The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-03-28
DIR. MARY WALKER
DESPERATELY I'LL

NEW YORK Special DR.. Mary
+. walker, the determined little Ola
new woman" who TOR more than a
half century has been wearing
trousers and doing things that have
made her name known throughout
the country, is critically ill in the
Presbyterian Hospital.
Direct reports as to DR.. Walkers
condition or the specific nature of
her ailment are not 10 be had. In her
usual masterful manner she has taken
this function from the hands of the
hospital authorities and turned IL
over to Mrs. Nellie Il. Van Singer
land. recording secl etary of the Bet
terment League.
Alter exhibiting a slip of paper on
which DR.. Walker had penciied in
wavering characters the information
that Mrs. Van Slingerland had been
appointed her exclusive press repre-
sentative" through what may be her
last illness, the Betterment League
official said:
DIT Walker fear. is dying. She
developed a heavy cold weeks ago,
neglected IL, and now has collapsed
completely. She has bronchitis, pneu-
monia threatens her. and she is a very
old woman"
DR.. Walker had been in Washing
con for several months pressing be-
fore the Judiciary Committee her con-
tention that the Constitution gives
woman the vote. Recently she jour
neyed TO Albany in the interest OF the
suffrage movement. Then the Better
ment League arranged for a number
Of mass meetings here. at which Dr.
Walker was TO be star speaker.
COllapSeS on the Train.
When DR.. Walker boarded a train
at Albany on Saturday she was suffer-
ing from a severe cold. AS she took
her seat. adjusted her glasses and be-
a of
her fellow passengers saw, apparently.
a small, studious. good natured old
gentleman with bushy gray hair.
Silk hat, frock coat. gold headed
stick. and trousers just a bit baggy
at the knee-the masculine equipment
with which it is her habit to hide her
sex on formal Occasions-were worn
by her with the assurance of years
experience.
The conductor, passing through the
train at Garrison. noticed that the
frOck-cOated passenger had slipped
down in one corner of the seat. as if
in faint. The wrinkled face had
grown pailid and wan. Passengers
helped him try to rouse her. A wo-
man offered a bottle of smelling salts
Not until the train was drawing into
Grand Central Station, almost an hour
later, was DR.. Walker able to say.
weakly:
Il thank you for your kindness. III
be all right now"
But the kind woman passenger did
not think it safe to resign her good
offices.
you'd better let me take you to
your destination in a taXicab. sir" she
said. I'm not in q hurry, and you
might become i'll again. you know"
At the sir" DR.. Walker smiled.
Pm not a sir. my dear friend" she
sighed. I'm DR.. Walker-Dr. MARY
Walker"
She did not refuse the proffered at
tention, however. and a taxicab whirl-
ed her away to the Presbyterian Hos
pital, instead of the Hotel Gerard,
where Mrs. Van Slingerland lives.
Directs Her own Treatment.
Mrs. Van Siingerland was summoned
at o'clock that evening. a few min
bed in a private room. AS she entered
the hospital she was told by an at
pressed vigorous disapproval of the
nightgown that had taken the place of
her essentially masculine attire.
"A very prominent physician is in at
tendance on DR.. Walker" Mrs. Van
Slingerland said yesterday to a reporter
for The World. 1T was after midnight
hurried to her side. Although he knew
her only by reputation, he volunteered
his services without fee.
Two years ago DR.. Walker had a
severe illness. Male physicians gave
up hope OF saving her life, but she
treated herself, and on the day that, ac-
cording to their peSsimistic views, was
to have been her very last on earth,
she was up out of bed and convalescing
rapidly.
ITO a certain extent she is directing
her own treatment at the hospital now.
Rather than have erroneous reports
printed. she has forbidden the hospital
authorities to make any statement of
her case"
Various improvements in masculine
attire have originated with DR.. Walker.
The inner shirt ncckband that protects
the neck from collar button IaVages,
for instance, is her invention.