The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-25
MRS. BOOTH NO BETTER
HER CONDITION LAST NIGHT STILL
REPORTED AS CRITICAL.
Statements Regarding the Cause of
Her Illness-Persecuted by Menu
bers of the Salvation Army.

at the Presbyterian Hospital, In this city.
No persons are allowed to see Mrs. Booth
at the hospital except her husband and sec
rotary. From the nature of her illness 1t
is necessary to restrict her nourishment, in
order to remove the blood clots that have
gathered around her heart She is not al
lowed to partake of any food except FIVE
ounces of liquid each day. She is rapidly
growing weaker as a result, and the turning
point will come in a few days If she sur
vives-and of this there is great doubt-it
will be months before she is able to leave
the hospital. Ballington Booth and the EN-
tire star at the headquarters of the Vol
unteers are Frustrated by Mrs Booths Ill
ness. They are in constant communication
with the hospital, and watch for every
change in her condition. Her husband is
allowed to remain with her for few min
utes once each day, but even then he is not
allowed to discuss affairs of the Volunteers
with her.
Mrs Booths illness dates back to a short
time after the separation of herself and her
husband from the Salvation Army. She
often complained to the commander about
that time of a severe pain in the region OF
the heart This was at first attributed to
mid attack of neuralgia of the muscles of
she consulted the surgeons at the Presoy-
terrain Hospital, ana then learned OF tne
serious character OF the trouble. Those VINO
know the inside history of the disagreement
which caused the separation or Darlington
booth and mis- vile trom The salvation Army
are now freer than ever IN their CRITICISMS
OF the army.
1t is a little more than two years since
tho friction arose in the Salvation Army
which ended in the estrangement or balling-
ton Booth from mis- relatives. In January,
1886, the war became open, and General
boo,h ordered his son and dauShter-in-law
from America. In February OF the same
year Darlington Booth and his wife with
drew from the Salvation Army and organ
lied the Volunteers. How bitter the war
between the two organizations became later
was Tod by an onicer OF prominence IN the
Volunteers. Il dislike" he said, Ito dis
cuss these matters, but the attacks on US
have been so bitter that L now tnihk IL
time to speak. Not satisfied with the or
binary rivalry which was bound to arise
from our breaking away from the Saliva
ton Army and starting a strictly American
institution, methods were adopted when
were almost MALICIOUS. Take one instance,
for example. Mrs. Booth, when she spoke
in Chicago at large meeting, was inter-
rupted by a number of members or the Sal-
Vation Army, VINO were led by an oIncer
hign in authority. The interruptions were
so violent that she was compeled 10 reDuhe
the people making the disturbance. After
the meeting was over these people went on
the stage and attacked Mrs. Booth person
ally. This was reported III letter 10 Sal
walton Army headquarters, but the ofncers
not only refused 10 reprlmand those VINO
were in the disturbance, but even went SO
far as to promote the officer VINO had LED
the dSturberS.
ION top OF this, every mail has brought
to Mrs. Booth anonymous letters, some OF
the most Viruient nature, telling her that
she was responsible for estranglng her nus
band from his family and that she had
shortened the life of General Booth the
commander-in-chief of the salvation
Army by her actions. These letters and
the other attacks have had their effect on
addition to these letters, other methods
were taken TO injure her. Captain turner,
who is with us In most active work. but
who, with forty-nine other girls was i'm
ported by the Salvation Army shortly aft
er Commander and Mrs. Booth lett IT, was
warned against Mrs. Booth by the matron
of the Salvation Army Training School, in
When Commander Darlington Booth
spoke of his wifes condition to-day his
eyes were filled with tears and he could
hardly control his emotion. I can only see
her every ethsp Gay ne Se d s1b Rny
ing her to treatment that involves the
least possible amount of nourishment in
order to reduce the tension upon the hearts
action and to remove the clot of blood
that forms in the artery. Yet her mind,
even when wandering, is constantly on ne, her
other night she thought, in her semi-deli-
rum, that she saw one, OF the sisters OF
the Salvation Army, who was once ne, her
friend, approaching and reckoning to her,
and that the sister had frown upon her
face. 1t disturbed her greatly. And then
she constantly worries about her work
among the poor boys she has been caring
for. oh, my boys, my boys, she keeps
crying out Who will take care of my boys
II know now where the wrench started
that did all this. 1T was over in that
Fourteenth-s building which the sal
walton Army is now enjoying For three
nights she did not sleep. Then the attacks
came upon her. have in my sate mass
of manuscript that VIII snow t+e ede NV wo tbe
officers of the Salvation Army. by whose
side she had worked for years. Should her
illness result fatally / surely will make 1t
all public. The trouble began months ago
with pains about her heart. Sne kept CON-
stantiy pressing her hand to her side. l
urged her to get medical advice put she
treated it lightly. And then one day, about
a week ago, she swooned upon the sofa:
IT am constantly getting letters and tel
stand how a person young as Mrs. Booth
she is only twenty-nine-can nave aneur-
ism of the heart. | know what is the cause rar.;
I would have made the cause known De1ore
now 1t is the cruelty and malice or mem
bers high in rank in the SaIVatioh army NY
fiat are responsible for it, Should the ~,
mes shave fatal end it is they who VIII
be responsible for it. 1., .a,d
Here is an extract from the diagnosis OF
Drs McCosh and Thompson, VINO are IN
attendance upon Mrs. Booth: MIS- booIn
is suffering from en- aneursm OF the heart,
caused by a sudden deep griet or very
severe shock" This diagnosis was not OBJ
tanned from the physicians themselves, put
from Commander Ballington Booth, VINO,
in giving it to the Dispatch correspondent,
dictated it and designated the, quotation
correct as above given. Reduced to COM
nact statement all this means that MRS.
darlington Booth whom so many Amerl-
cans have come to regard with aHeclloh
for her pure. self-sacrihcing deVoton 70
the unfortunate is in peril of her Ire from
q broken heart, and that her huspand says
her heart has been broken by snaneiul
usage at the hands of those prominent IN
the Salvation Army.
One Of the most serious charges against
salvation Army officers is now being inves-
tieated by the district attorney Of a coun-
tv in n w York. According to the Voiuo-
teers the circumstances which caused TINS
investigation are as follows: Commanuer
Pooth was to address a meeting OF the
most in this town and on the same even
ing to meet the ministers of the town.
Prior to the day of the meeting the COM
mander received letter from the minister
If the leading church of the town telling
him that il would not be advisable for him
to visit the town and warning him not to
do so This letter created some suspicion,
and was turned over to the captain or the
most of the Volunteers in the town. On IN
yestigation the latter found that IL had
been written by member OF the Salvation
Army IcorIlS i'm the place. and that the min
lister was Really one of the most evtive sup
DorterS of the Volunteers.