Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 257, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1919 — BENTON COUNTY GIRL VICTIM OF JULIA WORK HOME. [ARTICLE]

BENTON COUNTY GIRL VICTIM OF JULIA WORK HOME.

Benton County Review: At St. Elizabeth hospital in Lafayette, Saturday, little Bertha Ivey True answered the call of the death angel. Death came as the result of a surgical shock following an operation for an un-united fracture of the femur bone. She had lived but eleven years and eleven months and the people of this community are shocked at the circumstances that it is alleged cut short this bright little life.

The public will remember that the four True children were sent to ’the Plymouth Home, the Julia Work school, by the ‘board of children’s guardians, in February, 1918, when the mother had to go to the hospital on account of ill health. Up to this time she had somehow supported them *by washing or whatever work she could find to do. The father deserted his wife and five children about seven years ago and the little family had a hard struggle to live. When the mother’s health failed she plead that some way be provided to keep the children in Fowler, but the board, not knowing the conditions in the Plymouth home, decided to enter -the children in the school. There they were starved for air as well as food. The True children were removed to the home of an aunt in Rockfield, when early this fall the criminal conditions at the home were uncovered. The children were so ill-fed and starving that they ate like wild things and had to be rationed. Their clothes hung to their emaciated bodies. Little Berta and Lee could scarcely walk from weakness. Bertha, when on a visit to her mother at the Finnegan home in Fowler about six weeks ago, went with the children to get the xow. Somehow she was tripped by the leading rope and fell, breaking the femur bone between the hip and knee. Dr. LeSage took her at'once to the St. Elizabeth hospital in Lafayette, where she has been under the care of Dr. E. C. Davidson about six weeks. Death came Saturday morning. It is alleged that her condition was such due to the starvation undergone in the Plymouth home that she was unable to withstand the effect of the operation. She was very patient, never once uttering a complaint during all her suffering. She sang beautifully for the nurses and was a general favorite'at the hospital, where they called her little chatterbox. Every nurse on the floor was in tears when the little body was carried, away. before she passed away she prayed: “God, take care of me, I am so tired.”