The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-30
DEATHS ARE
SEPARATED
BY SECONDS
Brother of Women, Re
fuses to Permit Use of
Surgeons Knife.

Chicago, March 30.-Josefa and
died at a hospital here at 2:37
o'clock this morning. Josefa's
death occurred first and was fol-
lowed in few seconds by the death
of her sister. Physicians had de-
cl&red early in the night that in
the event of the death of one of
the sisters the other would die, in
asmuch as their brother, Frank
Black, had refused to permit an
operation which would sever their
bodies.
The twins had been confined in
the hospital for the last 10 days.
Josefa was i'll with yellow jaundice
and this was followed by pneumo-
mia. Shortly before her death
Rosa was afflicted with bronchitis.
Following the refusal of the
brother to authorize the operation
DIR. B. H. Breakstone, chief of the
surgical staff of the hospital, de-
clared this morning that it would
be impossible to save one of the
twins in the event Of the others
death. Preparations had been made
for the operation and the physi-
clans were ready to make every
effort to save the life of at least
one of the women.
Give Up Hope at Midnight
Hope of saving Joseta was aban-
doned at midnight, according to DR..
Breakstone.
Il tried to get the consent of the
brother to operate to save the life
of Rosa, but he refused to give his
permission" the physician added.
DIR. Breakstone explained that a
delicate operation would have been
necessary
Before their death he had ex-
pressed the opinion that the psy7
Geological affinity of the twins"
was so vital that if one should die
the other might also succumb be-
fore the baad of flesh and bone that
joined them could be severed.
Although the twins" possessed
separate respiratory and cardiac
systems, DR.. Breakstone explained
that they hsd only one set of sec
ondary and provocative organs.
The operation, he said, would have
necessitated the building up of a
part of the digestive and other es-
sential organs to save the life of
one twin.
Rosa Leaves a Son.
Rosa was once married, her name
being Rosa Black Dvorak. She
is survived by a normal 11-year-
old boy. Her husband was cap
tain in the German army and was
killed in action in 1917. She was
married Is years ago. Josefa never
married.
The little son, Frantz, has been
at the bedside of his mother, who,
until within the last few hours.
was less critically i'll than Josefa.
The twins were the second Off
spring of a normal parentage in
Czechoslovakia AZ years ago. There
were four other children, all nor
NAL and all still living. The father
is also said to be alive, his age be-
ing S5 years. The mother died a
year ago at the age of IS years.
Both Were Wealthy.
During a tour of the world the
twins acquired considerable wealth.
They died without making a will,
although their attorney had been
at the hospital several days in the
hope that they would be in condi-
ton to dictate will.
As the women grew weaker last
night physicians pleaded with the
brother to permit an operation. He
was the only adult relative capa-
bic under the Illinois law of giving
this consent.
NO" said the brother. NO, not
even if Rosa lives for hours after
Josefa dies. There shall be no op-
eration.'