The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-04
BEATS DOWN PRIDE
AND ASKS F0RAID'
Aged Widow Of Civil War Veteran
Ill and in Financial Distress
Daughter Sick, Too.

'Ooh good deal OF courage on
the part or little. whlte-haired. ohiet.
hammered old lady to come into The
Times editorial rooms late Thursday
afternoon. to make a public appeal for
financial aid and TO lay bare a per
sona story OF sickness and want and
a hard struggle against unkind fate.
Inc little lady, dressed neatly In
Dlack' her widows bonnet trimmed In
crepe with silver hair that had once
Deen golden brushed carefully be-
neath II, told her pathetic story in
an even, low voice, and I'm words that
Indicated good breeding and educa-
ton.
IL seems terrible thing to me 10
come to a newspaper Office to adyer.
Use my private affairs, but for the
sake OF my sick daughter and my az.
Tie grandchild put pride in my pocket
which Is empty OF anything else
and after a long struggle with myself
made up my mind there was nothing
else to do but to appeal to the Chart.
able people of Detroit for help in nv
present extremity" said she simply
My name is Maria Degraw and |
live at No. 521 Grand River-ave. over
a store. My husband, Charles De-
graw, died three years ago. He was
a civil war veteran--a seaman on the
United States gunboat Mound CITY
He was honorably discharged I'm go
and in the later years OF his life re-
ceived government pension. For
many years, owing TO his advanced
age and ill-health, he was unable to
work and the pension iyas all We had
to depend upon except what | could
earn as family nurse. My son mar
ried and moved away, and for over
two years have heard nothing from
him. My daughter, who is a widow.
her 13-year-old child and myself, have
lived together. Ella, my daughter.
has done her best to take care OF me
and her child, going out by the day
doing whatever work her strength
would permit. She is not strong and
two weeks ago was taken Ill. The city
physician, who called to attend to her,
says she Is suffering from nervous
breakdown due to over-work.
Last May, l was struck by tho
automobile that killed poor old Capt
Lawson, at Woodward-ave. and Eliza
beth-st., and for weeks / was laid up
The shock to a woman OF my years
l as 65-was great and l have been
unable to do any work since. The
owner OF the machine, Mr.. Gervaise.
gave me $50 at the time of the accl-
dent but that did not go far when my
daughter had to give up work to take
care of me. | fear I will not be Of
much use ever again for since the acci-
dent a hard lump has been growing
In my left side and have spells OF
dizziness and heart trouble that rem
der me speechless and unable to move.
No one wants a broken down old wo-
man to work for them.
MY daughter and myself have made
every possible sacrifice for our little
girl so that she could continue at
school for she Is an exceptionally
bright child. | have always tried to
avoid debt and the fact that / had to
borrow the money to pay our last
months rent and, this months Is due
this week with nothing In sight to
meet It. has worried me very much.
see no way of paying the rent or re-
turning the borrowed money. MY
daughter has been a noble girl and
half OF her sickness is due, | know,
to the worry and care OF me. Now,
that she Is i'll, feel that | must do
something to relieve her and provide
for our immediate needs.
"The city poor commission is giving
me one dollar a week, but what Is that
to keep body and soul together for two
sick women and child? | have been
trying ever since my husbands death
TO secure widows pension but so
far have not succeeded although sew
eral kind friends have taken up the
case for me with the authorities In
Washington. Four OF my brothers
we're I'm the war | was born near
Pittsburg and for over 20 years lived
in cleveland, where kept boarding
house. have lived in Detroit the
past eight years. belong to the Slmp-
son NJ. +. church and have received
much kindness from the church peo-
nde at different times. My daughter
goes to the first Baptist church where
the little girl also goes to Sunday
school. It Is very bitter to me TO
Mace myself in the position or SEEK
err for charity, but the utter hopeless
ness OF our position at this time LETT
no other course open to me. l nope
that some one with an aged mother
or a sick daughter or sister will learn
of our need and in memory OF tner
own loved ones extend aid II theY
have it to give.
Mrs Degraw showed The Times
various papers to substantiate her