Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-14
WOMAN ONCE RICH
IN DIRE POVERTY
EIGHT DOLLARS A MONTH HER
ONLY INCOME
Mrs. Florence Moore, Widow Of Former
Justice of Peace in San Pedro,
Falls In Street From
Exhaustion

Exhausted from worry over her
financial troubles Mrs Florence Moore,
the widow of ex-Justice Moore of San
Pedro, who died about nine years ago
was taken to the receiving hospital
yesterday morning. At noon yester-
day she fell in q faint in front of the
w. G. T. u. temple at the head of
North Broadway as she was on her
way down town to draw her monthly
pension of SIS, on which sum she has
been compelled to exist for the past
several years.
The unfortunate woman at one time
was a prominent member of Southern
California society and today, although
having endured poverty for many
years shows plainly that she is a
woman of the highest culture. Mrs.
Moore admits that she is In need, but
does not want to ask assistance from
the public.
Sixteen years ago Mrs. Moore
was run over by a Santa Fe train
near Pasadena and sustained injuries
of such nature as to necessitate am
putation OF one of her legs. At the
time of the accident she was returning
from the home of a friend who was
lying i'll caused by prostration over the
sudden death of a close relative. Mrs.
Moore says that as she left the house
of her friend she was in deep study
and did not realize she was crossing
the Santa Fe tracks until the engine
had struck her.
Once Had Plenty
During the years Mrs. Moore's hus-
band was still alive the. two lived in
luxury in a pretty little cottage in
San Pedro. Nine years ago Judge
Moore died suddenly, leaving the
widow considerable property and Il
pension amounting to SIS per month
The dead man was at one time n cor
poral in the United States army and
lad seen service during the civil war.
For some unknown JASON, the widow
says, her wealth gradually slipped
from her and at last the only means
she had was the monthly pension. 1t
soon became apparent to her that il
was impossible to live on the meager
pension, so she sought the advice of
the officials OF the Ransom Home,
where she was given quarters and a
living that took nearly every cent of
her pension.
The arrival of her pension for the
month of December was late for some
unaccountable reason. and being in
need of the few dollars Mrs. Moore at
tempted TO make an investigation yes
terday morning. When she left the
Ransom Home she says she felt faint
and slightly i'll. but was so worried
about her financial condition that she
could not rest until she had determined
the cause for the delay of the money.
In front of the w. G. I. U. temple
she became completely exhausted and
sank to the pavement in a faint. Mem
bers of the w. G. r. U. who were in
the building saw her and rushed to her
assistance. Realizing that the un-
fortunate woman needed medical as
sistance that they could not give they
had her removed to the receiving nos
pital, where sne will remain until other
arrange n2nts have been made for her.
II have a few friends" she said yes
terday, "but they are not in a position
to be able to give me the assistance
that I need. 1t hurts me very much
that / am so dependent upon someone
else, but my days are numbered and
then l shall go to the rest that have
long needed
Matron Gilbert stated yesterday that
Mrs. Moore was a devout Christian and
owing to her culture and refinement
her case was one of the saddest that
had come TO light in the central po-
lice station.
"She is one OF the most deserving
women with whom l have ever come
into contact. Any assistance that can
he given her should be done at once"
said Matron Gilbert.