Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-10-21
PHOEBE COUSINS
 IS DESTITUTE
Disabled From FalL Nf4ed Writer Facing Starvation in Cheap L0dg-
 ing House at Washington.

Phoebe w. Cousins, native St. Louisian, one time United States mar shal for the Eastern District of Mis- souri, who has national and inter- national reputation as an eloquent speaker and brilliant writer lies on a sick bed in a Washington lodging house and often doesn't know where the next meal will come from accord ing to a special from Washington to the St. Louis Globe Democrat.
 Miss Cousins, who is lawyer and is widely known throughout the coun- try for her work in the cause of wo- mans suffrage, higher education for women and as an anti-pfOhibition speaker and worker, has been so re- duced in circumstances that she has suffered the bangs of hunger of late. No longer than last week she was fOrty-eight hours without food Of any kind. A woman friend learning of her light, brought her bread and tea.
 Until the first of this year Miss Cousins enjoyed an income sufficient to keep her in comfort ill hotels Of her own choosing. Now she must de pend upon her friends to keep the wolf from the door, the income having been wholly cut off Few of her friends of means, and she has many of them in St Louis and in other parts of the country, know of her plight She has been haunted by the fear that if might become necessary for her to call upon the Board of Charities of the District of Columbia e1., II F change At one time Miss Cousins was head of the St. Louis Board of Charities and took an active part III charitable work during and after the civil War. This fact makes her pre- sent plight the harder te bear.
 Miss Cousins in Want.
 When seen today in her room by the Globe-Democrat correspondent, Miss cous ns, who is nearing three score and ten, was in bed. She look ed thin and wan, but smiled bravely and expressed pleasure at seeing d representativ of the paper which, she said she had read regularly for years until the past few months during which she has Il t been able to buy it.
 Miss Cousins, until recently, lived at the Fredonia Hotel where six weeks ago she met with painful ac- cident. She has for years suffered
 with rheumatism.
 "A fall burst blood vessel i'll my left arm and injured me otherwise she said T remained at the hotel as long as l felt 1 could in good consci- ence. knowing that my income had stepped l had excellent reasons for believing. up to two months ago, that matters would be so adjusted that money due me would be paid, but was disappointed. Then heard of this room, had a friend engage it for me and moved in, although still very ill Only within the past few days have been we'll enough to sit up fer a short time and try to do some writ ing.
 ii is d fact that I have been hun sry. My health has been fragile fer years, and for some time past, when beng unable to hobble along on clutches So. even at best, things were not any too encouraging, The woman who runs this fooming house is peor. She is veGy kind and con- sidefate and have much to thank her for, But sine can not afford to keep me here without pay. and must furnish her cash if would eat. When the cash stops the meals stop, and iz k only right and proper,
 k Helpless Physically.
 l think it an outrage that woman who has boen so often and So pr nl- inengIy before the public should be reduced to such straits and nobody can realize how badly feel about il. l try to take a philoso-
 i2 view of the matter, feeling that i there must be some way out for me. f 1 have sent for a representative of [ the Board Of Charities. with a view ! of ascertaining whether there is a fund on which could dEaW for r5 lief if ultimately reduced 10 that E painful necessity.
 If l were helpless physically t , would noe he so sad, and 1 doubles could quickly get in touch with kind friends. The cnly relative l have, with the exception ol a niece. is nay I brother, who is with me noW and has { long acted as my secretary and assist ant. lie can not leave me now be- cause of my condition. Otherwise he might be able to go to St. Louis [ and get in direct communication wit! E i3 friends and procure one of the positions he formerly held there.
 Miss Cousins income was from cer- tain brewers organizations in consid- eration of her advocacy ot tAe army canteen before congress and else where and her personal liberty" speeches and writings. With a clear under standing that an annuity would be paid her for life and because of ! her physical disability, st.a abandon ed practically other lines of work She now finds herself witaont dol lar of income. She never has been able to unde. stand why the annuity vas cut off. Her prezen5 add ess is 2I II. 2tseet. N, w.