The Washington times., 1901-08-20
STRANDED And HELPLESS.
A Virginia Woman With Bale
Drops Exhausted OH the Avenue.
Sent to n Hospital md Then to the
House of Detention. She Tells
PitiabIe story of an Existence
Lacking the Nccessaries of Life.

Sick and penniless with four-year-
| baby girl in her arms. Mrs. L. l.. Eden
1 ton. whose home is in Gatewood. Va,
walked the streets of Washington yester-
day hungry and destitute and in an al
most faintng condition, anxious to es-
cape from her husband, who can no longer
| support her. Although many people no.
ticed the tired woman with the child in
| her arms, none of them paid any atteh-
ton to her until she fell unconscious at
| the corner of Seventh Street and Pennsyi-
vania Avenue. Then many kindly arms
were extended to her. Policeman Smith,
| of the Sixth precinct, vert to the assist
| ance of the woman He held the sleepy
| baby in his arms and sent both the child
| and the mother to the Emergency los
| pital.
Mrs Edenton was given every atten-
! ton at the hospital. She was suffering
| from an extreme case of exhaustion ana
| nervous prostration. Lack of proper
| nourishment contributed to her illness.
| The woman was in a pitiable CONDITION,
while the infant, which she had carried
about the city since early morning was
in a scarcely less unfortunate plight Al
ter remaining at TIE hospital until night
fall, the authorities there could no longer
care for her. She was able to leave the
institution. having improved greatly I'M
der the treatment and food, which were
given to her. But, unfortunately she had
no place to go. She had no friends, and
did not know single person in the city.
When asked if she had any money, Mrs.
Edenton choked back sob. and admitted
that she was penniless.
The police of the Sixth precinct were
ooY- mir tod yit q X
planned to Lieutenant Moore. When he
learned that the woman was absolutely
destitute he determined that the police
should care fo~ her at least during the
night, and he made arrange ments. for her
to DE provided with a bed at the House OF
Detention. A cab was sent to the Elmer
gency Hospital. and Mrs Edenton, with
the child in her arms, fast asleep. was
sent there. Mrs Pennyfield, the matron,
became interested in the woman, and ev-
erything possible for her comfort was
done. The baby YVES bathed and the cool
est room in the house was given to moth
er and child.
Mrs. EdentoE told to the police u story
that is Old. Her home was in Gatewood,
Va. where her husband had failed to pro-
vide her with the necessaries of life. Sew
eral weeks ago she became i'll, ana grew
and illness. There was no doctor. she
said, near her home, and she at last de-
termined to come TO Washington. conf
dent that she would be more kindly treat
ed here. She hoped, she said, to be able
to get into some one of the many hospi-
tails of the city.
She left her home on Friday with a
small sum of money which her brother
gave her. The neighbors. also contributed
TO the travelling expenses The husband,
is a shiftless man who has refused TO
support her, was kept in ignorance of her
intended trip. Her greatest fear last
night was that he might lind her and
take her back to the country with him.
From Gatewood she went to tredericks-
burg, where she had relatives, and from |
there came to Washington early yester- |
day morning. The little store OF money |
with which she had been originally pro-
vided had dwindied away, and without a |
cent in her pocket she walked biindly |
about the city until illness overcaIne, her |
and the attention OF the police was at |
tracted to her necessity.
The police are at a loss to determine |
what to do with the woman and child |
now that they are in Washington. Her |
physical condition is said to be serious, |
yet there Is no place for her to 60 Last |
night 1t was stated that she would prob |
aply be furnished transportation to her
home.
According to the story told last night |
by Mrs. Edenton, her poverty is extreme.
The family at Gatewood is destitute, and
she does not want to go back. At the /
House of Detention last night Mrs. Eden
ton became hysterical several times 1t /
is possible that she may be admitted TO a
hospital here. and that the child will be /
cared for until the mother is stronger.
Mrs. Edenton is an attractive looking
woman about thirty years old. She was
dressed plainly but neatly and the. little
girl was clothed in clean new clothes
She said thai neighbors had provided
them. She dhi not dress the child until
tar oh. .4irN Gfa4Fl .A
morning, in order that they might botn
make good appearance. At the Elmer /.
gency Hospital she was told that she
might give a fictitious name If she de-
sired. hut sht. declined to do so.