The San Francisco call., 1905-06-24
James Marks Leaves Help
less Woman Alone With
Only a Crust of Bread
WOULD KILL MEDDLERS
Threatens to Take Life of
First Person Who Tries
to Enter His Dwelling


prepare her own food. and neglected.
IT is charged. by a husband who has
often declared that he would Kill any
ore who dared 20 interfere with him
in the management of his domestic af-
fairs. Mrs. Mary Marks. the wife of
James Marks, an employe at the Jud-
son Iron Works, residing at 241 Han
nah street, was found last night by
Miss c. Anita Whitney, the secretary
OF the Associated Charities. lying help
less IN her home. with only crust of
dry bread TO satisfy the pangs of
hunger until her husband should come
home from his work.
Miss Wbitneys attention had been
called to the case by some of the neigh
bOrs, who feared that Mrs. Marks
would die of starvation if left any
longer in charge OF her husband. and
investigation proved that these fears
We're well grounded. When the secre-
tary arrived at the house. she found all
the doors locked. and the back yard
guarded by a large and savage dog.
While she was at the house of one of
the neighbors, where she learned that
Marks had been absent since an early
hour in the morning, the man whom
she sought returned from his work, and
entered the house Miss Whitney at
once summoned him to the door. and
telling him that she was a friend of his
wife. induced him 10 allow her TO enter.
She had been warned by Mrs. Charles
Anderson, who lives at 243 Hannah
street. TO be cautious in her dealings
with Marks. as he had often made
threats to do harm to any one who
dared TO interfere with him.
FOUND STARVING WOMAN.
When the secretary entered the
dwelling, she found the object of her
search living in bed. too weak to speak
above a whisper, and the only food in
sight was a dry crust on a table within
reach Of her hand. Shocked at the con-
dition of the woman. who is near
" seventy years old, Miss Whitney told
the husband that such treatment of his
wife would 40 longer be permitted, and
informed him that she would at once
send a physician to attend the sick
woman. Without making any answer
10 the reproach of the secretary, Marks
asked her to follow him into another
room of the dwelling. and leading the
way into the kitchen, ne pointed to two
heavy rifles and a shotgun standing be-
hina the stove, and said:
Just let any one try TO come into
this house unless l ask them TO. and
TREY will get dose of lead from those,
and if that isn't. enough I'll use this"
and opening a trunk in the room he
displayed a loaded revolver.
The mans threat was heard by Mrs.
Anderson, who had followed Miss Whit
ney into the house, and she once more
warned the secretary to be careful.
Realizing that she was powerless to
deal with Marks unaided, Miss Whitney
left the house. Marks saying as she
went down the steps:
THREATS ARE MADE.
4 am going TO stay at home all day |
nd he bA fritz
to enter this house will be filed full |
of lead, so you had better look out"
The visit of the secretary evidently |
frightened the husband. for he sent for
DR.. Frank L. Adams this morning be-
fore going to work, and then gave the
keys Of his home TO Mrs. Anderson, that
she might admit the physician. Be-
fore leaving the house he made an ef- |
fort to remove some of the evidence
of his neglect, but in spite of his care
everything within the dwelling shows |
that il has been used for years rather |
as a sterehouse than as a human habi- |
tation. Dirt and saualor Were on every |
side. and the furniture is piled up in
heaps in every room except the kitchen
and the bedroom occupied by Mrs.
Marks. Dr. Adams found the woman
almost in a dying condition from the
effects Of sickness and privation. and
said that even with the best of care
she would not live more than three
months at the most
Mrs. Charles Anderson, who for more |
than fourteen years has lived in the
house next to that occupied by Marks
and his wife. said to-day that Mrs |
Marks had been i'll since the latter part |
of last year, and In all that time the
only care she had received, besides that
of her husband. had been rendered by |
the neighbors. Mrs. Anderson's state |
ment was eorFoborated by Mrs. f. Nc |
Donoagh. residing at 247 Hannah |
street. and Mrs. /. Wall who lives at |
23S Hannah street, both of whom have |
Mrs. Marks.
NEEGHBORs FEAR VIOLENCE.
That the neighbors fear the violent /
temper Of Marks was shown to-day by |
their reluctance TO discuss the case. but |
only one was willing to tell the reason |
for this anxiety to avoid the subject |
This was Mrs. F. McDonough. who |
after saying that she did not want TO 1
talk about the way in which Marks had |
treated his wife. said:
This man has often made threass |
that he would Kill any one who tried |
TO interfere with him. and has driven |
people from his front steps and yard
with a gun. and l do not know but that
If he should hear that 1 had told any
thing about him, he might try TO do me
or some member Of my family some
harm in revenge"
Mrs. Charles Anderson said:
There is no doubt that Marks has
treated his wife badly. but do not be-
lieve that he has been as bad as has !
been reported. ] know that he has !
worked all the time. and he has told
me that he was willing TO send his wife
10 a hospital. but that she had refused
TO 20. There is no doubt that he is
violent when any one interferes w;ta
him, for he has several times driven
people away from his place with his
gun"
Besides the house in which ne lives.
Marks owns two lots in Golden Gate,
all Of which are fully paid for 1t is
reported that both he and his aged wife
denied themselves the necessities of life
TO save the money to purchase this
property.
cARMANY LEFT NO NILL--Oakiand
Jure 23-Search has failed 10 disclose any