The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-02
LIFE WORTHLIVING.
1t May be Made so by Hind PeO-
pie
For George f. Byrn and His
Suffering Family,
IF fsomeone Will Give Him Work and
Look After His Sick Wife and
Children Temporarily.

Julia Byrn, s years old, as a result of
having been terribly frightened Fau Fes-
tival week by police officer. has been
i'll ever since and she now has a nervous
trouble which is similar to St. Vitus
dance. Julia is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Geo. F. Byrn of 1912 East Fourth
street
One day during the week of festivities
Mrs. Byrn and her five children went to
the fair grounds. During the afternoon
Julia wandered away from them ana
was lost. She was found at the gate of
the fair grounds by policeman. The lat
ter took the child to the patrol wagon
and she was hauled to the police station.
The child had always been afraid of po>
lice officers and she supposed that she
had been arrested. At police station she
was taken into the waiting room and Po-
lice Matron Thorpe was notified. When
Mrs Thorpe arrived the child pale
with fear. 1t is said the officers had
been frightening her by telling her they
were going to put her down in the dark
dungeon. She was so frightened that she
was powerless to walk or speak. Mrs.
Thorpe took her to her own home and
finally succeeded in convincing the child
that she was not under arrest and would
be kept until her mother could find her.
The child was put to bed at Mrs. Thorpe
home, and about 9 clock in the evening
Mrs. Byrn arrived almost frantic with
grief at the loss of her child. She found
the little one and took her home. After
that the girl was very i'll for a long time.
Nervous troubles developed until now her
nervous system is shattered and she is a
victim of st. Vitus dance.
The family of c.. f. Byrn is destitute.
Police Matron Thorpe has thoroughly in
vestigated the case and she states that
the family is a worthy one and deserving
of help from the charitable people of To>
peka.
Yesterday afternoon, while the ther-
mometer ranged about 10 degrees above
zero and the wind blew a severe blast
from the north. George Foster Byrn, his
five children and his invalid wife hud-
died together in the little back room OF
their house. They did not have coal
enough to keep them warm. They did not
have clothing sufficient to protect their
bodies.
George F. Byrn said. ''TH Just tell you.
it's awful to be poor and willing to work
for anything and not be able to get
enough to feed my family and keep them
warm
Speaking of the childs trouble, he said:
MY little girl Julia was so badly fright
ened during FAN Festival week that she
has been sick ever since and I am too
poor to have a doctor for her. 1 will
have to ask the city doctor to come now.
My wife has been sick almost since last
April 1 made 65 cents today and 25
cents yesterday, and that is all the money
I have earned since two weeks ago.
am willing to do anything. A few days
ago I pulled some turnips for man and
he paid me in turnips. L had about .
bushels then, but I got hard up had
to trade them for coal to keep warm 1
had a team and a COW, but they all went
for doctor bills Now I haven't a thing
but my willing hands. My children are
half starved and not clothed. am handy
at most any kind of rough work, and If
I could get some work for food and coal
I would be satisfied
Byrn is a man of AZ years. He is strone
and from his appearance, he looks as if
he could do good work Police Matron
Thorpe says the family is in every way
deserving.
Last evening with a supper of turnips
and a little corn bread the Byrn family
managed to partially appease their hun
ger and they also had the luxury of a
small coal fire until bedtime. Mrs Byrn
is in fran health and she suffers greatly
from the cold and the absence of nour-
ishing food. The oldest child is L years.
while the youngest is years
Little Julia's condition is serious. The
five children have to sleep on poor worn
mattress on the floor. If Mr.. Byrn could
be given work he would not ask charity.
Unless he gets some kind of work to-
dav or tomorrow his family will be with
ont food and coal. His home is a small
wooden structure at 1912 East Fourth
street.