The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-08
THIS GIRL is A PUZZLE
GLADYS WATSON is RELEASED FROM
THE WORKHOUsE.
Authorities Holding Her Pending n
Decision as to Best Method
to Reform Her.

"Gladys Watson" as she is slated at the
police station, finished a 10 days sentence
at the workhouse yesterday and was imme-
diately rearrested on a warrant sworn out
by Assistant Matron Carson. of the Door
of Hope, for assaultng her Aug. 10 at the
workhouse, where Mrs. Carson had gone to
see the girl. Behind this seemingly COM
monplace incident is a story and case
which has attracted earnest attention from
the assistant matron of the Door of Hope
| and her superior Matron Smock GLADYS
Watson's" real name is Gertrude Walters.
She is a pretty girl of twenty years and no
signs of her startling life appear on her face.
She is one who stands over against society,"
snarling at it and fighting it because some
members of 1t have tried to save her from
herself. 1t is not true. according to the
best information, that Gertrude Walters is
a woman who has stepped into the half
world; she is simply an unfortunate whose
| life has been embittered, who has tried to
kill herself and whose intense bitterness
| towards the world has become a type of
| insanity. She was brought prominently be-
| fore the public when she made her savage
| attack on Mrs. Carson, and once before
when she forced Mrs. Carson at the mouth
| of a revolver to walk several squares with
| her on South Meridian street.
| The girl will appear in Police Court this
morning and a conference will be had as to
the best way of trying 20 rescue her. Her
| father, John Walters of Robinson, ILL.,,
| gentle old farmer of sixty-three years. is
| here. He loves his daughter devotedly and
longs to take her back to her heart-broken
mother in the little prairie town. The
| women in charge of the Door of Hope do
| everything in their power to shield those
| who come to them for help from being made
the objects of public gaze, but in this case Use
| it is felt that some good may be done by
| telling to those who are not acquainted with
| the work of the institution the strange
story can be secured at IS end of
| the girls career, her troubles began when
| she Joined the Pentecost band at her home
| town. Some of her friends Laughed at ner'
and some opposed the step she had taken:
| She appeared in the street with the band or
| Christian workers, withstood all embarass-
ment and bore the jeers that some shot at
! her. Her home life was happy and she
| loved her father and mother. Whether the
| love of some one else entered into her lie
at this time is not known but for some
| trouble she left her home and came to In
| dianapolis This was last fall. She knew
| for shelter. She was welcomed and made
| to feel at home. She said that she wanted
to find work and support ,, herself s sne
| had read books, but she lacked the training
| for homework. For this reason when she
|
| families she could not hold 1t because of her
| inability to do the work that was asked OF
| her. Away from home and friends and the
| fact staring her in the face always that she
was helpless, made her brood over her fate.
| Weeks passed and one night she tried to end
all by taking morphine Her attempt mp mas MAS
| she was an outcast, and she was successful
in buying whisky and morphine Christmas
night came and she again tried to Kill her.
| self with morphine. All night long Matron
Smock two physicians and attaches of the
home worked with the poor girl and at last last
that it was time that the girls family should
know of her condition. She communicated
| with her father. He came after her ana
| took her home.
| HER ENMITY TO MRS. CARSON.
| In the hustle of other affairs Gertrude
Brown, or Gladys" as she had been called
| at the Door of Hope was almost forgotten.
| One afternoon Assistant Matron Carson
was in the Union Station, and came upon
| heavily-veiled girl who tried to avoid her.
| She recognized Gladys and spoke to her
| kindly asking, What is my little girl do
| ing here?" The girl replied angrily, saying
| that Mrs Carson had informed her father
| of her trouble. At o'clock that night
| GLADYS" appeared at the Door of Hope
| and was for the second time received with
| open arms. She related coldly that she had
| secured employment at a home on South
| Meridian street, and asked Mrs. Carson to
| walk down there with ner. MIS-. carson LOlQ
| her she was. very busy and could, not go,
| but she would send two of the other girls
with her. For two hours the girl fingered
| town with two other girls of her own age.
| Mrs. Carson was suspicious of "Gladyss s.
| intentions and followed her. On South Me-
| ridian street Mrs. Carson caught up with
| the three and as she did the girl drew re-
| volver from her pocket. The other two girls
| dropped back frightened and Gertrude paid
| no attention to them. She pointed the
| volver at Mrs. Carson and commanded her
to walk with her. Mrs. Carson broke away
| and dashed into the Rescue Mission when
| they reached Georgia street The police
were called and the girl was arrested. She
was sentenced to ITO days in the workhouse.
| Shortly after noon on Aug. 10 Mrs. Car
| son received message from the matron at
the workhouse that Gladys Watson was
very anxious 10 see her. Mrs. Carson was
advised not to go, but she thought the girl
might have repented and she might help
to the institution. "Gladys'' seemed glad
| to see her and asked that she be allowed 10
| talk with her alone. The request was grant
| ed. and what was passing, between the girl
and Mrs. Carson was not known until those
outside heard Z cry Of Of GLADYS, Gladys,
cell and found the girl with her fingers
| twined around Mrs. Carson's neck choking
her Mrs. Carson was speedily released
| eyes, and, burying her face in her hands
| she sobbed oh, don't know why did
| IT, She pleaded for another chance to talk
with Mrs. Carson. and this was permitted
| No sooner had Mrs. Carson entered the
room than the girl again sprang on her.
| tearing her clothing like a mad woman.
| She was led away. As she was being taken
/ to dungeon she called back over her Shout
der that she would kill Mrs. Carson as soon
as she was released, and then she would
| be willing to spend the rest of her life be-
| hind bars
! Realizing the girls condition, that she was
desperate and If she did not kill Mrs. Car
son she would likely kill herself. it de-
| cided at a conference of the police and the
| women In charge OF the Door of Hope that
| the girl should be arrested as soon as she
| was released from the workhouse. A tele-
/ gram was sent to her father and he arrived
| yesterday. Mrs. Carson went to see the girl
! in the female department of the police sta
| eion yesterday afternoon. She talked with
/ her and the girl did not seem to hold the
| old enmity against her. The girl said how
| ever, that she could not tell what she would
| do if she secured some whisky.
This is the case which the authorities will
| confront in Police Court this morning. The
girl says she would rather go home than go
| to the workhouse again, but there is
| strong question to whether she would
| stay at home. The women at the Door Of
| Hope call the girl Giving puzzle" and look
| on her as a psychological study. They say
| they will make a strong effort to make her
| see her only salvation--a realization that
| the hands of all men are not against her
| and that whisky. morphine and violent