Charles S. Preston, “Hard to Aid ‘Starving’ Woman – Eviction Easier,” Indianapolis Recorder, September 23, 1961, p. 1, 3 – Transcript || Annotation || Archive
Hard to Aid Starving’ Woman—Eviction Easier
By CHARLES S. PRESTON
Are we our sister’s keeper?
Our “fair city,” with all its vast resources private and public, this week was finding it almost impossible to give humanitarian aid to one elderly woman.
As The Recorder went to press it appeared that Rev. James Jones, alerted by this newspaper, would be able to solve the problem which several agencies had given up on. At least Rev. Jones vowed he would do so “no matter what.”
THE STORY CAME to The Recorder’s notice when a good-hearted neighbor, Mrs. Virginia White of 534 Spring, called this newspaper.
“A neighbor woman at 532 Spring is almost dying of malnutrition, and we can’t get any help for her,” Mrs. White appealed. “She needs medical care badly. She’s lying there almost helpless, ‘without food, and workmen are making house repairs right on top of her.”
Mrs. White asserted she had appealed to the police, General Hospital, the township trustees, and Marion County Welfare without obtaining a solution to the neighbor’s problem.
The unfortunate woman was identified as Mrs. Edna Williams, age 64.
Elder Ruth Beck of the Universal Church of Truth has given her considerable help in recent months.
The Recorder first called on Mrs Sue Knox Ward, Democratic political leader, who quickly brought about the dispatch of a police squad to the residence. However, the officers reported they were unable to act because Mrs. Williams stated she did not desire to move.
THIS NEWSPAPER THEN appealed to Rev. Jones, executive director of the Mayor’s Human Rights Commission. Although ill himself, Rev. Jones sent Rev. Ross Case, minister of visitation at People’s Temple Christian Church, on an errand of mercy to the elderly woman.
Rev. Case carried some hot soup and toast to Mrs. Williams. He reported that she was lying on a couch – apparently living alone – with the screen door open.
“She is very thin – ‘skinny’ I would call it – and in an extremely weakened condition,” Rev. Case said. “She sat up to eat some soup and then lay back down. She said there was nothing wrong with her but she was just ‘very tired.’”
THE MINISTER SAID a doctor at General Hospital declared he had visited Mrs. Williams a week earlier, and her wasted condition is often associated with people of certain habits. “You can bring her to the hospital, but I can’t guarantee she will be admitted,” the physician reportedly added.
Rev. Case offered to take the woman to one of the nursing homes operated by People’s Temple, but again he ran into the difficulty that she said she “didn’t want to leave here.”
However, the problem is complicated because the minister and neighbors believe Mrs. Williams’ condition has affected her judgment to the point where she may not be able to make the wisest decisions.
What is the duty of a Good Samaritan when a fellow human being declines help although obviously in need of it?
THE QUESTION OF refusing to leave the house was solved – in a way – Wednesday afternoon, Mrs. White reported.
“A constable came and I asked him if he was going to help Mrs. Williams. He answered, ‘No, I’m going to put her out.”
Mrs. White declared that she read the eviction notice and it stated that Mrs. Williams owed more than $300 in rent. (She added that the workmen were putting in indoor toilet and water facilities, in her belief because of a Board of Health order.)
So in five days from Wednesday – unless the efforts of Rev. Jones or some other person are successful – our “fair city” may have an elderly victim of “malnutrition” lying on the sidewalk. Can we stand that?
Are we our sister’s keeper?