Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-13
HERE IS A CANDIDATE
FOR A CARNEGIE MEDAL
HEROIC STRUGGLE OF A 49,
YEAR-oLo GIRL
She Manages Farm and Cares for
a Family Of seven--The Mother
Is Dead and the Father Demented
and In Prison
Special to The Herald.

Special to The Herald
JEFFERSON CITY. Mo-, Nov. 12-
Attorney General Hadley has a can
didate for medal from the
Carnegie fund for heroism and
pluck in the person of Miss Naomi
Ward, aged 16, of Warrensburg. Moth
erless and with her father demented
and in jail she has cared for a family
of six children. Not only was she
father and mother to them. but she
raised crop to furnish food and
clothing by laboring in the fields at a
mans work. Then, believing she had
been wrongfully deprived of the fruits
ofs her toll and hope of subsistence
through the winter, she brought her
family here to demand her rights
through Governor Folk and Attorney
General Hadley.
Naomi is the second daughter of
the family. Her elder sister, Ruth,
aged Is, is an invalid, and when the
seven children were left unprotected
Naomi became head of the family.
There are three girls and four boys,
ranging from Is years to years. The
mother died Of consumption three years
ago. Son after the father became in
sane over religion. They lived on a
small farm, fourteen miles from War
rensburg. The father neglected his
farm, spending his time delivering
harrangues In the streets. On account
of an indignity offered the oldest girl
he filed complaint against neighbor
farmer, and because prosecution did
not result he shot the man. He was
arrested on a charge of assault with
intent to kill and has since been in
the county jail.
1t was then that the heroic qualities
of Naomi developed. They were poor.
with one blind horse, no COW or chick
ems and almost no tools or farming
implements. With the aid Of two
brothers, aged 10 and IL, Naomi planted
and raised crops valued at $500. Not
only did she work and manage in the
field but cared for the house and the
little ones, Ruth's health making her "A
care.
A man rode up to the house last
week and said that he had been ap-
pointed administrator by the court and
had come to take charge of the place
and that they must vacate. According
to the story they told General Had
ley he sold all the crops and put the
money in the bank.
With only $50 and barely enough to
keep them warm, Naomi brought her
wards to jefferson City. Just what
they hoped to accomplish they could
not explain. but they wanted to see
Governor Folk and Attorney General
Hadley, and both listened to their
story.
The governor and attorney general
explained that they could do nothing
further than to call the attention of
the county authorities and insist that
all reasonable efforts be made to care
for them at once. Information from
Warrensburg was that the public ad-
ministrator had taken charge of the
farm, which belongs to the children
through inheritance from the mother.
No explanation of the order to the
children to Vacate their home is Of
fered.
Attorney General Hadley and AS
sistant Attorney General Frank Blake
were so impressed by Naomi Ward S
desperate struggle to take care of the
children and keep them together that
they had the group photographed
Their clothing was ragged, but clean
Until they came to Jefferson City none
of the children had ever been outside
of Johnson county, and only one had
even been so far away from home as
Warrensburg.
A brother of the mother of the
children is living in Pike county, Mo,
and 1t is understood that he is willing
to take care of them.
General Hadley believes the father
should be in the insane asylum rather
than in Jail. He has ordered the case
investigated.
Naomi's story of her struggle so i'm
pressed the attorney general and his
associates that are preparing a state
ment of the case which will be sent
to the Carnegie hero fund trustees.