New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-06
Life Utterly Primitive.

Life Utterly Primitive.
Then she dropped her head on the
torn, draggled skirt that covered her
knees and sObbed. She was still cry,
ing whom deputies led her husband
away. Far down the mountain road che
last man turned and saw her. still
sitting on the doorsill. a huddled. mis-
cradle figure. Two or three ducks, a
few pairs of chickens and brace Of
lean, razorback pigs that rooted at her
feet were all she had left in the world
Who the Howells are, where they
came from and how they lived are mys-
teries to the people of Newton. Rough,
unfriendly hills cover that part OF
Sussex County in which their shack
was built. The roads are bad-mere
mountain trails, that "end In SPUR
rel track and run up tree There
are no towns Of any size, and yet the
region is not deserted. Tumble-down
huts hide here and there throughout
the hill country, scarcely III to house q
beast, and flthier than a self-respect-
ing animal would endure. In these,
human beings are born and raised and
die.
Such people. unknown to the farmers
who till the fat lowlands of the coun-
ty. were the Howells. Scarcely two
hours journey from New York, their
life was utterly primitive. The man
was shiftless, drunken, degenerate. lie
was able-bodied, but would not work.
When he shot a skunk or a raccoon ne
sold its hide for hard cider. His wife,
dazed by years OF misery, shocked by
the suddenness of her bereavement to-
day, showed lingering trace OF past
refinement. His children were filthy
little imps, to whom he preferred his
sinking, curly-haired cur.
Apples Kill Children
For months past rumors have been
current in the nearest village-Still-
water-of the squalid conditions in
which the Howells lived. Late last
summer Mrs. Howell tramped down
TO the little town, feet barred and BRAN
ble-torn, to try TO sell the skin of @
rattlesnake she had killed. Her two
babies enjamin, three, and Mildred,
an infant--were lawful sick" she said.
The next day they were dead. They
had eaten green apples and had been
seized with cramps. II is probable
that this was the only food the
mother had to give them.
Victor NJ. Robbins, clerk Of the
Board Of Heath of Vaudeville, an
adjoining town, heard of the cir
cumstances and the investigation which
he started brought about a visit 70 the
howell of Mr.. Apgar and deputy
sheriRs Of Sussex.
Inside the hut the man lay, half
drunk. The three ragged children
PLAYED about In the clearing before
il None Of them looked as though he
had ever had bath. The walls Of the
place sagged in some spots and bulged
in others. There was no glass In the
window frames. Some of the holes
had been stuffed with rags. Loose
boards covered the floor. These were
crusted with filth and one Of the pigs
nosed about on them.
Shy as wild things at hrst, the
babies were at last won over By
pronise of plenty 70 eat and other
children to play with and entered the
automobile. The man was reused by
the deputy and told that he was under
arrest. He took the information in
differently.
sulIenIv. |ess'n my dawg goes too"
Argument only made him fare up into
ft Of weak rage, and at last the cur,
which has no name, was allowed TO
follow al his masters heels.
"iBv. maw!" the children cried. Then
tbev screamed as the auto shot for
ward. The woman did not move. She
sat with her head bowed on her knees
and her shoulders shaking silently.