The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-02-22
Our EviCted Tenants.


upon 'fOur Evicted Tenants" Referring
TO figures which have before been mo-
ticed in the Vanguard, that in 1890 there
were little more than 5000 evictiOns in
ireland, against 1886 In New York city,
the Herald says:
The world wesps in sympathy with un.
happy Ireland, because of her many
evicted tenants driven from house and
home by the wealthy landlord for non
payment Of rent, and in specially aggra-
vated cases all the sorrowful details are
wired all over the globe. 1t will be q
shock to many susceptible American
hearts to learn that the grief and misery
of the evicted Irish tenant is but cup
full when compared with the grief and
misery Of the evicted American tenant.
And do not imagine, either, that New
York occupies an exceptional position in
this respect. To some extent the same
evil is encountered in all the other large
American cities-in Brooklyn. Philsdel-
phis, Boston, Baltimore, Buffalo, New
Orleans, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago.
An estimate Of evictions in Chicago
for last year Is then given, necessarily an
estimate, because there are no official re-
turns as in New York from which to So
cure the exact figures. This estimated
total, based on returns in nine out Of
thirty justice courts, is 14,000, and as the
Herald says, is probably too low"
Evictions in this city are by "forcible
detainer" process, which enables land
lord to throw q tenants household pos
sessions in the street after five days
notice to vacate, provided the tenant
does not in the meantime appeal As he
has no money to pay rent, it follows that
he has no money to carry his case to
higher court. To show how cruel these
eYictions are in many cases, how un-
fortunate and not blameworthy is the
tenant, we quote one case from the
Herald's story:
Such case happened not l0pg ago be-
fore Justice Wheeler. It was that OF
man who had lost, in rapid succession,
three Of his children Sy diphtheria, and
whose wife, at last, fell sick as well.
Nursing her night and day, he lost his
situation in. the down town printing
Office where he had been employed
for years, and this, together with fn-
perals, doctor, drug store, grocer and
butcher, dragged him deeper and deeper
into the financial mlre until one day he
was on the point Of being driven out, to-
gether with his conVRlescent wife and
his remaining two children from his
little home on Franklin street. The
Judge not alone relieved this mans imme-
diate wants, but obtained more remuner-
alive employment for him and guarRn-
teed his debts for six months to come.
Il is to the credit Of human nature to
also record the fact that the grateful
typo paid the judge back every cent Of
the money spent on him.
The cruel circumstances Of this case
characterize many thousands of these
l4,OO0 evictions, and very seldom is there
record of such merciful conclusion as
this generous Judge made possible. He
must, indeed, harden his heart against
such,sppeals, for, as the Herald says:
It stands to reason that justice Of
the peace cannot make rule of acting in
the above way, or he might soon become
an object of charity himself. For with
scores Of cases coming before him each
week, and, with few exceptions, all more
or less appealing to his humane feelings,
he would have to be Cresus to relieve
them all.
Again, it is not charity but justice
honest people want, whether they be
poor or rich. Where is justice for the
poor Of our cities who are sslking for