The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-22

 beyond their conception.
 Whole Family Stricken.
 Misery has stood in the home of Win Hammack in the factory row in North Montgomery for weeks. The father. the mainstay of the family, has been Ill and Is now physically unable to work. The mother has been unable to earn the oper- atives' mite on account of the illness of her children. Albert Hammack. the boy who died Sunday. lay helpless on the one bed in the little cottage. Houston Ham, mack, seven years old, weakened from lack of food and attention. is at the point of death, while Jamie Hammack. six years old, Is bed-ridden with burn ing malaria.
 Tuesday of last week, Donald McDon- aid, Secretary and Treasurer of the Ala bama Cordage Company had the boy re- moved to an infrmary. Help came too late. The perished body was unable to assimilate even the simplest foods Every method was employed to give nourish- ment and strength to the enfeebled frame, but all to no avail. The end came Sunday afternoon.
 Organized Charity at Work.
 When the body was sent to Coroner Tice to receive a pauper's burial. he was moved by the sight of the worn form. He immediately informed Gladden. liar rison, secretary of the Organized Chari- ties, Rabbi A. J. Messing, Jr.. acting pres ident of the association, and Rev. Ernest c. Nave. its vice president. When they viewed the body and inquired into the situation at the Hammack home, they acted. A canvassing committee was or ganized and a small subscription was raised to supply the immediate needs of the family.
 Yesterday afternoon Secretary Harri- son, Rev. B. c. Nave and several gen. tlemen went to the Cordage Company plant to conduct a careful investigation of conditions and bring the two i'll chill dren to Montgomery and an infirmary.
 Donald Mcdonald. secretary of the Cordage Company, when seen in refer ence to the family, said that no mem- ber had been able to work for several weeks and he knew that they were in a destitute condition. Their neighbors had supplied them with some food and small amounts of money had been given them. On account of ignorance, the en- tire family was improvident.
 "They don't know how to take care of themselves" said MT. Macdonald.
 As long as Will Hammack and any member of his family was able to work they had been given work at the cordage factory. When he became aware of the desperate condition of the boy. he had secured his admission to an inf1rmary.
 Visited Stricken Family.
 Secretary Harrison in company with MT. Nave and others visited the stricken family. Desolate indeed was the home. In the front room was one small bed, several worn chairs, a bureau and an un- used fire place. On the bed, bare of mattress laxy the koned how nd 10 fever stricken girl. A frayed quilt was the sole covering of the hard boards of the bed. The children had no covering. Although the boy had been i'll for weeks. he lay on the bed fully dressed. In the rear room there was nothing.
 When MT. Harrison informed the moth CT that he had come to take the sick children to a hospital, she entered tear full protest, and 1t was only after the most earnest solicitation on the part of Rev. Ernest Nave and a promise that the mother would be furnished 8 street car pass in order to visit her little ones, that they were allowed to leave the house.
 Prayer in Humble Home.
 MT. Nave then led in prayer. The scene was an affecting one. All present knelt on the bare floor of the humble home. The mother wept copiously as she held to her breast the burning body of her little girl. The sick boy. apparently bloodless, lay back on the bed, too feeble to know what was going on. The silent father knelt in corner of the room. A newborn babe was in his arms The child crooned pitifully during the prayer. little boy. about years old. the only healthy member of the family. watched the proceedings with interest. He alter nately chung to His sick brother and earn estly admonished his mother not to cry.
 MT. Nave pleaded earnestly for Divine mercy to the stricken family and for the awakening minds of the Christian people or Montgomery to the sterner realities of life. He invoked the blessings of the Cee- ator on the entire family.
 The little boy and girl were taken in the arms of Mir. Harrison and put in a waiting carriage. The mother wept bit- teriy as the children were driven away.
 on the ride to Montgomery. the fever stricken girl did not lift her head. but the weakened boy as he lay back on the cushions or the carriage begged repeat. edly for something to eat
 Citizens Urged to Act.
 When seen yesterday Rabbi Messing, President or the Organized Charities, said:
 Conditions in North Montgomery. since the closing down of the cordage works. cry aloud for amelioration. The smaiI fund placed at the disposal of the Organ ized Charities last winter, was exhausted long before the approach of summer, and the burden of helping the poor since then has falen upon the shoulders of the in- dividual members of the charity commit tee.
 "The society dues will not be available until October 1. and meanwhile we are compeled to go down into our own pock- cts in alleviating the wants of those who are properly the charge of the city. The Hammock case was not the only case of starvation in Montgomery this summer. The death of the little S-year-old girl. Beatrice Freeman. on September IS, and that of Annie McLin. aged 30. and Will lie Hill, aged 15, all of the cordage works district. 1t will be recalled. were attrib- uted by the city physician to starvation and neglect. Perhaps these sacrifices were needed to recall our citizens to their bounden duty. The Organized Charities should be supported in larger measure if it is expected to cope with the conditions which now confront us. Our secretary, MT. Gladden. Harrison. should not be compelled to appeal through public print whenever a particularly necessary case is called to his attention. The entire sum of money raised in this city last winter did not amount to $70o. It should have hean at laa at S3 m if the charities was ex