Destitute
Family Found
in Houghton Township
One of the most deplorable
cases of want ever aired in the local police court was heard by
Magistrate Gunton on Wednesday. As the mother of nine children told
the horrid details, tears came to the eyes of everyone present.
Without shoes, clothes, food
or even such small comforts as soap and adequate bed clothing, the
family of Robert Underhill has dragged out the long winter months on
their rented 60 acre farm near Houghton Centre. The case was brought
to light by Mr. D. E. McIntosh, agent of the Children's Aid Society
in Norfolk.
"This is a case where
charity begins in the home," said Magistrate Gunton, visibly
affected by the sad tale.
The troubles of the
struggling family began when the father was taken ill. Owing to the
expense of keeping such a large family, he had no bank account from
which to draw. Gradually, one by one, the children were taken ill
except one older daughter.
Floyd Underhill, 13, years
old, was taken ill first, and after him in rapid succession his
younger brothers and sisters , Robert L. Borden Underhill, Austin
Underhill, Clayton Underhill, and Glenny Underhill, were down with
the same sickness that had rendered their father unable to support
them.
A short time afterwards the
mother was delivered of a child, which is now six weeks old, and
about the same time it was discovered that the eldest daughter had
been betrayed by a young man.
The father, Robert Jesse
Underhill, was unable to go for assistance , and if their plight had
not discovered by neighbors the whole family might have starved in
the garden county of Norfolk.
Some small assistance was
rendered by the neighbors. Houghton Township Council responded to an
appeal by sending food, clothing, a nurse and a doctor.
In order to bring the case
before the public, the parents were charged under the Neglected
Children Act although both parents were absolved from any blame by
the magistrate at the enquiry on Wednesday afternoon.
"I have never begged
before, although I would accept any kind of assistance now,"
said the destitute mother, while one of her children romped around
the court room in the neat clothes supplied him by Houghton Council.
"Money could be spent
in no worthier way than by assisting this family to get started
again," said the magistrate. "While we are sending
thousands of dollars to China and India for the benefit of the
heathen, it seems that people are destitute and starving right in
our own midst because of circumstances over which they have no
control. Assistance in this case would indeed be home mission
work"
The magistrate then made a
public appeal to the people of Houghton and Walsingham to render
assistance to the Underhill family, as it will be many weeks before
they are able to support themselves.
The Magistrate commended Mr.
McIntosh in bringing the deplorable case to light.
