Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-25
A DEADLY WRINGER.
How it Entered a Peaceful Family
Like a Thief in the Night
AND WROUGHT RUIN IN ITS WAKE
The Story Possesses Far More Pathos Than
Fun to Many People.
BETWIXT THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP SEA

As the deadly clothes wringer is here u
stay apparently it has been investigated
and the history Off its dissemination present.
some grotesque features that form curiou:
study of the wants and weaknesses of some
portions of humanity.
Perhaps this study will some time teach
the poor that their destruction is their poy-
erty, and direct their attention to the study
of domestic economy, whereby many of the
weights that now bear them down might be
lightened. 1t has been suggested frequently,
that if they were to form purchasing agen.
cies, they might get their food more cheaply.
For instance. several barrels of onions might
be purchased and distributed at cost oi
81 25 per barrel instead of 81 60 per bushel,
as at present, where people live from hand
to mouth, and so Of many other necessaries
of life.
Anent the clothes-wringer matter, j..
Wesley Kinnear, Esq, tells a story that to
date takes the rag off the bush" in this
line. Mr.. Kinnear states that some time
ago an agent called on Mrs. Kate Loskam p,
She was washing at the time, and the agent
called her attention to wringer he had
with him, and offered to sell it to her on the
installment plan for S8 and take her old one
at 81 in part pay.
A WOMAN PERSUADED.
According to her story, she refused to
make the trade, and said that in the absence
of her husband she would make no contract,
but with the persuasive seductiveness of his
class he proceeded to unscrew the old
wriDger from the tub, and taking it away
left the new one. Mrs.. Loskamp scarce
knows, apparently, how he succeeded in over
coming her scruples for the time being, but he
stated that if the deal were not satisfactory
to Mr.. Loskamp he, the agent, would trade
back, and there would be no harm done.
1t wasn't satisfactory to Mr.. Loskamp,
and by and by the agent returned, when
Mrs. Loskamp reported that her husband
said be could get wringer as good as the
SS one Tor S3, and she asked that the trade
be declared of. She said he might take the
new wrin' er if he would bring the old one
back, and he, she alleges, promised to do
so. The new one was taken away, but the
old one was not returned.
The next heard of the matter was notii-
cation that both husband and wife had been
sued in trover and conversion by the Lowell
Manufacturing Company before Alderman
McKenna.
'BETwIxT ALDERMAN AND COMPANY.
As the husband was too busy to attend the
hearing, and the family were too poor to
lose his wages, the wife attended, and she
finally consented to allow the company to
keep both wringers and she decided to get
along as we'll as possible without one.
The Loskamps supposed this concluded
the business, but after 20 days had expired
from date OF judgment, and an appeal could
not be taken, a constable appeared at the
Loskamp mansion with an execution and
levied on everything in sight in the way of
household goods to make seven dollars,
and the cost of the new wringer, minus
dollar allowed on the old one. Though both
husband and wife had been sued, the exc
cution was against the husband alone. A
considerable portion Of the goods sold were
wedding presents. Among other things dis
posed OF was a clock, an extension table, .
parlor table, cane-seated rocking chair,
eight wooden chairs, etc. The whole brought
only 1915, just the amount of the costs,
leaving the judgment for 81 unsatisfed.
PRETTY NEAR TIME TO KICK.
About this time the Loskamps thought it
time to stir themselves, and Mr.. Kinnear
entered suit on their behalf for S75 damages
before Alderman Leslie against the consta-
BILE, II. T. Galley and the Lowell Manufac-
turing Company, and got ajudgment, when
the defendants took an appeal to court.
Mr.. Kinnear states that since the appeal,
the defendants have concluded to drop the
claim for the wringer and have allowed
credit of 81 on the Alderman's docket, but
the concession has not furnished the Los
kamps with chairs to sit upon, a table to eat
from, or a clock from which to ascertain the
time of day, and they are forced to rely
either on the tower clock or their neighbors,
SO that the little matter of clothes-wringer
has reduced family to the domestic condl-
ton of rigid economy.