Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-06
FIND GRIM WANT
IN HOME OF POOR
HUMANE SOCIETY HAS A BUSY
DAY
Pathetic Cases of Destitution and
Neglect of Children Come to
the Notice of Charity
Workers

The charitable institutions of Los An.
geles which care for the homeless chill
dren of the city are facing a problem
greater than any which has ever con-
fronted them.
In a city where there is plenty on
every hand people have the impression
that there is practically little suffering
from poverty, but the Los Angeles
Humane society could tell a different
story
All day yesterday every officer of the
organization was kept busy trying to
assist the little ones whose lives have
been cast in the dark places, and it was
not an easy task. The detention home
is crowded, and last night there was not
a vacant bed in the house.
The Humane society was called upon
yesterday to relieve the destitute con-
ditions in the home of Lucas Lamar in
the rear of 141S Santa Fe avenue, and
the state of affairs they found there was
appalling. There are six children, all
of them under IA years of age, and the
father was i'll in bed, believed to be
suffering from diphtheria. One of the
officials from the health department ad-
ministered antitoxine and the man was
removed to the county hospital last
night.
Children Are Hungry
The Humane society was perplexed
to know what to do with the children.
There were no beds or bedding in the
house and very little furniture of any
kind. The mother is dead and the care
of the household fell upon the 14-year-
old girl. The children had been sleep
ing on the floor, and food was almost
an unknown article IN the house.
They could not remain in the house
and they could not be placed in any of
the various orphan asylums for fear
they had been infected with diphtheria
and would spread the disease among
the other children. They would not be
accepted at the Childrens hospital be-
cause of the contagion, and the county
hospital declined the care of them.
Finally the hospital agreed to take them
for a few days on the condition that
they be removed as soon as the danger
line was passed.
Since the mother died the father has
been working in a nearby foundry and
earning so a day. When he became ill
few dollars that he had saved was
rapidly used up, the family became
destitute and neighbors reported the
case to the associated charities.
y Many Children Want Homes
1--WE are pressed every minute to sup
ply the demands made upon US, and
never before saw such a condition in
Los Angeles" said Humane Officer E.
p. F. Dearborn yesterday afternoon.
I'VE have many children for whom
we are seeking homes and most of them
beautiful little things that are just as
nice as any mothers children except
that they have been neglected"
se, % T
and William Roediger. The children
are parentless. Louise is a bright little
miss of 10 years who has a great fond
ness for her baby brother years Of
age. Yesterday one of the women of
the Humane society found a temporary
home for her with people in Huntington
Park and she was the happiest child
imaginable. She did not like being
separated from her baby brother, but
the thought of a home, even a tenn
porary one, seemed to be satisfying to
her childish heart.
Pathetic Case of Children
Another pathetic story shadows the
lives of Marian and Katie Ryan. The
children We're found in a tenement in
one Of the worst parts of town. They
are worse than motherless and father
less, for their parents are confirmed
drunkards. They were drunk at the
time the children were taken from them,
and 1t is said that Marian, who is 8
years of age, went from house to house
with the pathetic appeal, won't you
give me something for my little sister
to eat?" The youngest child is only A
and the neighbors say the mother and
father went away In the morning and
left them with nothing TO eat.
When the parents OF the children were
brought before the judge to take a
pledge to abstain from drinking they
We're so much under the influence Of
liquor that they could not take 1t.
The children have been placed IN the