The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1915-05-14
Most Pitifu| Case Reported
Found in Morton COuntu

! Mandan, N. n, May 14.-One of
the most pitiful cases OF destitur
ton, want, misery, sickness, and
filth ever discovered by the Morton
county authorities is reported by
Judge J.: M. Hanley. He had dep
utiZed r. R. McKaig of Fort Rice
to Investigate the case OF the
Crowley family near Carl, and a
letter received from Mr.. McKaig
gives vivid word picture of the
conditions found. i.
The mother in the case will be
sent to the state tuberculosis sani-
tarium at Dunseith and the chill
dren to some home. All will be
given proper care
Following is the letter:
Fort Rice, N. D., April 22-15.
Judge j. NJ. Hanley. Mandan. n.
d. Dear Sir: In conformity
with your request went to Car
son, N. D., last Monday and inves-
tigate the case of Mrs. Crowley and
her children, reported to you as
destitute, and found very lad
condition of affairs
They live about twelve miles
from Carson in the Carl precinct.
Their home is three room shack.
The we'll was about SO feet deep,
about three feet across and wide
open for chickens or children to
tumble into. Inside the home
we're five children under the age
of Is. A strange acting woman
who proved to be an aunt, rather
feeble minded, showed DR.. Leavett
and myself into the house. Mrs.
Crowley sat in a chair unable to
stir without help. She was slowly
splitting away her life, in the last
stage CT tuberculosis. DR.. Leayett
said that she would not hive till
fall. And the home without a
mothers guidance certainly show
ed the result. Filthy bed clothes
where vermin could crawl at will;
dirty dishes and litter on the floor
and piled up in the corners; walls
and floors not cleaned for weeks;
and in it all sat the poor mother
who had put up heoric fight to,
keep: her family together and who
had been defeated by sickness Her.
husband had deserted her over a
year ago just before the seeding
time and she went out of doors and
did three mems work and oyerdo-s
ing became run down and tubercu-
lar and now is dying. went up
stairs and found a small room
where six children slept (the eld-
est boy q sickly lad of 19) was
away at work and came home at
night and slept upstairs with the
children. His sister is Is years
old and sleeps in bed within a
yard of his bed and only -four
sack curtain between. They have
six or seven mortgaged cows and
from this tubercular filthy room Is,
sent the cream to the railroad sta
ton to be shipped to some cream
cry. r.
/ spoke to the mother as to what
plans she had for the children if
she should die. She said that she
had none and that she had no rel-
atives to whom she could send the
children. They were ragged little
waits unkept and uncared :. for.
The aunt instead of caring for the
family is a care herself. The moths
er is unable to help the children
and they are not fit to care for:
her. The mother needs care right
away. She has fought a big fight
and has been defeated She has
fought to keep that family togeth-.
er and they ought to be separated.
The worst part of it all is that the 3
children are not going to school
They have no clothes fit for school
and they must help. at home. They
have not been to school this year.
Mr.. Tim. DAILY of Lark took one Of
the boys, a bright lad OF i 2 years
and gave him home and scho ool.gi
ing last year. But the boy could
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