The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-02
APPEALS FOR LAW !.
WHICH WILL END !.
GREAT SUFFERING.
Woman Is Paralyzed and Un-
aLle to Aepe AIRY Eut
Musclts OF Head
ASKS MERCY GIVEN
TO STRIC KEN DOG
Would Have Stale End the
Wretchedness Of Such
Suifcrers--Vi siled by
Mrs. Cleveland

NEW YORK, Dec. 1-Mrs. Sarah
Harris, the remarkable paraiytic pa
tient in the Audubon sanitarium. who
made two public appeals during the
last three months for the enactment
OF law permitting her physicians to
end her suffering by taking. her life.
wrote third letter yest1.
In it she tells OF yiSlt I'm Mrs.
Grover Cleveland. who, Jmf1g at the
hospital to see an invalid relative.
and knowing of Mrs. Harris case.
spent an hour withsthe latter.
Mrs. Cleveland IS the most re-
markable and unaffected woman with
whom / ever spoken" said Mrs. Har-
ris. She will bring to my help the
counsels OF wise people. / am as much
in need OF relief as when | made
the first appeal. The law does not
scruple to demand life for life- Why
may not the law become an instru-
auent, OF MARCY ar 5sEa4s IA .veag eazce ?''
Makes Grim Appeal.
Mrs. Harris made grim appeal to
the people OF New York last Septem-
Der to have a law enacted which will
enable pfaetieiEtS physician to end
her life and her prolonged misery.
/ Three years ago. Mrs. Harris was
stricken with paralysis and since that
I time has been able to move only the
muscles OF her head. She Is about
thirty years OF age, and is the mother
OF two children. Her husband is a
salesman. Mrs Harris suffers con-
stantly and has yet to find any meai-
cine that will get relief Physicians
have told her that she is the victim
of spinal trouble, which has resulted
! in paralysis, although they have been
-unabi to ascertain the exact nature
Of the malady. She believes the leg
: islature should make 1t possible for
| doctors to end her life and the lives
1 CT all such wretched sufferers Mrs.
| Harris was first stricken early in
/ 1909. while out walking, and the
next day was completely paralyzed.
| No Change in Condition.
/ The physicians at the Audubon hos
| pitai state that no change has been
| discernible in the womans condition
| for the past year or more. and that
she may live ten or fifteen years
more.
Il am suffering the torture Of the
| damned wrote this woman. when
she made her first appeal to the pub
| lie several years ago. There is no
| hore for my recovery. Why should /
| continue until the end comes in the
| lingering dSath WHICH KNOW Is mine !:
| Various mechanical inventions are
being pushed in which many shining
| lights lose their lives, and yet one
| question. the greatest Of all. how to
| end the suffering OF hopeless. helpless
sufferers has never been delved into.
Yenrns For the End.
| Here in the early thirties, young
| woman, stretched on a bed, immobile.
| bereft OF the great motor engine of
| her constitution for the past three
| years. which places her in an abso-
| intely paraiyzed condition. in which
| she is unable to exert a single mus
| Gle of her body. besides suffering
! much pain, yet in fun possession of
| the strength of her mentality. Graves
and yearns for that which would end
| her misery.
Now. why should not the State
| take the matter In it's hands and end
| the wrefchedness of such poor suf-
! ferers? Let us just stop long enough
| 70 th.nk that when brute. the low
| Hest If the animal kingdom. becomes
/ ina ctive and doomed to suffer, its
| sufferine is put to an end.
! Naturally ones own loved ones
cannot bring this about. Your ply
stefan cannot do 1t, for he would be
condemned. SO the only means is the
State"