The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1892-05-28
rmE nrssoUsl VACANT LAW.
Rev Shffsless Ren0ns Are Ce0pe1l-
ed 70 work fer "WAite 1Fash-
-AWhfss Trash Caa Als0
he 8osA est - Hire -

III INC EcVlScu etdluSSo Va xuloSOui
1889, one reads:
Every able-bodied person VIII
shall be found lettering about wiihou
visible means Of support and mair
tenance, and who does not apply hin
self to labor or some other homes
calling 10 procure . livelihood, an
all able-bodied persons who r feun'
begging or who quit their houses an
leave their wives and children with
out the means of subsistence, shall b
deemed and treated as Migrants.
All keepers or exhibitors of an,
gaming table or gaming device, or al
persons who travel or remain in steam
boats or go from place to place 70
the purpose of gaming, shall be deem
ed and treated as Migrants.
When any such person is found an!
justice of the peace of the count!
shall, upon information, or from hi
own knowledge, issue a warrant t.
the sheriff or constable to bring sucf
person before him.
The person arrested for vagrancy
shall be tried before q jury, and il
found guilty the justice shall make 6
warrant directing the sheriff or con-
stable to keep such person in his Gus
tody until three days notice can be
given by advertisement, set up in the
most public places in the county, O
the hiring out of such vogrant at the
courthouse door in the county fol
the term of six months to the highest
bidder for cash in hand"
The law evidently does not contem.
plate that women shall be sold undeI
the vagrant act, at least the services
of none have been disposed of under
the hammer in this section since the
law went into effect.
The sale Of three negro men tenn
porarily into bondage at Fayette
Howard county, about forty mile:
east of st. Louis, recently, created
considerable excitement and brought
out hundreds of people from all part
of the country to witness the trans
actions. The affair attracted as mucf
attention as a circus would or as hang
ing bees did in the days when they
were held openly. The scene forcibly
reminded many present OF slavery
times. Some of the colored specta
tors before the war had G father
or brother or near relative knocked
down to the highest bidder, or had
stood ON the block themselves uldel
the hammer of the au%ctioneer.
The sale took place in the cour
house yard, under the supervision o
Constable o. S. Brown, by virtue Of
warrant directed to him BY Squire S
j. Preston.
At 1;30 o'clock the auctionee
mounted the stone steps and the sal
began. The first victim was Georg'
TURNER, a negro of sound mind ant
body; in color, ashy black; about
feet 6 inches in height, weighing
about $50 pounds and about 40 year
of age.
Alter a few preliminary remark
concerning the law in such cases ans
a brief description of the Negro
showing up his good points AM
ability to work, the aucticneer in
stentorian voice cried out:
allow much am 1 offered TO
George? Somebody start to bid
After q few moments' pause SOM
one in the crowd bid 81. another fol
lowed with s1.5O bid and a thirt
with 81. Then came IS, $40, ST.
and $40 bids, and finally the negr'
was knocked down to DIR. II. X
Given at 500, sitter remaining on thu
block ten or fifteen minutes.
Turner said nothing while on tn
block and did not appear to be at al
embarrassed while occupying tina
conspicuous position.
The next victim was John Hicks
colored, a young man Of sound mine
and body, about 5 feet 9 inches II
height, dark copper-colored, weigh
ing 40 pounds, II years of age. Auc.
tioneer McCrary had nc sooner ask.
ed for a bid on his second maj Hickl
than the latter threw q decides
dampcr on his prospects by exclaim
ing in a loud voicei
81 won't work and 20 can't max
dis niger. 1 won't work for NJ
white trash.'
But for this little speech Jehr
might have brought more none,
than he did. After q few trivial bid
N. b. Cooper bought him IN for 81
The third and last victim was San
| Sneh. a man of sound mind and body
about 5 feet 6 inches high, colored
weighing about 155 pounds and
about IS years Of age. Sam wa
wanted by several persons, but no
very badly by any. Some were will
ing to make an experiment with him
but were afraid to pay too dearly 70
it AS q result there vert no fame,
bids. One old negro man bid $a5
for him, but wouldn't go any higher
The negro was finally sold to Wi
liam wingfield for 1856, which wa
regarded by some of the more skepti
cal as a good price.
Sam WAS very quite ON the stant