Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1884-06-12
Ia Shocking Spectacle for Civiiiza-
tiOn.
Eighteen Helpless'Human Beings Auc-
TONED off in " est Virginia.

- -
The New York Eveniing Telegram
publishes the following d scription Of
the alleged aellirg at public auction
of eighteen paupsre at St. George, the
County seat of Tucker County, West
Virginia, on May %:
Eighteen wretched beings stood
before crowd Of some six hundred
people. The crowd was gathered be
fore the little court house, and in
cluded farmers, c!ergymen aud towns
people. These eighteen human be
ings, some crying, others l.ughine
and among them an idiotic girl suf-
l,ferjng from acroiulous disease, who
Ijabberad aud grinned, were paupers,
and they were, under the law Of the
State, to.be sold for the term.of one
| year to the,highest bidder Promptly
at 10 clock the crowd gathered in
E5front of the ccart hou eand INSPECTED
the panpera. Presently the saer'ti
of the County mounted the horse.
block and read the order OF the
Court" Then the auctoneer, stout,
iolly.face individual, mounted the
block, and making jesting remark
which caused the crowd to roar with
laughter, announced that the goods
are divided into two classes, able
bodied apt yinvalids,' and asked 'or
bids.
The first to step upon the block
was an old man 10 years of age.
Turning him around for the better
inspection of the bidders, the auc
tioneer began, Now, gentlemen,
said he, here you have fine man.
He is sound. solid and gentle as o
kitten. He is good for big days
work. How much am l offered 2
The old fellow looked auxiously at
the crowd of bidders as the amounta
viTered were outbid. Finally he was
sold to man named John Andersen
for $26, who, after paying his money,
took the old fellow, who Looked sad
and weary and sighed heavily as he
went away with him.
Among the group of paupers was
beautiful little girl OF 10 Years, who
cried bitterly bscausee ehe Lad to leave
the family to whom she had been
sold the previous year. She had
neither father nor mother, or, IT she
had, they had thrown her adri wher
an infant. She had not even a aame
and the auctloneer face'i usiy dubbed
her Sally whereat his Listeners
laughed immoderateIy. She sold fol
So so, and her purchaser was MIN
lster Of the Gospel.
"One CT the most li.i.ul sigh't
! ever seen was that Of the next paurel
10 be sc!d. She wes an Cd woman
aid it was her first year ~ q psnper
Perhaps she had once been rich III
this worlds goods ani had happy
home. At all events she had support
el herself till the present time, and
the question of her past was known
only to her self, No one elae knew
No one cared. She was led to tht
ulock crying as though her hear
would break. When she stepped
upon it she waited in her anguish
MY God, I wish that | could die
Ny husband and my son were killed
IN the army. Oh, If 1 could o, y
die She was sold to the kesprl
of a boarding house at a logging
camp 70. 81. The idiOtic girl was
sold to hard looking mountainsel
for the sum of sixty cents week.
As The next art of human goods
and chatiels upon the block itshoxed
the white. curly locks OF an agec
colored man who laughed "she l'okeo
over the throng with his good humor
ed and jolly eyes. Il golly,' said ne
as he glanced around, dis yer is like
ol' times, .l;ress my qou!. He wa'
sold -to,a farmer. for $ll.
The sale aggregated Sll3 for th'
allie bodied paupers and gu average
price Of thirty-two cents per week fol
the invalids. At the conclusion @
the sale the jolly auctioneer, with
parting jest to the crowd, stepped
from his stand and entering the hotel
refreshed himself after his fs,tiguirl
duties. The purchasers, with thief
bargains as aone Of them termed
The unfortunates' whom they hal
horobt started IF homeward