14
5 WOMEN DYING
OF RADIUM POISON
Follow Usual Lives as They;
Await End From Incur
able Malady.
Special Dispatch to The .n- ami North
American Ne\v*oaper Alliance
NEWARK. N.J.. May 12.—What would j
you do with the fl.vln* month remaining
of life if the doctor told you that you
were dying, that there was no escape, j
that though you might be going about i
your afTairs today as usual, nothing j
could be done to save you?
Would these soft May days, the last ]
May you might ever see. find you panic- j
struck and helpless with horror? Or ;
would you greet each Spring morning j
with courageous determination to make j
the most of what was left—to plan |
ahead a little way. to go to the movies, j
to shop, to lead your normal life?
Five Women Face Veath.
Five voting women who live in I
Newark, or its suburbs, have this prob
lem before them They are under sen
tence of death bv a disease which they
have been told cannot be cured, with
each day bringing the end swiftly
nearer.
Medical experts have found that the
bodies of these girls contain radium,
which is gradually destroying their bone
and tissue. Without any palliative the
ghastly evidence has been piled up be
fore then in a court where the five are
pressing a joint suit for $1,250,000 dam
ages.
Thev have heard the reading of ten
death'certificates of former co-workers
in a factory where all of them painted
luminous watch dials, alternately wet
ting the brushes with their lips and
thrusting them into a compound con
taining radium and zinc sulphide The
certificates agreed upon this cause:
"Pernicious anemia, probably second
ary to exposure to radio-active sub
stances.” .
Doctors testified that symptoms of
disease in the dead and in the living ■
were shockingly similar.
Keeping I p the Routine.
After this the case was adjourned
to September 24 and the young women
went home. Went home to do what?
To do the housework, to do the usual
things, in so far as their condition
permitted, and to think their own
thoughts. , .
When they contracted the disease
four were minors and all five belonged
to the church and were devout by
nature. If they go to church more
now it is partly because chureh-gomg
is less of a tax on them physically
than almost anything else.
The longest journey any of them
has made of late was that of Miss
Katherine Schaub. 124 South Seventh
street, Newark. She attended the
cathedral consecration of the new
Catholic bishop in the Newark dio
cese.
Poetrv Expresses Feeling.
Often Miss Schaub goes to the Do
minican Convent of the Perpetual
Adoration. She has tried to tell in
verse something of the comfort she
finds there:
“Within these cloister walls, my Lord.
Thou calmest the tempest of my soul;
Ttfid terror, rent and ripped asunder,
My heart is mended, grace is born.
Once within these walls
,-il fear is banished from my soul.
Once more I feel it can be done.
That I can reach the goal.
And if all else fails me.
I am glad just to be within these
walls—
Which Thou has built for me.”
Wants to Enjoy Spring.
The sunlight sheen is still on Miss
Schaub's blond hair, but her face is
the color of ashes and she keeps closing
her eyes and sighing, because she is
so tired. ,
*T can't tell Just how I feel about
it,” she says, “because my mind
changes all the time. Sometimes I
feel sure the doctors are wrong, and
God won't let me die. Other times a
shudder goes through me. I feel so
old, too. and as if I never appreciated
life before. I want to enjoy the
Spring”
Unable to work anywhere outside of
her home for two years. Miss Schaub
collapsed in court through inability to
sit up straight for any length of time,
yet she has stopped taking treatment
and never has taken such drastic meas
ure* for life as Miss Grace Pryer, 497
Tremont avenue, Orange, the only mem
ber of the group now employed any
where.
25 Operations in Fear.
Miss Fryer, an attractive girl with
dark eyes and curling dark hair, has a
position with the Fidelity Union Trust
Co, Newark. She goes to work daily,
although only a steel frame holds her
body erect. She has had 25 operations
on her Jaw in one year and the bone in
one arm is partly gone. The arm is
useless.
"I am happier at work,” says Miss
Fryer. “I think it is good for me to
be out In the air, and I like to be with
healthy people. If only I could catch
health the way I caught this disease.
Three times a week I go to New York
for a tonic and treatment, and I am
taking the best possible care of myself
and being just as happy as I can. I
won’t give up,”
Mrs. Edna Hussman, 50 Buchanan
street, Hillside, cannot walk on the
etreet without assistance, but she
answers the telephone and takes tare
of the house.
Odng on “in Same Old Way."
“What the doctors said has fright
ened me into changing my way of liv
ing," she explained bravely. "I have
a good deal of pain and I’m crippled,
but a* long as l can I'll go on in the
Xante old way, because it is pleasanter
than any oilier
“In the evening? my husband takes
me out driving, and if there s no pain
at the time I manage to forget, Re
ligion? It seems more precious than
ever ”
Religion is a consolation, also to Mrs
Quinta McDonald, 386 Highland ave
nue, Orange.
"j suppose It's true that I think about
it more than I used to," she said “and
I try to live better than 1 ever did be
fore Hope for this life? W*ll, tic
doctors say there isn’t any. They call
it hopeless. Just the same I'll never
give up Permanently, I mean, be
cause occasionally I do get very de
pressed,"
Mrs. McDonald's arms and legs are
effected by the radium poisoning and
she suffer* from spells of weakness But
rhe continues to keep boys# for her
family. There are two children
Mr* Alicia larrlce 463 Austin street,
Orange 5s the only one of the five who
was of age at the time of her employ
ment in painting watch dial* Hhe ha*
j**n feeling much worse of iate One
ieg it 4 inches shorb-r than the other
pve given up keeping house in the
( ,‘4 way because it m too hard for me
to vet the meal*," *he said “But J
stick to the old routine all 1 #an, tor 1
want to seem natural and like other
people
"Os course, f feel awfully rinse to the
four others l hoi#e to be cured, but I
-v ant people to know that our suit is
for the. benefit of on . families in r ate
tire doctors' prediction comes true,”
Victim* Are “Burning Ip"
Bever a) of tire women go regularly to
Tn Robert E Humphries, chief surgeon
of the New Jersey Orthopedic Hospital
h; Orange On the witness Stand hr
xatd Ural sclenre so far had been unable
to find « remedy Because of hi* p- h
tion as a witness he is reluctant to dis
cus* for publication the questinn <>f
radium poisoning but he. d*#eti say thic
“The direct cause of death may vary
arid worry ma;» hasten death but i* -
dfum is fh* nr ignis i #aui l* ) ii
***** bowMO 4k »w«*
Fullin' llriile
I
* %
M’SS CARROLL SHANNON.
Ihufhtrr of Mr. and Mrs. Clifton
• Shannon, whose marriage to Air. Allen
; Carpenter will take place Saturday,
j The engagement was recently an
! trounced.
Y. W. C. A.
The usual twilight music and at home
hour will be held at the Y. W. C. A.,
Seventeenth and K streets, this after
noon at 4:30. Miss Alma Day will be
the hostess, assisted by Miss M. O.
Buckingham. The public is cordially
invited to attend.
The membership committee will have
a tea for new members on the root at
Seventeenth and K streets on the after
noon of Wednesday. May 16. between
tlip hours of 4:30 and 6 o'clock.
Committee meetings for the week in
clude the executive tomorrow at 11 at
Twentieth and B streets, the rooms
registry on Tuesday at 11:30 at Seven
teenth and K streets and the finance
on Friday at 12 at the home of the
chairman, Mrs. Schaatf, 1824 Monroe
! street.
The regular meeting of the board of
I directors will be held Thursday, 10:30
j am., at the home of Mrs. Edwin B.
Parker. Following the meeting mem
bers of the board, the staff and music
committee will be Mrs. Parker's guests
lor luncheon.
Miss M. V. Sandberg, director of edu
cation. will speak before the Women’s
Missionary Society of Calvary Baptist
Church Tuesday. Miss Sandberg was
for five years under the Baptist Mis
sion Board in Japan.
Business and Professional Women.
The Hitika and Wohelo Clubs are
having a house party over this week
end at Vacation Lodge. Next week the
Amicitia Club will have its house party
at the same place.
Tomorrow night at 8 o'clock the In
ternational Club will hold its regular
meeting in the assembly room on the
fourth floor. The special feature of
the evening will be a four-reel film of
Germany. The picture has just been
completed and a real treat is in store
for the club The hostesses for the
evening are Miss Luedders and Miss
Pfannschmidt of the German embassy.
Tuesday evening will the Mother’s
night on the "B & P." floor, where the
Amicitia, Hitika, Premiere. Tip Top
and Wohelo Clubs will entertain their
mothers. Dinner will Ire served at 6 15
and a program of special music will be
gin at 7.
The Blue Triangle Club will spend
its club night this week with the chil
dren of the Central Union Mission, The
girls have planned a party for them
and are taking them some bean bags,
which they have been maxing. Club
supper will be served as usual at 6:30
in the dining room on the “B. Ar P.'
floor and after supper the girls will
go in a group to the mission.
As the month of June approaches,
inquiries are coming In and reservations
are being made for accommodations for
Summer guests at Vacation Lodge. Both
the house and grounds have had con
siderable attention and now are in
readiness to afford delightful week ends
and to enable those who so desire to
take up a temporary residence for a
week or a month at this beautiful, re
freshing spot and thereby lighten their
work in Washington during the try
ing Summer months. Reservations
must be made in advance and a deposit
of $1 is required. This fee Is applied
on one's board bill, but Is not return
able in case of cancellation. Reserva
tions are made in the office of the bus
iness and professional women's depart
ment on the fourth floor at Seventeenth
and K streets.
Girl Reserve*.
On Sunday. May 13, at 4 p m. all Girl
Reserves, wearing their uniform of blue
and white, will take part In the annual
recognition ceremonial to be held in
Barker Hall Miss Elsa Peterson, chair
man of the department, will preside, as
sisted by Catherine English and Nellie
Holmead presidents of the Senior and
Junior High School Reserve Councils.
During the service Mary Middleton will
sing and Junia and Jane Culbertson,
daughters of the United States Min
ister to Rumania, will present an auto
graphed photograph of the Princess
Illenea to the Washington Girl Re
serves. The Princess IlJeana Is the
head of the Girl Reserve movement In
Rumania. Following the service, the
Girl Reserves will entertain their
rr others at tea in the Girl Reserve club
rooms. The members of the Bon Se
cour Club of Central High School will
present a program of music.
Monday afternoon at 2:4.» o'clock the
AUelphi Girl Reserve Club of Western
High School w'iii make new curtains
and pillow covers for the Girl Reserve
room at the school.
On Tuesday the clubs of Powell and
lamgtey Junior High Schools will meet
at 2 p m and Macfariand Club will hold
a "kid party" at 3 p.m
On Wednesday at. 2 pm. the four
Girl Reserve Clubs of Dennison School
will make Joke book* for the patients at
Walter Reed Hospital, the Happy Hour j
Club of Fill more School will meet at
3 p m. and the Trl-Hi Club of Buxines* ■
High School will have a party at Hie j
Y. W. C A at 3 pm, The Junior High
School Girl Reserve Council will have a j
special meeting on Wednesday afternoon i
at 4 o'clock in the Girl Reserve Club ,
rooms.
Thursday the Girl Reserve Club* of
Stuart, Langley and Jefferson Junior
High School* will conduct meetings at
the schools at 2 pm. The Pi del is Club
of Eastern High will entertain the chil
dren at the Gospel Mission at 3 pm.
arid the J/-?, Came fades Club of Ea>.l
--■ (rn will hold a faculty tea in the school
i at 3 p m
j On Friday the Bon Becour Club of
Central will take a hike after school
hour?. ’lh- Semper Pldetlh Club of
Tech will make joke books for Walter
R< • d Hos pital
At 4 pm Friday, the dress rehearsal
unable to get off The victim* of this
, dreadfui thing are •imply burning up
“Hundreds of girls worked in the
j same plant Many have moved away.
‘ Some have died Others may have va
rious ailment*. Certainly w* know that
14 did die, and it is reasonable hr sup
pose that the ailments of a number of
other* have been due to the same
cause,"
The suit of the five young women In
the Newark district has a character of
indirection 'lhe fact in that the
statute of limitations prohibit* their
suit for damage* arid they are trying to
! make out a special rase to get pennls
! slop to bring suit They are suing for
| permission to sue Tlicfr contention 1*
| that the effect* of radium were hidden
for year*
Hun attorney, Raymond H Berry
is trying to have the court cancel the
adjournment and make a place for the
trial of lh- soil this month
l in afraid " lie said when asked iris
rear ,n for paste “that September may
• b<- too !<<* for certain of my ritanls"
" ■ >' m <u, i n ,m. a■■ ti# fcijiih
i Jiumin.tm,
TTTE SUNDAY STAB. WASHINGTON. T). C„ MAY 13. 1028—PART 3.
for “The Pled Piper of Hamelln” will
be held in Barker Hall.
The Saturday morning clubs will meet
at 10 o’clock.
Saturday afternoon at 4 o’clock in the
spacious gardens of Woodley, the home
of Mrs Hayne Ellis. 3000 Cathedral ave
nue. the Girl Reserves will repeat the
operetta. “The Pled Piper of Hamelln,”
with 94 girls taking part. The presi
dents oi all the 29 Girl Reserve Clubs
will be In uniform and will act as ush
ers. Come and bring the children, that
they may see "The Pied Piper,” as he
lures the children of Hamelln town by'
his magic melody to the land of dreams
where they are entertained by songs
and dances of the dolls and toys.
Tickets may be secured from the Girl
Reserve office, third floor of Seventeenth
and K streets building.
Industrial Department.
The Industrial department Is sponsor
ing a trip by bus to Gettysburg on
j Thursday. May 24. The bus will leave
i the Y. W C. A , Seventeenth and K
| streets, at 9 :15 In the morning, leaving
Gettysburg lor the return trip at ft 30
p m The party will lunch in Gettys
burg and will make a two-hour tour of
In connection with the completion of Washington’s most colorful houseware’s
department, ice announce just for tomorrow, an important
SAJLE^Cff^TOUSEFURNISHINGS
$1135 Bathroom $135.95 Laundry $6.95 Lawn Mower $1.30 O’Ccdar Outfit $1.25 Garbage Can $1.45 Bathroom
Scale*. S9KS Outfit, $69.50 $5.95 $1 , . J* «J*22L’2&W
k siirt^„ waier ’ tight
„ . clothes basket. pered steel blades O Cedar polish. bottom, lock cover >
$3.95 Shower Curtains $2.9a Pyrex Pie Plate Sl.oO Bathroom Mirror
$3.35 $4 Electric Iron, $2.75 Lawn Bench, $3.95 $1.69 Step-Ladder $1.39 $1.95 $1.25
Os rubberised sateen in col- 6-lb. Manning-Bowman Iron 42-inch bench in natural Folding style with pail rest. 8-inch nickel frame and Plate glass mirrors in green
nrftil natterns with stand and 6-ft. cord. varnish finish. Well braced. Reinforced steps. 5 ft. high. Pyrex inset with cut design. or white frame.
” ' (Third Floor.) (Third Floor.) (Third Floor.) tThird Floor.t (Third Floor.) (Third T oot.)
lit 4 AU Ready Tomorrow! j| ||^
Our Newly Decorated'*
54 inches long, covered and W T* M" $6.95
padded. Adjustable to 5 dif-lH ■ V" € I _ _ jK; Manning-Bowman iron witli
xertnt heigh!,. ■ 11 OU S 6 di YG $ LIO O T H &‘ , sssf*.£r*
Curtain Stretcher, $1.75 Kg J V A Hi • \ c * eo.
Hardwood frame. RustH * /9 C Cannister Set, »9c
proof pins. Adjustable up toHpB ' g® White enameled, for ten,
* xl ° ft (Third Floor . ffll The Hecht Co. Housewares section is now as spic and span w ' oSee ' ***** “
m as your own kitchen, attractive, colorful, and cram full of nice raj
m things for your kitchen, bathroom, breakfast room, porck and ■ Hi" —
j n garden. Everything is so conveniently arranged that shop- M J W
H ping here is going to he fun, whether it s a tin cup you re after Nj. ml iff
|3| —or a washing machine, a stove or a refrigerator. ro
U. S. Garden Hose W t # B| 3-Pc. Wear-Ever Set
In 25 and 50 ft. lengths 4 New Model Furnished Rooms £ive 3 Upped saucepans of
Os corrugated. 5-ply rubber. KSp ” aluminum, qts., 2 qt and
Standard couplings. Mra • -j C I * 1 %£ 3*2 capacity.
$2.25 Scrubbing Set rn insLuy ideas tor decoYSitivc housewares B f 0 ™ c h e^ i, ? r ’ t sl^L
Large galvanized bucket, Irai rice rioof j
mop, and mop no(jr , j™ There's a room that's lull of colorful suggestions for a truly beautiful Hp
l| bathroom. A large kitchen done in bright red and white and pearl gray T
Ji with possible convenience. The kitchenette and breakfast room Jjx i_i__ « »ttio if
m will sh ow you how mu ch can he done with a small space. And the gar- VCT V" I *J
JJ* den has suggestions to make you comfortable this Summer.
. , HlrV Window Screens Screen Doors /A sl_l9 Step-on Can
$1.25 Corn Broom ||gUl |j_J\ $1.69 A gr di $1
d <iium? < branm )i JSSBR, 4riC W.liml-flHahrd Dtiors. A " . # | c.n"«!s!wliKiv.b?.S'«2-
loS?.!l* «h- Sliding. K* ten .inn S 3 jks II MMdK.
ln “ I Pill i| \ Scrrcns galvanurd 2 (t. 6.6 ft. 6 51.69 ! /'! 6L_ Colored Cutlery Stt. SI
TSc John,on'. W.x, 59c : J\ K«r3*Vi JJ ”- ’ "in' «• », , IIIImWiTTi
pound pa*u> wax MSk (Third Floor.)
Sani-Cold $230 Ice Oeam $1 Acme Freezer $1.45 Clothes Basket $1.50 Mop Set l T npainted *
Refrigerator, $29.95 Freezer, $1.95 & Pick, 79c $1 $1 Furniture
40-lb. capacity, scaiiilc** w „ od tU |, w Rh a-qt, r««n- M( -tai tub retained. 2-qt. Oval willow basket with 2 12-os. bottle polish, dust l incly sanded and ready
uorrelain lined, cork .iimj- nrd cream can and heavy, w- mat . strong handles, 29 Inches cloth, hand duster., and long tor you to paint m any color
j atf d, Golden oak finish. tinned fid. cream container, and ice pick. long, handled wall duster. you wish.
.„ . , $1.25 Metal Gaah Box $1 5-Pc. Bowl Set, 89c $3.95 Medicine Cabinet Wall Brush, 89© c
$32.95 Sani-Oild, $29.95 a,
Ys.jn capacity, white f , „,, , . Nest of 5 yellow mixing White enatd stael cabinet. Washable wall bntsh with 1 t
, _ . Fireproof lw»x finished In bowls, smoothly finlstied. with 2 shelves and plate mlr- long and i shiwt handle.
enamel lining In f'»od cham- enamel. Lock and 2 keys. Irt r. Maaaaln* anrf taavs
pers Golden «jak flnUh. rl,mr '‘ <Thl,d ru ’"'' * tTh "* rWr ‘ case atth 4 sheivav 45
J6 inches high...... •*w’
|.pt*e* breakfast sutta, con
-544,95 Kitchen Culuncl H ■} mm— ~ Mj —|Bp- A 3s\4J W aiui‘*4\vvVvlV-1 <J*75
$3-1.95 ■ ■ H— A ' ■ ■ J A an type chairs...
in H ■ ■ I 111 I B H J EulUlehack Chair, $1.95
H ■ ■_ ■ m v H ■ my % x\W i mi
•uauy other special feaiuree.
the battlefield. The round-trip fare
will be $4.25, which Includes the services
of an official guide at the battlefields.
Registrations may be made at the desk,
Seventeenth and K streets, and the
party will be limited to 24.
The Industrial committee will serve
lunch to the girls employed at the Price
Wllholte factory Tuesday noon. Mrs.
Clifford Hurley will be in charge.
The K. E. Y. Club will hold Its regu
lar meeting on Wednesday, and the
Thursday Club is arranging a picnic
supper at Vacation Lodge for June 10.
The party will leave the Y. W. C. A. at
4 p.m.
The Washington Educational Union
win hold a luncheon meeting on Satur
day. May 19, at 12:30 at Seventeenth
and K streets, when Dr. Ballou will
speak on "Conference Methods in Edu
cation." This is under the auspices of
the industrial department.
The Greek Club will meet Thursday
afternoon at, 2:30. The newly elected
officers of the Greek Club are: Presi
dent, Mrs. F. Celevas; vice president.
Mrs. Helen Chaconas; secretary, Mrs.
Skleraky; vice secretary. Mrs. Helen
Celevas, and treasurer. Mrs. H. Kokolls.
Park View Chapter will have a lunrh-
I eon at the home of Mrs. John Vor
koeper, 2965 Brandywine street, tomor
row afternoon at 1 o’clock.
Piney Branch Chapter will hold Its
last meeting at a luncheon at the home
of Mrs. Bessie Kennedy, 5605 Chevy
Chase parkway, at 1 p.m. Mrs. Harold
Doyle, chairman of the Kamp Kahlcrt
committee, will be the guest and
speaker.
The Cleveland Park Chapter has
postponed its luncheon until May 22,
when it will be held at the home of Mrs.
William L. Browning. Rlverdale, Md.
The Dupont. Chapter will hold a food
sale In the lobby of Seventeenth and K
streets on Thursday, May 17, from 11
a m. to 3 p.m.
Elizabeth Somers Residence.
At the vesper service this afternoon
at 5:30, Mrs, Theodore Knappen, biolo
gist and traveler, will give a talk on
Japan. Miss Shizu Hama mo to will be
the leader of the service and Miss Kath
erine Erwin will act as hostess.
The girls living at the residence gave
the last dance of the season Friday.
Miss Matilda Amicon and Miss Dorothy
Alderman were responsible for the ar
rangements.
LAUNDRYMEN HOLD
OPEN FORUM ON TALKS
Discussion of Speeches Features
Closing Session of
Convention.
An open forum discussion of the
speeches delivered before the tenth an
nual convention of the Maryland, Dis
trict of Columbia and Virginia Laundry
Owners Association in Wardman Park, j
featured the closing session of the con- i
vention yesterday.
The discussion was supplemented by
reports of committees appointed at the
first day s meeting, and by a special re
port lrom the Engineering Department
of the University of Virginia, which lias
been conducting a series of research
tests for the association hi an effort to
pul the laundry business on a more
scientific basis. Officers for the coming
year will be elected before the session
finally closes.
Plans being developed by the Govern
ment to prevent a widespread unem
ployment situation were explained by
Assistant Secretary of Labor W. W.
Husband, principal speaker at the con
vention yesterday. Mr. Husband spoke
in place of Secretary of lAbor Davis,
who was called out of town. His topic
was “Industrial Democracy.”
Other speakers at yesterday's sessions
v/ere Henry Slemlnski. of Jersey City;
Warren O. Emley, of the Bureau of
Standards, who spoke on "Science In
Industry"; John Lee Mahin of New York
City, Edward liange of Pittsburgh and
| Richard H. Tyner of Cincinnati.
The association held Its annual ban
| quet and dance, the chief social fea
j ture of Its convention In Wardman
Park, last night.
#-
Amnesty for Polish Prisoners.
WARSAW, Poland, May 12 OP).—'The
Polish cabinet has decided to proclaim
amnesty for all prisoners to commemo
rate the tenth anniversary of the in
dependence of the new Poland.
YOUTH ESCAPES DEATH
WHEN AUTO IS WRECKED 1
Harry J. Baer, 22 year* old, 1753
Euclid street, had a narrow escape from
death when the car he was driving
somersaulted and turned over several
times after it had crashed Into a
truck parked at the curb In front of
1323 Seventh street, shortly after 1
o'clock yesterday morning. The car
was completely wrecked.
Baer, suffering from shock and with
his face severely cut, was taken to
Sibley Hospital in a passing automobile
and when later discharged after re
ceiving first aid treatment, he was
charged by police with reckless driving
I and required to deposit $25 collateral.
! Walter Houghton, 38 years old, of the
Naval Hospital, was knocked down and
i injured on West Executive avenue bv
: an automobile driven by Richard G
1 1 Condon. 2810 Adams Mill road late y**-
j terday afternoon. He was taken to
'; Emergency Hospital suffering from
’ shock, and was later transferred to *h»
Naval Hospital.