Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-20
WOMAN IS
WELL CARED FOR
MRS. WARDELL is AGAIN IN
COUNTY HOSPITAL
AFFLICTED ONE DOESN'T KNOW
HUSBAND is DEAD
PitifuI Is the Story of One Doomed
to Endure, Possibly for Years,
an Awful Living
Death

Her aged husband dead, through his
unceasing devotion TO her, herself
leper and infirm in mind, Mrs. Juanita
Cole Wardell returned to Los Angeles
last night and is patient at the coun-
ty hospital.
Mrs. Wardell was picked up fainting
on the street early in July and sent to
the county hospital where it was dis
covered that she was suffering from
leprosy. Gen. j. c. WardWell, her
husband, came from their home at
Sawtelle to take her and care for her
and when her condition was explained
he offered to take her to some interior
valley in Mexico, where they would see
no one. When this privilege was de-
MED it is presumed that he aided her
to escape from the hospital, for they
started for Mexico together and man
aged to reach Tombstone, Ariz. Here
Mrs. Wardel was rigidly quarantined
and her husband, who was n years
old, feeble and heartsick, grteved until
he died.
His wife, whose mind is aflected, does
| not know that Gen. Wardeu is dead.
| She believes that she has come here
to see her brother, Mr.. Cole, who
lives in Guaymas, Mexico, and that she
must hurry back to her husband in
! Tombstone. The hospital authorities
are compelled to keep her in locked
| room.
May Live for Years
everywhere [ go they want to lock
me up" she said sadly last night I
want to get out to see my brother and
go to my husband. He is sick and
needs me-"
The Arizona authorities were placed
in an embarrassing situation by Mrs.
| Wardell's case, as the federal gov
ernment denied any aid and there was
no local authority or territorial law
allowing care for her. 1t was decided
| finally to make the best of the situation
by humoring her wish to go to Cali
fornia, and she was placed in sepa-
rate car which was locked and attached
| to the Southern Pacific train reaching
Los Angeles at 6:55 last evening.
The county hospital authorities have
no further plans in the case other than
| to give Mrs. Warden all the care her
condition demands and to prevent her
escape.
Mrs. Wardelrs physical condition is
| much lower than when she was here
before" said DIR. Byron of the hospital
force last night. "She is not in serious
condition, however, and may live Tor
years. Her one desire is to get away,
and we have to exercise constant watch
to see that she does not do So"
Government Refused Aid
Mrs. Wardell, who is about so years
old, plainly shows the phySlcal eHectS
of her absence in Tombstone. She was
repeatedly told there that her husband
had died, but always refused to believe
1t. She thinks the care she is now re-
ceiving is some sort of persecution,
and it is necessary to hold her when
ever the door of her room is opened.
The Wardells were married in Mexico
more than twenty years ago, when
| Gen. Wardell, who was veteran of
the Mexican war, was connected with
the American diplomatic service in
Mexico. Several years ago they came
to Sawtelle, where Gen. Wardell pur-
| chased a residence in order to be near
his comrades in the soldiers home.
His devotion to his wife was marked
by every one who saw them since the
discovery was made that she was a
sufferer from leprosy, and he did every
thing in his power to remove her to a
place where he could give her all his
attention.
The territorial authorities of Arizona
endeavored to induce the federal gov
ernment to deport Mrs. Wardell to the
leper colony at Molokai, in the territory
of Hawaii, but this was denied.