The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-02-15
BY WHAT RIGHT I?
PO0rmaster Sends Children
to Almshouse Despite
Sisters Protest.
THEY ASKED NO AID
Deserted by Father Family
of Five Struggled
Along Alone.

Police Captain John F. Kelly of the
Second Precinct Police Station yesterday
saw poorly clad, shivering little girl on
her way to st. Francis Hospital, where
food is given out daily to the poor. The
Captain stopped the child and asked her
name. She replied that she was Winnie
Sherman, and that she lived at No. 23S
Fifth street. She was fifteen years old,
but underslzed.
Where Is your father?'' asked Cap-
tain Kelly.
He ran away and mother is dead I
am going to the hospital to get something
to eat
The Captain took the little girl to her
home and there saw a sad condition of
affairs. In two little rooms on the ground
floor of a rear house there were huddled
about an old stove FIVE children They
had very little clothing. There was not
enough clothes on them, the Captain said,
ito flag train" A little food of poor
quality. two rickety chairs, an old table
and bed were the only objects in sight.
The windows were stuffed with rags and
partly boarded up.
There was no money in the house and
the occupants were in sad plight They
gave their names as Mary eighteen years
old; Winnie, fifteen years DID, George,
nine years old; Charles seven years old,
and Edward, four years old. George and
Charles were so i'll that the best of care
was necessity. The captain asked
about their past and Mary told the story
She said that her mother died a year
ago when they lived at No. 444 Hender-
c0r ctr
was employed on the coal docks at the
foot of Sixth street, deserted them last
November and then she and the little
ones began the struggle alone. 1t was
a hard battle and in short time they
were compelled to give up their home and
go to the house in Fifth street.
She said she worked about among the
neighbors, washing or doing anything
that would bring in enough to keep the
little ones alive. George and Charlie
gathered coal and wood and Winnie went
to the hospital for food. But Charlie
and were sick for long time. However,
they would be all right now, said Mary
I can attend to them and support
them well enough. We are satisfied said
the brave girl, who was filling her
mothers place as well as possible. She
busted herself about cleaning the few
pots and pans.
Captain Kelly communicated with Poor
master Edward Hewitt who went to the
house. When he saw the state of af-
fairs that existed he was about to send
all but Many to the almshouse. The girl
plead so hard to keep her brothers and
sister that the Poormaster decided to
Ia "a Cho pla md
they were sick and needed more
nourishnent and medical aid when the
boys were preparing to leave the little
mother became almost hysterical, and it
was with difficulty she could be made to
believe that it was for the best. Mary
cried herself sick. This morning when
seen she said
They shouldn't have taken George and
Charlie away. We can get along all
right. I work hard and soon the others
will be able to look out for themselves
The boys were sick, of course, but it
was only a cold and they will be all right
when spring comes. What 1 earn and
what we get from the hospital is enough
to keep us going along. The neighbors
have been good to US and everything will
be all right by summer
mo, we have never heard from our
father We don't know where he is, but
some of the men on the dock say they
think he is in Cincinnati. Oh, why did
he leave us? But you know when
mother died he changed altogether and did
not seem the same. He cried good deal
and was very sad. He drank, but that's
nothing. Lots of times he would stay
out because he said it made him sad to
see u.s. l wonder if he will come back?
I wish my mother had not died. If she
We're alive we would be all right. Oh,
dear! George and Charlie gone to Snake
Hill where they will be with those
thieves!' and the girl burst into tears.