Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-22
SAD STORY OF THREE YOUNG
GIRLS, SURVIVORS OF FAM.
lily OF ELEVEN.
GIVEN GOOD HOMES
AFTER MANY HARDsHiPs
Parents and Six Brothers and Sisters
Died One by One, Leaving Trio
Homeless and PenniIess-Fruitless
Search, Without Means, For Distant

Fairfield, July 22.-Fairfield is stir
red by the pitiful story Of three frail
girls, mere children, who have just
become inmates of as many Fairfield
home. Fairfield people are wondering
over the business Of fate which
seems to have made the lives Of
these three children peculiarly sad and
lonely and what might have be-
come Of them is being conjured by
levery ono who has heard their story.
As every cloud has q silver lining, ac-
cordfng to tradition, so after years Of
misery and woe these three children
seem to have found their luck turned
when they reached Fairfield a few
days ago. All three Of them now are
in good homes at least for the time
being and County Attorney John A.
Huglin has constituted himself their
temporary guardian. He and Mrs.
Huglin have made a place in their
home for the younger of the trio,
while Mr.. and Mrs. Cloyes McCabe
have given the second one a place as
nurse girl and Mr.. and Mrs. c. D. Nc
Pherson have taken the oldest girl
into their country home near this
city.
Mabel Crawford, aged 10 years, and
her two younger sisters, Helen, aged
IA, and Marie, aged II, were brought
to this city few days ago by the
trustees of Center township With a
view Of sending them to the county
home until some other arrangements
could be made for them. When they
arrived at the office Of County Attor-
ney ]. A. Hugin and there in the
presence of Supervisor Thomas Dawes
and others told their life story,
they touched a responsive chord IN the
great big heart OF Jefferson county
attorney and he hesitated at sendlng
the children to the county home, TAX
ing upon himself the task Of finding
homes for them in Fairfield. Lattle
Marie'sI winsome face made her
fayorite at once with Mr.. Huglin and
he took her home with him, where MS
estimable wife favored the plan OF
keeping her at least for time.
Family Of Nine Children.
eve were born on a farm in In
diana. and there were nine OF u.s.
said Mabel, the eldest. when teillng
their story to the county attorney.
"Mother died and then two OF the
children and after that we moved with
father to a farm near Milwaukee. WIS.
Here two more of the children dled anu
father took the five remaining chlidren
and moved into Milwaukee, where ne
secured work in a factory we "elo
ryeine nicely when he contracted
cold. which soon settled on his lungs
and he died. Father left US notnlns
but the furniture and few oeDW
such is the beginning Of the sad story
of these little girls.
Two more Of the family died While
they were inmates Of the ORPHAN
asyIun and only the three were left.
These children were forced to do all
sorts of drudge and finally one day
about six months ago, Mabel. the old
est was notified by the superintend
emit that they ought now to be abe
to support themselves and the three
would have to get out and make room
for others.
Racking her brain for memory OF
some friend or relative to whom sne
might apply for assistance the girl
thought she remembered nearing her
father mention, years before, cou-.
pie Of brothers, John and James
Crawford, who lived in Ottumwa. Iowa.
This she told the superintendent ana
without more ado the trio were bum
died off to the depot and put on board
a. train for Ottumwa, Iowa Only the
two older were given tickets and with
not a penny to buy them food on
their journey, they were forced to beg
food and plead with trainmen to car
nv their little sister to their destiIla-
ton.
One day the first part OF April they
landed in Ottulnwa, worn out with
their long journey, hungry and pen
niless. They began searching for their
uncles. They inquired at the postof-
flee department and of a mum Der of the
stores but, Stunned the police head
quarters, fearing that the officers
would lock them up and separate them.
Failing to find any trace OF their rela-
tives they left the same night and be-
gan walking, and begging and working
their way eastward.
The children arrived at the William
Elliott home near Bernhart, In Jener-
son county. about three weeks ago
and their pathetic story so moved the
family that they allowed them to re-
main there while they made an eff
fort to locate some friends in Wis
consin. When they had failed. the
E1liotts felt that they could not keep
them longer and so notified the trus-
tees Of Center township, who in turn
notified County Attorney Huglin. He
ordered them brought to Fairfield.