Part 2: 8: Suffering

8. The brief news accounts only hint at the suffering endured in some of these lives.

Mrs Rosa Klim of 907 Market street bled to death in childbirth in April 1910. “Mrs Klim had four children, all of whom had been born without the attendance of a doctor, the family always having relied upon the services of a midwife. She was 38 years of age. During the evening her pains became unbearable. Mrs Klim requested her husband to send for a doctor. Several physicians were telephoned to before one was found at home. Mrs Klim had a fall last Friday which injured her side and might have injured her internally.” Upon discovery of Mrs Klim in collapse at home, an inquiry was convened on site. “In a small room lighted by a small oil lamp and filled with scores of women, men, and children of foreign birth who could not understand a word that was spoken except when interpreted by the interpreters…. Mrs Petronella Winslow of Victoria street who acted as interpreter testified that she had been told that the midwife gave mrs Klim two glasses of whiskey and some soup soon after the birth had taken place.”  (1) The 1910 census for 907 Market street lists Mike Klinchefsy, aged 40, widowed, with a son Joe, age 16, and 2 daughters, Eva, aged 14 and Annie aged 9.

Margaret Sarpalis, also of the ill-fated 907 Market street, was “grief-stricken” over a report that her husband had been killed on his job in the wire mills, but was unable to get confirmation. ”There are nine children in the family, five boys and four girls, seven of whom are the Sarpalis children and two others from a sister’s family. The only wage earner is a girl of 16 years and there are two 6-month old babies to care for, the Sarpalis baby and the sister’s baby. The sister was killed in an accident in California.” (2)

Anton Dengela, a Market street resident died working as a section hand on the EJ&E railroad, when an engine “cut both legs off...and inflicted other terrible wounds,” near Lake street. Anton was about 30 and unmarried. (3)

Hoping to prevent more  “trouble on Market street,” police arrested Lund Berdesky of Market street for owing $4 to another, but unable to pay. He was released after a night in jail. (4)

Frances Korenian “dropped dead” on her Market street front porch one uesday morning in August, 1920. It was concluded that “heart trouble” was the cause of death. (5)

Michael Zaborski of 524 Market narrowly escaped a murder charge for the death of Anton Kristinatis, one of his boarders. Further investigation showed that Kristinatis “had been a hard, constant drinker,” and probably died as a result of alcoholism. “It came out at the hearing that the dead man was arrested as a drunk on Saturday night, Christmas eve and fined $7.40 Sunday morning, borrowing the money from a friend. He began to go insane Tuesday and Wednesday, rushed into the presence of Mrs. Zaborski attired only in his underclothes. Later he tore his bed to pieces, and finally tore every stitch from his person and rushing out began a fight with everyone within reach. He was restrained, arrested, the discovery made that he was not normal from some cause, a physician, Dr. Bellows was called. It was found that the man was paralyzed of the left side from the effects of liquor, he was removed to the hospital at 2 Wednesday and died at seven Wednesday night.” (6)

While making a call on a house on Market street on a February day in 1915, Miss Hemmelreich of the Humane Society spotted a child with a “pale, thin and very apparently sickly little face” sitting near a window, and entered the flat to investigate. Inside, she found a family in “terrible distress.” as the newspaper summarized: “Family on south Market street; 18 month old baby very sick; found mother brewing up some herbs in an endeavor to make a drink which might taste like coffee; the father looked to Miss Hemmelreich as if he had been starving himself to help out the baby and his wife; no food in the house; father has been out of work since last June; had only a few days work now and then” That same week. Miss Hemmelreich found another needy case on Market street:

“North Market street—Found woman very sick; has one child of three years; woman has a severe case of heart trouble; husband has not worked since last summer; no food and no clothing to speak of; family rather proud and disliked to appeal to the town for aid. Miss Hemmelreich sent the county physician to see the woman. (7)

 

[Miss Ida Himmelreich was an active crusader for the Lake County Humane Society from 1914 through at least the early 1920s. In 1914, after having worked as a “humane officer” for several month with the Humane Society, Miss Himmelreich was sworn in as Waukegan’s first female police officer. (8) Paid by the Humane Society and not the police, with her duty of patrol remaining unchanged, she was empowered to arrest violators as she caught them, and was equipped with an official police star. As periodic reports in the newspapers show, she was concerned with human as well as animal welfare in the county. A typical report in 1914 mentioned stray dogs and cats, lame mules, underfed chickens, blind horses and various levels of human suffering. “Investigated the case of cruelty to a child. Found a little girl recovering from Typhoid fever in spite of having no nutrition and having had insufficient clothing and food previously. The child had a step-father who was extremely cruel to her, has thrown her downstairs, struck her repeatedly with a large piece of wood, etc, had refused the mother money with which to buy the necessary nourishment during the child’s illness. Money was left for food, also bedding and clothing and three days later the child was removed to her grandmother’s home where she is improving….The case of an old couple. Both were found almost helpless and almost destitute. They were given food and clothing ...The case of a family where the husband was in jail for beating his wife. The family was utterly destitute. ...Case of a destitute family. Found a family of nine in almost starving conditions, the mother with a three days old baby had had no food for 24 hours, ad only bread and water for the two previous days. They are strangers in town, speak practically no English and the husband is unable to find work. Gave them food at once and have since taken them food and clothing. The society will try to find work for the man.” (9) The reports paint a stark portrait of the abject poverty that could be found in the generally prosperous Waukegan community.

By the end of the decade, Miss Himmelreich had opened her home on Ash as a home for delinquent children, caring for up to 15 troubled children at a time who were too young for jail or incarceration.

One case seemed typical:

 

“…a boy nine years of age was brought into court and we were asked by the mother to send him to an institution. In appearance he was a pitiful case. His weight was
only forty pounds ; he was a poor, shrunken, skinny, starved appearing little fellow. The mother considered him a hopeless case. He was given to running away from school, getting into the neighbors' pantries, purloining anything and everything on which he could place his hands in the line of cakes or other eatables, and his mother contended that he was below normal, in fact, sufficiently feeble-minded to
warrant us in sending him to the state institution for the feeble-minded at Lincoln. Against her wishes, we continued the case for a few weeks and the boy was placed in Miss Himmelreich's home. Inside of ten days he had gained six and one-half pounds in weight. His diet was regulated, and when he left her home at the expira-tion of about two months he could hardly be recognized as the same boy whom we had sent there so recently.
Shortly before we permitted his return to his mother his family removed to Chicago, where he is now living, attending school regularly, a plump, vigorous and healthy boy, and it is needless to say that the parents now are proud of the improvement which he made while a ward of the court.” (10)

 But the strain of the work appeared to be too great for Miss Ida, and her health suffered. After a few attempts at brief vacations each of which were interrupted by crises demanding her attention, “she lately has been on the verge of a complete nervous breakdown,” and on the advice of her physician resigned from the care of delinquent children. (11) She continued work with the Human Society into the 1920s and beyond, for a total of 30 years.

The 1930 census lists Miss Ida Himmelreich as 60 years old, single , owning her home at 626 Ash

She died Jul. 13, 1948 and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery] Ignac Burja and John Schoficz were arrested by police at their home on Lake street, just east of Market for stealing coal from the EJ&E yards nearby. Both were escorted up Market by officer Frank Tryon. At the Water street crossing of the Northwestern Railway, Ignac suddenly broke free, ducked under the crossing gate across the tracks but was struck and killed by the 7:45 train coming in from Chicago. It is unclear if Ignac was trying to escape and did not see the approaching train, or preferred suicide to arrest. A stumble may have sealed his fate. (12)

Picking coal fragments off the ground along the EJ&E tracks seems to have been a somewhat common practice in the winter months. Women and children could be see walking along “in a bending posture,” like shell-seekers walking along a beach, looking for scraps of coal. “They often become so engrossed in their work that they forget the danger of their surroundings and a shout from a switchman or a trainman is needed to bring them to realize their position in time to save themselves.” Newspapers made a call to distribute coal to the poor, though the presumption seemed to be that it was the responsibility of charitable organizations rather than the government. (13)

Notes

(1)  Market street woman bled to death Libertyville Independent April 1, 1910

(2) Cannot get confirmation of man’s death  Libbertyville independent,  Friday July 1, 1910 p9

(3) Section hand killed Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun,  Dec 16, 1910, p8 

(4) Man spends night in jail because he was in debt, Lake county independent and Waukegan weekly sun, July 31, 1914, p6

(5) Heart trouble the cause of death, Libertyville independent, Aug 12, 1920, p10

(6) Escaped murder trial, Lake County Independent, Friday Jan 6, 1911

(7) Baby’s pinched pace attracted Humane officer, Lake Country Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun Feb 12, 1915, p8

(8) The city’s first police woman has been appointed,  Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun July 31, 1914, p 11

(9) Many destitute cases are found by humane society,  Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun Aug 14, 1914, p 4

(10) Humane Advocate, Illinois Humane Society, Vol. XII, MARCH, 1917,  No. 5
(11) Miss Himmelreich out,  Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun Dec 26, 1918, p 6

(12) Prisoner commits suicide, Lake County Independent and Waukegan weekly Sun, June 22, 1906, p.1

(13) Poor woman and children endanger their lives Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun, November 27, 1914, p10

Appendix

(1)  Market street woman bled to death Libertyville Independent April 1, 1910

Market street woman bled to death

Held at night while relatives and friends from amoung the Lithuanians masses and threatened bodily resistance if the remains of the dead woman were removed for a post mortem, the inquest over the late Mrs Rosa Klim at 907 Market street Monday possesses strange and unusual features.

Here is the significance:

Alleged to be the clearest case which the coroner and the state’s attorney have yet obtained against alleged illegal midwifery, the case will exert an influence probably in the Burke case now before the county court and furnish the material for an investigation that may result in the barring of all unliscenced midwives from practice on penalty of arrest and prosecution.

Features of the case were partial figures showing how many alien women give birt to children without the aid of physicians; the fact that the jury and coroner abandoned the plan to hold a post mortem in te face of the opposition to the removal of the remains and after it had been determined that the post-mortem would not be necessary; and te crowding into the rooms of hundreds of Lithuanians determined to resist the removal of the body.

Earlier in the day Undertaker Drew had been forced to abandon efforts to remove the body. The coroner, aided by the police and deputy sherriff fared no better.

To arrest midwife

The coroners jury in the Klim case brought in a verdict late Monday to the effect that Mrs Rose Klim came to her death by reason of a hemorage following on child birth. They also found thatnthe woman did not receive proper medical attention and that she was only attended by a midwife known as Eva Youcis. They recommend that the state’s attorney proceed against ther said eva Youcis for practicing midwifery without a liscence.

The inquest over the remains of Mrs Rose Klim was held at 907 Market street where the woman dies Monday night. The home of the klims is on the second floor of an apartment building. When coroner J L Taylor accompanied by state’s attorney Dady, Frank Blakelee, court reporter and a jury, arrived at the home of the klims, the three small rooms were packed with neighbors and friends….

In a small room lighted by a small oil lamp and filled with scores of women, men, and children of foreign birth who could not understand a word that was spoken except when onterpreted by the interpreters….

The first witrness called by the coroner was Mike Klim, the husband. He was aclean, sober, industrious looking working man of Lithuanian parentage. He testified that he went for Mrs Eva Youcis, an elderly midwife who lives on Victoria street to attend his wife. She was confined at 3 o’clock on Sunday afternoon and the child was born before 5 o’clock. The woman is thought to have bled to death adter the birth, as the husband said she bled profusely afterwards. A doctor was not called until late in the evening when Dr W S Bellows was sent for. He arrived soon after 11 o’clock and found the woman in a state opf collapse. Her death occurred within ten or fifteen minutes after he arrived….

…when asked what he was to pay the midwife, he said he had not expected to pay anything unless the baby lived. If te child had died, he would pay nothing and if it lived he expected to pay $10. Some of the midwives charge $12 for attending women in confinement cases.

Four children, no doctor

Mrs klim had four children, all of whom had been born without the attendance of a doctor, the family allways having relied upon the services of a midwife. She was 38 years of age. Duiring the eening her pains became unbearable. Mrs klim requested her husband to send for a doctor. Several physicians were telephoned to before one was found at home. Mrs Klim had a fall last Friday which injured her side and might have injutred her internally.

Whiskey and soup?

Several women were called as witnesses who had been present before, during and after the birth. One of them testified that she had employed the same midwife when her children were born and that the midwife acted the same and performed the same like she was a doctor. Mrs Petronella Winslow of Victoria street who acted as interpreter testified that she had been told that the midwife gave mrs Klim two glasses of whiskey and some soup soon after the birth had taken place.

Testimony Fixing

An attempt to “fix” testimony was made by one of the neighbor women who told a witrness to testify the same as she had done. The interpreter told the coroner what the woman had said, and the offender was sent from the room. One woman testified that she had six children and in all of the confinement cases she had been attended by Mrs Catherine Burke of Tenth and Victoria street, the woman who is being perosecuted in the county court for the alleged practicing of midwifery without a liscence. Her case will be tried in the  April term of the county court. The state board of health is determined to stamop out the practice of unliscensed and ignorant midwives in this state and if it is successful the lives of many mothers and babes will be saved.

April 1, 1910

(2) Cannot get confirmation of man’s death  Libbertyville independent,  Friday July 1, 1910 p9

Cannot get confirmation of man’s death

Geief struicken wife eagerly seeks news of husband’s fate

Mrs Margaret Sarpalis of 907 Market street in Queer dilemma

From Waukegan Sun

Mrs Margaret Sarpalis of 907 market street is greif striken over the report that her husband had been killed in an accident either at the wire mills of south or east chicgao or else in a street car accident, and is unable to get confirmation or a denial of the report which has gained general circulation amoung the Lithuanian residents of the city.

There are nine children in the family, five boys and four giorls, seven of whom are the sarpalis children and two others from a sister’s family. The only wage earner is a girl of 16 years and there are two 6-month old babies to care for, the Sarpalis baby and the sister’s baby. The sister was killed in an accident in California

Friday July 1, 1910

(3) Section hand killed Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun,  Dec 16, 1910, p8 

Section hand killed

Anton Dengela, a section hand ion the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern railroad and a resident on Market street, unmarried and about aged thirty, was instantly killed Monday morn at the foot of Lake street and the belt line tracks when a belt line engine backed upon him at his work, cut both legs off, struck him in the side and injured him fatally, and inflicted other terrible wounds.

It is asserted that the engine was sounding warnings and that the man, unperceived, it is believed failed to clear out of the way. Engine 575 was the one which ran him down and he was killed instantly, the remains being taken to the White-Holland undertaking rooms.

Dec 16, 1910

 

(4) Man spends night in jail because he was in debt, Lake county independent and Waukegan weekly sun, July 31, 1914, p6

Man spends night in jail because he was in debt

Unusual situation was presented to pooiice magistrate  in police court Sunday

Man owed another $4

Creditor informed poilice department there was “trouble on Market street”

Waukegan, July 27

“the debtor taken in execution for a small sum had “settled” and was going out.”

Deathbed quoatarion from Dicken’s “Little Dorrit” which purged England of the law imprisoning men for debt.

A hark back to the olden days of the debtors prison in New York city which was abolished before Waukegan came into existence was displayed in an incident which occurred in the local police court Sunday morning when it was discovered that Lond Berdesky had spent the night in a cell at the station because he owed another man $4.

The man had gained his berth in the cell over night merely because the phrase “touble on Market street” old and time worn had meant to the officer receiving the telephone call that some misdemeanor had been committed. Berdesky’s failure to explain his case to the police when taken to the station strengthened the case against him.

It appearsed that Berdesky had owed another man money to the mount of $4 for some time. Berdesky asserted that he was in straightened circumstances and when the man frequently called for the money he was unable to pay him. Saturday the patience of the collector—a foreigner—was exhausted and when berdesky failed to pay the debt he threatened himwith arrest. Berdesky was ignorant of the laws covering indebtedness in the united states and he really feared arrest for the small debt, but he had no money to pay it.

The collector was as good as his word, and a short time after he called up the police station. Capt. Isaac Lyons answered the call and when he arrived at the supposed scene of the trouble he beagan to question those about the residence. He was told that berdesky was the man wanted. The officer took him to the station and lodged him in a cell for the night.

Sunday morning he was brought before police magistrate Taylor who discharged him after hearing his story. Assistant  chief of police Tyrrell invstigated the arrest and found the officers were not to blame for the arrest and had acted upon a complaint.

Ignorance of the law on the part od both the complaintant and the victim of the arrest was the cause of the odd situation

July 31, 1914

(5) Heart trouble the cause of death, Libertyville independent, Aug 12, 1920, p10

Heart trouble the cause of death

An inquest was held Tuesday night at 7:30 o’clock at the Petroshius (?) undertaking rooms in the case of Mrs Frances Korenian of Market street who dropped dead on her porch Tuesday morning. The inquest was dconducted by Deputy coroner Edward Conrad in the absence of coroner Taylor. The verdict of the jury was that death was due to heart trouble.

Aug 12, 1920

(6) Escaped murder trial, Lake County Independent, Friday Jan 6, 1911

Escaped murder trial

Dead man dies of alcoholism concludes coroner

Michael Zaborski of 524 Market street never in his life had a closer escape from facing a charge of murder the he had Friday when for a matter of three hours his personal liberty was in the balance in connection with the sudden death of Anton Kristinatis, a boarder, two days ago. Kristinatis was the mystrerious Lithuanian whose name could not be learned yesterday and whose death was a mystery.

It was finally decided by assistant state’s attorney Eugene Runyard and coroner J L Taylor that there was no reason for holding Zaborski responsible for the death of Kristinatis and the boarding boss was freed. He shot out of the morgue like a bullet from a machine gun and went his way rejoicing. The coroner’s jury then rendered a verdict of death from alcholholism in regard to Kristinatis, upon whom an autopsy had been performed….

Coroner Taylor assisted by dr Bellows were trying hard to find out how Kristatis came to his death last night when two Lithuanians appeared at the Larsen and Conrad rooms anfd threw a bomb into what bade fair to be a quiet inquest. They asserted that they could bring witnesses to prove that the dead man had been nurdered.

Questioned, they stated thatnhe had told friends befoe his death that he had given Zaborak $2 to buy a keg of beer for the boarding house, that Zaborski had not bought the beer, that they had a fight, and that Zaborski had hit him on the head with a billy or some other like weapon. The sory was strengthened by the discovery at the auropsy that there was a part of Kristinitis brain where necrosis or rotting had set in and whwre a blow might have caused the mischief.

So the coroner hastily got into communication with the police and the statte’s attorney’s office and officer peter Wirts and Staker were sent to Markey street to root the missing witnesses to the alleged murder out of bed and bring them to the inquest.

They were brought in about ten thirty, Zaborski amoung their number.

Murder theory falls

One after another a fellow employee of Zaborski to whome he was alleged to have made damaging admissions, a fellow countryman who retained the keg of beer and murder story as he said it was told to him by the dead man, and inally Zaborski were put on the stand.

The first two witnesses gacve a mass of heresay and rumor as their side of the matter zand when zaboski was called he told so staright and true a story of every element of his time, of how the dead boarder had behaved at the redisence, that the state’s attorney, the coroner and the police all decided that he must be speaking the truth, and that he is not the killing type. Therfoe he was relaeased.

The necrosis of the brain might have been caused by excessive drinking and probably was, as Zaborski testified that the dead man had been drunk, dead drunk, for three days running and that he had been a hard, constant drinker ever since he struck Waukegan from Hoosic Falls New York eight months ago. His last place of employment was the cyclone fence company.

Was in jail Saturday

It came out at the hearing that the dead man was arrested as a drunk on Saturdy night, Christmas eve and fined $7.40 Sunday morning, borrowing the money from a friend. He began to go insane Tuesday and Wednesday, rushed into the presence of mrs Zaborski attired only in hisunderclothes. Later he tore his bed to pieces, and finally tore every stitch from hios person and rushing out began a fight with everyone within reach. He was restrained, arrested, the discovery made that he was not normal from some cause, a physician, Dr Bellows was called. It was found that the man was paralyzed of the left side from the effecs of liquor, he was removed to the hospital at 2 Wednesday and died at seven Wednesday night.

Friday Jan 6, 1911

(7) Baby’s pinched pace attracted Humane officer, Lake Country Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun Feb 12, 1915, p8

Baby’s pinched pace attracted Humane office

Miss Ida Hemmelreich Drawn into home by Babe to find dire want raging.

Two other sad cases

The pale, thin and very apparently sickly little face of a tiny baby peering from the window in front of which its high chair had been placed, the child’s features almost immovable and even rather canny—that’s what Miss Ida Hemmelreich saw a couple of times recently when as agent of the humane society she went to the home of a poor family on Market street and chanced to pass the rooms in which the baby in question lived.

“I thought it was about time to see if things were all right there, and so I just dashed in and asked them how they were getting along. And now I am mighty glad I went for I found them in terrible distress.” What Miss Himmelreich found is shown case number one given herewith:

Family on south Market street; 18 month old baby very sick; found mother brewing up some herbs in an endeavor to make a drink which might taste like coffee; the father looked to Miss Hemmelreich as if he had been starving himself to help out the baby and his wife; no food in the house; father has been out of work since last June; had only a few days work now and then .

North Market street—

Found woman very sick; has one child of three years; woman has a severe case of heart trouble; husband has not worked since last summer; no food and no clothing to speak of; family rather proud and disliked to appeal to the town for aid. Miss Hemmelreich sent the county physician to see the woman.

West side family with seven small children, oldest being but 13, a little girl; father is in tent colony; house bare of food and children have unsuitable clothing for this kind of weather.

Feb 12, 1915

 

(8) The city’s first police woman has been appointed,  Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun July 31, 1914, p 11

The city’s first police woman has been appointed

Miss Ida Himmelreich is officially sworn in by chief Atterbery today

Gets her star tomorrow

Will not be paid by city but will get pay from Humane Society

The city of Waukegan now has a real police woman. The new and fair acquisition to the local police department was sworn is as an officer at police headquarters Wednesday AM. The fair one will act as the guardian of public rights is Miss Ida Himmelreich, 519 Ash Street, who holds the position of Humane officer of the Lake County Human society. Miss Himmelreich will continue her activities to the delving into cases which are considered as a violation, according to the rules of the organization and she will be empowered to make arrests of all violators of the law in that respect. She gets her star tomorrow.

Miss Himmelreich has been acting in the capacity of humane officer for the past three months. Many cases of inhumane features have been brought to the attention of the local police through her activities. Up till today she had been forced to call on the police department to make arrests of violators, but now as she has been allotted the power of an officer she will in most instances bring the violators to justice herself.

Miss Himmelreich will start immediately in an investigation of conditions about the city.

A campaign is to be started against the many owners of meat markets of the city in the displaying of live chickens in crates on the sidewalks. One merchant was warned yesterday of the action and was forced to take a crate of chickens from in front of his establishment.

Miss Himmelreich will not be under pay from the city, her salary being paid by the humane society, whose officers are:

President-Mrs. F M Barker

Vice President—Mrs. T E Morris

Secretary—Mrs. James Arthur

July 31, 1914

(9) Many destitute cases are found by humane society,  Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun Aug 14, 1914, p 4

Many destitute cases are found by humane society

The report of the humane officer, Miss Ida Himmelreich shows much was accomplished

Aid was given to many

Work of the organization is broadening—membership increasing in fine shape

Waukegan August 7

The regular monthly meeting of the lake county humane society was held Tuesday afternoon Aug 4 in the library. The following new members were registered: Judge Walter Taylor, Mrs. W I Lyon, Mrs. Ralph Dady, Mrs. A C Wilson, Mrs. D.L Jones, Mrs. T.B Gleave, Mrs. Will Douglas, Mrs. F S Grandie, Mrs. L W Lewis, Mrs A L Rogers, Miss Ruth Ewing.

The following report was given by the humane officer, Miss Ida Himmelreich:

A case of a flock of chickens which had not been fed for three days.

The case of a teamster who was working his same horses day and night. The team looked very bad. The man is an old offender who requires watching.

Complaint about a lame mule that is badly in need of a rest. The owner stated that the lameness was brought about by the slippery conditions of the hills. The request that sand be spread on the hills was promptly complied with.

Investigated the case of cruelty to a child. Found a little girl recovering from Typhoid fever in spite of having no nutrition and having had insufficient clothing and food previously. The child had a step-father who was extremely cruel to her, has thrown her downstairs, struck her repeatedly with a large piece of wood, etc, had refused the mother money with which to buy the necessary nourishment during the child’s illness. Money was left for food, also bedding and clothing and three days later the child was removed to her grandmother’s home where she is improving.

Several complaints were lodged with the society about a disorderly house where there are several young children who should be taken away. The case was investigated but no decisive step has yet been taken. It is hoped they can be removed in the near future.

The case of an old couple. Both were found almost helpless and almost destitute. They were given food and clothing and will be given help during the summer. In the fall both will be sent to the county farm.

The case of a family where the husband was in jail for beating his wife. The family was utterly destitute. Supplied them with “first aid” and then reported the case to Mr. Conrad and the Catholic Woman’s League.

A sick and neglected dog and two abandoned cats were shot by the police at the request of the society.

A man was warned about using a check rein on his blind old horse. He was also told to take better care of the animal which was most neglected looking.

Case of a destitute family. Found a family of nine in almost starving conditions, the mother with a three days old baby had had no food for 24 hours, ad only bread and water for the two previous days. They are strangers in town, speak practically no English and the husband is unable to find work. Gave them food at once and have since taken them food and clothing. The society will try to find work for the man.

The society earnestly endorses the plan of Mrs. F S Gradie for a team hoist on Madison street hill.

Aug 14, 1914

(11) Miss Himmelreich out,  Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun Dec 26, 1918, p 6

Miss Himmelreich out

Facing nervous breakdown, county court officer decides to “ease up”

Miss Ida Himmelreich, humane society officer and matron in charge of the city’s only delinquent children’s home the county has ever had, has resigned from the latter position, her resignation having gone in to the board of supervisors today.

Ill-health and orders from her physician that she give up the strenuous work that comes with handling delinquent children is the cause of her sudden decision to give up this work. It was only at the December meeting of the supervisors that Miss Himmelreich was engaged as a county employee at $30 a month and specified accounts for caring for the children. At the time she felt she could carry on the work personally that prior to then had been handled by her in the name of the humane society who had made arrangement with the county board.

The humane society desired to give up the task and so Miss Himmelreich was engaged.

Miss Himmelreich has been under a great nervous strain and in October was given a vacation by the society which she has represented. However, after two days the “fin” epidemic necessitated her return to te job and she did so. Then, later, she sought another vacation, but there were so many dependent children who needed her attention that she was forced to return to the task again and since then her health has grown worse, according to friends.

She lately has been on the verge of a complete nervous breakdown and her doctor has told her she must give up or here health would be impaired seriously. Her resignation thus results.

Miss Himmelreich retains her position as investigator for the humane society—what she gives up is the caring for the county’s delinquent children. Oftentimes she has had as many as 15 children in her home which have been sent there by the county.

In her resignation sent to the board this morning, Miss Himmelreich asks for an immediate release and it is expected that steps maybe taken by the committee having her department in hand to relieve her by Saturday because of the necessity of protecting her health.

Miss Himmelreich’s decision thus causes a change in the juvenile work of the county court whose representative she has been in this respect.

Is a loss to the community

Miss Himmelreich’s decision to retire from the work will because general regret. She has been a valuable officer in handling these cases because she is possessed of a keen insight into children and their ways. She has mothered them in a wonderful way and according to one of her friends, “she possessed the true mother-heart which few mothers have. She has been a real mother to all the children who have gone into her home and has done a great work.”

Just what the county will do now for the delinquent children is a problem. It will likely be necessary to provide another home some place in town for the children who must be detained under certain conditions. They cannot be placed in jail and Miss Himmelreich has provided the means for a long time for caring for them. She has done it at a most reasonable rate and the county will find it more expensive in the future than in the past. During her work under the humane officer as matron for the delinquent children’s home she has handled hundreds of children and been able to start many of them on the road to right who otherwise would have had hard sledding.

Dec 26, 1918,

 

 (12) Prisoner commits suicide, Lake County Independent and Waukegan weekly Sun, June 22, 1906, p.1

Prisoner commits suicide

Arrested for stealing coal a Waukegan man jumps in front of a fast train

Neck was broken; skull fractured.

Did Ignac Burja, arrested Saturday night for stealing coal from the EJ&E railroad prefer death to arrest or a possible stay in jail?

Is that the reason why he broke away from officer Frank Tryon and ran in front of the 7:45 evening train from Chicago, or did he not see it?

Burja, together with John Schoficz were arrested were arrested at their home on Lake street just east of Market on …Magistrate Hope. The charge was stealing coal from EJ&E.

Officers Tryon and John Franzen made the arrest and started up Market street with the prisoners. Tryon had Burja and Franzen had Skoficz.

The two men were talking to each other all the way, but said nothing to the officers.

As the train comes, breaks away

When the train reached the water street crossing the gates were down and train no 153 from the south that gets here at 7:45 was rushin up from the south.

They stopped outside the gates on the Market street walk. Suddenly Burja started to run and ducked under the railroad gates. Tryon chased him and caught him about fifteen feet from the tracks.

He had Burja by the arm but did not expect any more trouble from him.

Jumped before the engine

Suddenly, when the engine was about thirty feet away, Burja jerked out of Tryon’s grip and jumped in front of the engine. He seemed to reach the west side of the tracks, but stumbled back and the engine struck him.

He was dashed into the air and struck the large timber that supports the gate post with his head, landing with great force.

The train passed and Tryon rushed to his side. The train backed down and then went ahead to the station where the ambulance was telephoned for. The train completes its run here.

Other faints away.

June 22, 1906

 

(13) Poor woman and children endanger their lives Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun, November 27, 1914, p10

Poor woman and children endanger their lives

Monday Nov 23, 1914

That many poor women and children often risk their lives in following the practice of picking up coal and other fuel along the right of way of local railroads is the consensus of opinion of many employees of the yards and other citizens who have watched the practice.

Since the arrival of the cold weather scores of women and children, the most of them residents of Market Street can be seen making their way along the tracks in a bending posture engaged in picking up coal and throwing the bits of material into market baskets which they carry on their arms. The warmer atmospheres of today caused many of them to make a tour of the tracks with baskets and bags to clean up the coal that lies along the rails in preparation for the coming of another cold wave.

The women and children often are noted to be in dangerous positions through steeping into the paths of oncoming trains or cars from which many times they escape narrowly without suffering injury or death. They often become so engrossed in their work that they forget the danger of their surroundings and a shout from a switchman or a trainman is needed to bring them to realize their position in time to save themselves.

That some more should be done to make for providing coal to the poor of the city, which would eliminate the need of them risking their lives to gain the fuel, is now broached. It would prove meritorious work for some of the charitable organization of the city.

November 27, 1914, p10