Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-18
Bad as a Cyclone.
The Visit Of a Of Chicago Usu-
er's Agents.
DEs0LATING THE HoME0r A DEBTOR

Experience of an Unfortunate Citizen Who
Borrowed Money on q Chattei Mortgage
at ia Per Cent. - Every Article
of Furniture Taken. Including the Stove,
and Bed and Sick Baby In the House
A Heartrending Story.
CHICAGO, Jan. lS-Max Metzger, a ma.
chinist living at 1886 ely bourn avenue, had a
happy home until sickness and death In his
family co.npelled him to seek the aid of
class of money lenders who are known and
dreaded as chattel-mortgage sharks by every
one who ever fell into the claws of these
harpies Metzger's story is the old and sad
one. save that in his case the greed Of the
shark led him to commit an unlawful act,
for which the authorities will endeavor to
make him suffer. 1t is questionable, however,
whether any punishment inflicted on the
merciless usurer will compensate the victim
for the heart-rending experience.
MetIser has among his neighbors the rep
utstion of being a thrifty mechanic. To-
gether with his family, consisting of his wife
and three children. ranging in age from to
years, he occupied quite a comfortable
home in four well-furnished rooms at the
place Indicated. His household belongings
we're worth fully $500 and he had savings
amounting TO $40 up to last August. Owing
to the manipulations of chattel
mortgage man, Metzger has at
present no other home for his
little ones than barren walls and floors
Last August Mrs. Metzser became sick and
her husband was compelled to quit work in
order to take care of her. His little savings
not REINFORCED by earnings were soon ex-
hausted in the expenses for doctor and drug
store bills, and when Mrs Metzger died,
Sept Is, the bereaved husband was without
money to provide a decent burial for her. 1t
was then that he fell into the hands of the
chattel mortgage man.
To secure a loan of $50 Metzger had to
give his note for SAT, at 8 per cent interest,
payable in six monthly instalIments, and
besides this, pledge every piece of his house,
hold furniture. The premium and the in.
stallment plan are reSorted to in order to
evade the law which Furnishes usury
In Metzger's case the interest on the orig
inal loan practically amounted to ia
per cent. Last December the mortgage
died, and MetZgers note as well as the mort.
gage on his personal property passed into the
hands OF other harpies still unknown to him.
His mlsfortunes onsinued. A few days ago
bis children were taken sick with the measles.
The two eldest recovered completely, but
euo youhkcoe hONcIeu dbOuJ IEo verge OF
death TOR quite a time, and is still very low
Last Wednesday the unfortunate father
was for the first time able to go out and look
for work He left the sick child in charge
of the other two and provided a loaf of
bread and some milk as nourishment The
little ones huddled around the stove because
warmth was necessary for the patient
had the father left home when an
express wagon drove up. Three men jumped
from the vehicle and tried to enter the
house. Finding the door locked, they broke
in through window. Every vestige of
furniture, the hot cook stove included, was
carried out, and, after the fire had been
dumped out, loaded into the vehicle and
carted oG. Even the bed of the sick child
was taken by the men, who left the patient
without covering and threw the milk upon
the floor in order to carry of the pitcher
When the father returned late at night
feeling happier than for weeks, because he
had Sc cured work-he was driven frantic by
the scene which met him. His children were
huddled together in some straw, shivering
with cold and trembling with fear The two
elder ones had sheltered the sick baby as
much as they could with the warmth of their
bodies. Metzger reused some OF the neigh
bors who, though poor themselves, kindly
took care of the children The father dis
appeared.
Yesterday forenoon he appeared in Justice
kersten's court and told his story The
kind-hearted magistrate relieved the pressing
wants OF the unfortunate msp, and then
turned him over to Lawyer A. n. Kaufman,
who promised to let the despoilers of a poor
mans home during his absence make &C
Quaintance with the statute for house break
ers. There will also be a civil suit for tres
pass against the offenders