The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-30
WHITE MAN SOLD AT AUCTION.

Lawrence Peak, Vagrant, Brought
$12.75 at sherifR's Sale,
When put up at auction and sold un-
der the hammer, Lawrence Peak, an
unesteemed citizen of Elizabeth, KY,
brought exactly $12.75. He does not
now belong to himself, but is the prop
erty of John H. Creil. a saloonkeeper
in Elizabethtown.
The institution Of human slavery has
not, 1t seems, been wholly abolished in
the United States. Kentucky has a va
grancy law under which man who
does not support himself can be sold
at auction to the highest bidder, where
by he becomes mere chattel For a
certain time, dependent on the length
Of the sentence imposed by the court,
his time and labor belong to the man
who buys him, and he Is q slave, yir-
tually, and In fact. ata.
The sale Of Peak at Elizabethtown
the other day was the first that has oc-
Cured there under the law. 1t was at
tended by a large crowd, and the bid
ding was lively and spirited. The low
price at which the man was sold Is sig
nif1cant of the business depression that
prevails in the Blue Grass State.
The proceedings to convict a man of
vagrancy are similar to the conviction
of horse thief. After being arrested
the culprit is tried Evidence is intro
duced by the prosecuting attorney to
support the charge and the prisoner
produces such evidence in his defense
as his laziness and the state of his
finances will enable him to secure. If
the trial results in a conviction the
prisoner Is sentenced to be sold at auc-
ton for a time specified by the court.
It was little trouble to convict Law
renee Peak. He did not seem to care
anyway, and after a jury had decided
that he was vagrant he was no more
concerned than before. When he was
told that he was to be sold he grunted
and manifested no further interest in
the affair.
At 10 o'clock on the day set for the
sale q crowd gathered about the court
house steps, and the sheriff read the
findings Of the court and the order Of
sale. The length Of service which the
judge had decided that Peak should
forfeit was three months, and the
sheriff announced that the highest bid
der could secure the labor of an able
bodied man for that length Of time.
He did not say much about the
chance OF getting faithful and indus
trious service, but he did say that Peak
was young-about twenty-fve-healthy
and able. The willing was another
story, and one not so flattering to the
subject Of the eulogy.
And now, gentlemen" said the sher-
if, how much am / bid? How much
for Mr.. Peak? Do l hear an offer?'
"One dollar" said one of the crowd
Before the sheriff could express his
surprise at such an offer several other
bids were made. Five dollars was the
first offer that the auctioneer consid-
cred.
Five dollars" he announced. Five
dollars for strong man, twenty five
years old. Remember, gentlemen, you
get his service for three months, and
the state will see that he serves you
well Satisfaction guaranteed or
money refunded. Should he run away
or refuse to work we will make it
right with you. Do I hear $40? Make
it ten, make it ten, make
Eight dollars" said John II. CrAl
who said he needed man to clean out
his saloon, care for his horse and milk
his cow.
THAT is more like it." said the sher-
IT. Eight dollars. S. Do hear
tent"
And SO It went on. Finally there
were but two bidders, and when Mr.,
Creil offered $12.75 the other shook his
head. After making vain endeavor
to increase the bid, the sheriff Knocked
Peak down, fguratively, to Mr.. Creil
and the auction was closed.
Gosh, but went cheap" comment
ca Peak, as he prepared to assume his
new duties.
Mr.. Crefi will have to board his new
purchase during the continuance of the
period Of ownership and he may have
to buy clothes for him, so that the
price he paid may not prove SO cheap
after ALL
Any one anxious to learn just what
he is worth is advised to go to Ken
tueky and become q vagrant. Being
sold at auction will determine the mat
ter fully, fairly and squarely
And for that reason Mr.. Peak knows
how much. or how little, he is worth.