The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-22

This woman, SAID POOR director
Terppe, at the poor board meeting yes
terday, 'is not deserving" He referred
to a thinly-clad. pale-faced, middle
aged woman who sat in the applicant
chair. She continued Director
Terppe, speaking very distinctly, us
a woman who went to the grocer, and
I saw the bill, and it had on it some
items for ribbons. Now, / don't think
this board should buy ribbons for the
poor"
"I move that the case be dismissed"
remarked Director Brooks curtly. The
motion was seconded and the woman
left the room, bestowing protests and
dangerous looks upon Director Terppe.
She was Mrs. Lena Woelkers, of South
Scranton. She was poor, she said; the
children are starving.
1t is said, however, that the womans
husband is out west and earning good
wages. of which he sends her con-
sistent part. But Mrs. Woelkers' fate
was not more severe than some of the
other twenty-five applicants yesterday.
1t was a great meeting, typical of the
variety of sad stories told by the poor.
There was the case of Mrs. OMalley,
an aged West Scranton woman, who
children of her son John, who was
killed in the mines several years ago.
The oldest child is IS years of age.
APPLICATIONS DISMISSED.
The case was referred to Director
Paine, with power to act. In contrast
to this was the application of Mrs.
Derby and Mrs. Paine, of Dunmore,
two women who wanted to be eXoner-
ated from their property taxes. Both
were well dressed, Mrs. Derby appear
ing particularly stylish. My 17-year-
old boy works" said Mrs. Derby, but
his income is not equal to the require
ments of a boy of his age"
She admitted that she gets Sc per
month in rent from property. Mrs.
Paine never took a chair. She stood
up and told the board that she was
getting rent from four properties. That
settled it,
Both applications were dismissed.
Another applicant was John Griffiths,
man who is very hard of hearing.
He lives in Patagonia, and when he
started to work at the Central, the
mines, as if on purpose, shut down.
| His case was referred. Mrs. Benjamin
Case was admitted to the Home.
Then came Mrs. Angri, Of South
Scranton She spoke in German, Direc-
tor Terppe acting as interpreter, as he
did in several cases yesterday. Her
case was thought to be undeserving.
"Why!" exclaimed Director Terppe, as
the woman was dismissed, "if | would
listen to all the cases coming to me
would spend more money than all the
rest of the board together" Director
Terppe looked troubled.
OTHER CASES.
There were twenty-five just such
stories; over half were dismissed.
Mrs. Duggan, agent for the Board of
Associated charities, appeared and in
troduced the cases of Anthony Dacey,
the man who is now at police head
quarters in a semi-insane condition,
due to a fall in cellarway on Lacka-
wanna avenue some weeks ago, and
Mrs. Reilly, wife of the convict whom
she married in the county jail. Dacey
will be admitted to the Hillside Home
Mrs. Reillys case will be looked after
by Director Fuller
The board empowered the home COM
| mittee to contract for the removal OF
the barns at the home.
In the forepart of the meeting Major
Il. Frank Penman appeared and asked
that he be released from Collector w.
NJ. Firms bond for the year 1896. The
boards attorney, John f. Scragg, was
| ordered to have the bond declared void.
| Major Penman stated that his request
was actuated by a business considera-
ton, he having recently been appoint
ed collector of internal revenue in the
Twelfth Pennsylvania district The
| bonds for the boards officers, chosen
at the last meeting, We're approved as
| follows:
John B. Van Bergen, treasurer, for
$4,000; p. ]. Ruane Jonathan Rodham,
| II. C. Shaffer.
Wade NJ Finn. collector. for $40, 1000:
| Marshall Preston, A. b. Blair, w. NJ
| Finn.
w. S. Langstaff, jr, secretary, for
| $4,000; Alfred Harvey and George w.
Phillips.
The bonds were read by Secretary
Langstaff and approved separately.