Wednesday,
after having been confined to her bed
about two weeks.
On April 20. when her condition was
pronounced to be very critical, she ask
ed that telegram be sent to her faith
er, Jonas Slime. at Pottsville, and then
stated that her right name was Nellie
May Wythe. The telegram was sent
by James Hancock and he informed the
woman's father that she was very sick
and would probably not live until
morning. To this a reply was received
from Slime reading: impossible to
come. In case of death, send word"
The next day Mrs. Perkins herself
wrote dispatch to her father, in which
she said she was very low and had not
the necessaries of life. IF you want
TO see me alive, come quick" she
wrote.
This telegram brought an answer
from the woman's sister, Abble s.
a 70 sIFsaVa G-fh l.. -. g. 81.
er to come; means won't allow. Send
information concerning boy. Tell us
what circumstances she is in. If there
Is anything to say, let her tell YOU
Please telegraph us in case of death.
Father worried very much about her"
On the ed. when the woman died.
Mr.. Hancock telegraphed the fact and
asked for instructions. To this came
the following from Mr.. Slime: please
hold body till further notice. Has she
boy with her? Advise IL dead or
alive"
The above was followed by the fol-
lowing on the 24th: Bury body; have
no means. can't remit"
The woman would have been buried
at the expense of the county, but Mrs.
ONeill and other WaIKerville women
took up a subscription and gave the
body a respectable burial last Satur-
day. Since then nothing has been
heard from the Pottsville people and
in view of the above kilograms there is
some doubt expressed that the father
should have questioned the identity OF
the dead woman IL is evident that he
knew nothing of the existence of the
little girl. his daughters second child.
The little girl is at present being cared
for by Mrs. Adams of Walkerville and
the boy by Mrs. Rumble. but both ladies
have large families OF their own and
can not always keep the unfortunate
children. Letters have been written TO
the dead woman's father and sister,