A powerfully sad tale from the Minneapolis Tribune:

DIES READING
HER PRAYER BOOK

Mrs. Ole Johnson, a Widow, Is
Found Dead Under Peculiarly
Affecting Circumstances

Death Results From Pneumonia
Brought On By Neglect
And Privation

Left alone and uncared for, Mrs. Ole Johnson, 52 years old, of 3018 Thirty-Fourth avenue south, met her death. Her only companion at the last hour was an old and worn prayer book. This was found in her lap as she sat in the sleep of death.

Her dead body was discovered yesterday morning by neighbors. The police broke in the front door of her little home. She was found sitting up with one hand on her prayer book.

At first it was thought that the woman had frozen or had starved to death. A post mortem examination yesterday afternoon, however, revealed that she had died from pneumonia.

That this disease was brought on by exposure and neglect there is no doubt in the minds of the authorities, yet there is no one who can be blamed or held to account.

Three years ago Mrs. Johnson’s husband was killed in the Milwaukee yards. This was a sad and hard blow to the wife and mother. Three weeks after the husband’s death Mrs. Johnson’s daughter committed suicide by hanging. That was a death blow to the mother. She mourned alone and uncared for in her little home. Her body gradually became weakened from neglect and her mind at times wandered.

In money and worldly goods the woman had nothing. She lived for a long time on donations of food given her by neighbors. This winter has been a hard one on her. Neighbors frequently brought wood and supplies to her and she managed is this way to make out a living.

Friday she appeared about her yard and house as usual. Yesterday, therefore, when she failed to appear neighbors began to fear for her safety, and many of them thought she had committed suicide.

Patrolman Clansen was called. He broke open the door to the home and found the woman dead in her chair.

The “Milwaukee yards” mentioned in the story — shown here in about 1915 — were in south Minneapolis. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

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