The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-06-07
SOLD ON THE BLOCK.
Eighteen Paupcrs Auctioned OF i'll West
Virginia.

Eighteen Paupcrs Auctioncd OF i'll West
Virginia.
The New York ErCDing 7elegra,n pub
fishes the following description of the
alleged selling at public auction of eigh
teen paupers at St. George. the county
seat OF Tucker county, w. Va, on May
24 1t reads like a romance, and almost
takes one back to the old slave auctions
of anti-bclum times.
Eighteen wretched beings stood be,
fore Il crowd of some six hundred people.
The crowd was gathered before the little
Court House, and included farmers,
clergy wen aud towns people. These eigh
teen human beings, some crying, others
laughing, and among them an ldiotic
girl suffering from Scrotu!OuS disease,
who abbered and grinned, were paupers,
ana they were under the law of the State,
to he sold for the term OF one year to the
highest bidder. Promptly at 10 o'clock
the crowd gathered in front of the Court
House and inspected the Paupers. Pres
emily the Sheriff of the county mounted
the horse block and read the order of
the court Then the auctioncer, Il stout
Jolly faced individual, mounted the
block, and making Il testing remark,
which caused the crowd to roar with
laughter, announced that the goods are
divided into two classes, able bodied ard
invaldS. and asked for bids.
The first to step upon the block was
an old man 20 years Of age. Turning him
around for the better inspection of the
bidders, the auctioncer began. Now,
gentlemen, said he, here you have a
fine man. He is sound, solid and gentle
as kitten. He is good for a big days
work. How much am | otlered?' Tie
old fellow looked anXlously at the crowd
of bidders as the amounts offered were
outbid. Finally he was sCld to a man
named John Anderson for SIG, 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 a
beautiful little girl of 10 years, who
cried bitterly because she had to leave
the family to whom she had been sold
the previous year. She had neither
father nor mother, or, il she had, they
had thrown her aoriit when an infant.
She had not even a name, and the auc-
tioneer facetiously dubbed her Sally
whereat his listeners laughed immoder-
ately. She sold TO-. $50, and her pur-
chaser was a minister of the gospel.
One of the most pititul sights ever
seen was that of the next pauper to be
sold. She was an old woman, and it was
her first year as pauper. Perhaps she
had once been rich in this worlds goods
and had a happy home. At all events
she had supported herself till the present
time and the question of her past was
known only to herself. No one else
knew. No one cared She was led to
the block crying as though her heart
wcuId break. When she stepped upon
it she walled in her anguish My God,
wish that could die. My husband and
son We're killed in the army. Oh, if |
could only die.' She was sold to the
keeper of a boarding house at a logging
camp for s.. The idiotic girl was sold to
Il hard looking mountaineer for the sum
of sixty cents per week.
AS the next part of the human goods
and chattCls stepped upon the block it
showed the white, curly locks of an aged
colored man, who laughed as he looked
over the throng with his good humored
and jolly eyes. i golly. said he. as he
glanced around, dis yer is like Of times
Dress my soul He was sold to a farmer
for $ll.
The sale aggregated Sl13 for the
able bodied paupers and an Average
price Of thirty-twO cents per week for the
inyalds. At the conclusion of the sale
the jolly auctiOnecr, with Il parting jest
to the crowd, stepped from his stand, and
entering the hotel. refreshed himself
after his latiguing duties. The pur-
chascrs with their bargains. as some of
them termed the unfurtunates whom
they had bought, started off homeward."