The Washington times., 1922-11-02

lP0VERT Y
:, |NW|NTER
Mrs. Hazel Cnash Saw Hope
less Days With Savings
Gone to Promoters.

lence to poverty, Mrs. Hazel
Gnash, twenty-five years old,
sought death for herself and her
fifteen-months-old son rather than
a winter of privation in Washing
on.
The woman is at Garfield Hos
! ,ital today fighting for her life
I which she sought to take yester-
J lay afternoon when she swallowed
\ tx tablets of bichloride of mer-
!, ury after giving her son two
ablets of the poison at Rock
\, creek Park Zoo.
Both Have a Chance.
\ Because of the nature Of the
olson and it's action on the
ystem. attending physicians Will be
unable to determine for forty'eight
hours whether she and her little
son will survive its effects.
Both mother and child were re-
ported today to have a bare chance
of recovery.
Don't let me die: please save my
life" the woman pleaded last night
with hospital physicians. IF Billy
lies, then | am willing to go with
lim.'
A pathetic scene was enacted,
! physicians said, when William ];
mash, the wOman's husband, called
| her at the hospital last night.
The husband has been employed
or some time as a fireman at stone
! uarry at Knoxville, N. G. He told
8 is wife last night that he was going
leave as soon as she is out OF dan
tn rnSIIrnp his old lob,
I. The gray-haired mOther-in-law OF
he woman, Mrs. stephen G.. Gnash'
$40 Potomac avenue southeast,
reathed a prayer for the daughter
| 1-law this morning when told that
= @ had a chance of recovery.
THANK God" said the aged
woman. II pray that she will re-
over"
Promoters Got Savings.
The greatest amity appears to
exist between Mrs. Gnash ana ner
daughter-in-law. She wept today
when discussing the troubles that
had overtaken the family.
The savings of the family, Mrs.
Gnash said today, had been lost in
Dad investments. Fraudulent stock
promtors, who painted a roseate
4 future, were able to coax from the
younger Gnash and his wife the
savings they had amassed after four
years of welded life, it was ex-
planned.
Family Is Prominent.
The younger Mrs. Gnash comes
from prominent family in
Phoenix, Ariz., her mother-in.law
explained. She studied to be
trained nurse and was familiar with
the power Of poisons.
Four years ago, while Gnash was
employed as a civil engineer in an
Arizona mining camp, he wooed and
wed his wife. They lived in afflu-
ence for a time. Then, a period
: of saving began. Last year they
were told of easy riches through
! the purchase of stocks. Their saw
ings were paid out to certain New
York agents Of stock concern.
Before the close OF last winter
they were in reduced circumstances.
They came to Washington, where
the father, Stephen G.. Gnash Is
member of the Capitol Police
Force.
The Young wife is OF nervous
femme, ament, her motherin law said
TODAY. but appeared Yesterday to be
happy and contented when she left
home early in the afternoon with
the little son and waved good.
bye"
The apartment the two families
occupy on Potomac avenue IL
modest but Immediately clean and
orderly.
Had Travelled Much.
The younger Mrs. Gnash has
Travelled all over the country, II
was said today, and was accustom-
ed to the best.
The mother.in.law today said
there had been no trouble. between
her son and his wife; that the son
was never long out of employment
et n time and that he was only
here on visit from the stone
quarry, where he has been work.
ing for some months.
Mrs. Gnash was discovered yes.
terday afternoon at the entrance to
the Zoo by DR. II. Hertzberg, Of
1922 u street northwest. He was
driving with his wife and was at.
tracted by the motions Of the wo.
man. She told him she had swal.
lowed the poison and begged him
to take her to a hospital. The wo'
man was taken to Garfield and the
little son to the Children's Hos.
pital.
Had Hard Luck Here.
From 500 salary a week to S25
was the financial toboggan down
which Gnash and his pretty wife
slid to the disaster Of her at.
tempted suicide, he told a Washing.
ton Times reporter at Garfield Hos.
pltal today.
"Out in Arizona" said the stocky,
blue.eyed husband, whose appear.
snce is that of man OF the open,
"I had no trouble in making s400
a month as mining engineer. But
since l came East. have found
the times mighty hard. Here in
Washington | have been lucky to
earn s25 a week. And I've fire.
auently been out Of work.
ut was difficult TO make ends
meet last year. and the prospect
for the coming winter was just as
bad. NV wife had been accustomed