The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-10
WILLING TO
BE A SLAVE.
A New York Man to Keen From
Starving
Offers to Sell Himself For One
Hundred Dollars.
COULDN'T GET WORN.
He Is Educated But Offered to
Do Anything.
Estimated There AIRS 10000
Unemployed In - Trades.

New York. Dec. 10.-Hope does not
always spring eternal in the human
breast 1t has gone absolutely out
Of the life Of one person ait least in this
great city. He is Peter Hettof. a book
Keeper q years of age who lives in a
two room fiat at 4I4 West Fortv-efghth
street Out of employment, detected
ana hungry. the young man wrote a
letter Offering himself for sale as a
slave for 500, and is willing TO take all
chances ia connection with the strange
bargain should he find a purchaser for
himself.
Following is the letter which Het+of
wrote:
New York city. Dec. 5. 1896
or SlOJ 1 am willing to sell myself to
anyone who wishes a slave I am ready
20 90 what the buyer will ask of me,
toni as his slave or kill myself insured
IN his favor. Do not believe that I am
insane, for am not. I am only tired
Of walking the streets. entering hotels
and cafes to ind work of any kind
am IS years old, speaking and writing
French and German and understand
ing double-entry bookkeeping.
1 served in Uncle Sans army and 7
have good discharge. Since then L
nave been in New York city. I have
tried everything TO secure employment,
but without avail-not even as a dish
washer or street cleaner.
Therefore I kindly request YOU to
publish these few lines in your paper
and authorize you to give my name
and address to any person who has got
the cash or is willing to help a suffer
ing brother.
Please DO not mention my name in
your highly esteemed paper. Yours
most respectfully,
PETER HETTOF.
4l4 West Forty-eighth street.
Hettof has now given up all hope of
getting employment and sits in his
lonely fiat awaiting the final message
that must necessarily come to a man
who has given up the battle Of life
but, rather than commit suicide he
courts death by starvation. Already
traces of great mental and physical
anguish are visible in the pale. sad face
of this youth. He thinks he has visit
ed every place in New York where
there was any probability of finding
employment Now he viii rest and
hunger and suffer to the end.
Il was born in Luxembourg. of French
parents, said Hettof in narrating the
history of his life, and received lib
eral education / speak French and
German better than I do English, and
you can see for yourself lhat I can
handle the English pretty well. I can
also read and write several her Ian
guages- L am just q years of age.
came to the United States in Nay, 1895,
and in the following June went to Chi
cago. was unsuccessful in finding en-
ployment of any kind there, though
am a very good bookkeeper and sales
man. Well, I finally made application
for admission into the United States
army at Fort Sheridan.
Il passed the necessary examination
and was admitted. I thought that
when i got into the army L would be
able to do something in my line, such
as a clerkship or something like that.
In this. however. I was disappointed,
and after remaining at Fort Sheridan
a short time L applied for my discharge
and received it. / came to New York
on September 10 last. I saw an ad-
vertisement in a paper that one MOler
four weeks So 1 went to his place in
Hudson street and paid him $50. the
price of tuition. I did not learn any
thing of value about the trade ina four
weeks No man could learn anything
more than how to shave in that time
After leaving that business I got a
place at $40 week as bOOkkeeper for
A Weissenthanner. patent agent, at
Hudson and Franklin streets. There I
remained from October % to NOVem-
Der q. Then I was discharged and
have been out Of work since that time"
Were you in earnest ia writing the let
ter. Offering to sell yourself
Il certainly was. I searched every
where for employment. went into hotels
and restaurants offered to work In livery
stables. on the srreets-anyWher was
willing to do anything to make an honest
is 70 1T. Work cannot be found in New
Hettof said that he is total ahstainer
and had no bad habits. He is hand
some looking fellow. but his cheeks are
precision. He is in want.
The Hettof ease is only one of the many
reach the public eye. Already the re-
sources Of the phnanthropic societies Of
coInmcdate he hundreds of unemployed
that daily apply for assistance. and how
and fed during the winter Is a question
thar causes much speculation among the
reaus- 1t is stated that the number OF
unemployed is increasing every day. OW-
and towns Of all kinds Of mechanics and
The condition Of labor today is deplor-
able Not only in this city but Jpn every
portion of the country. From Connect
cut. New Jersey. Massachusetts ana the
ighborins states the vast army of un-
employed swarm into this CITY. increase
the wretchedness and yitally add to the
number Of unemployed So despairing
has the situation become. even after the
Mckinley boom. that within the last
two weeks sixty men nave 9een velun-
the Jefferson Market court alone and an
equally large proportionate amount from
the other courts
There has never been time I'm my
men are appiying FOR aid. said 1 Eeent
Edison O. jerome. of the charity organi- Z
cation. yesterday. These men who arc
vagrant type not those who live habit I
ually like PARASITES. they ar4 the honest
eager and anxious TO work. bat who can /
not get it,
"A have talked with a number of them /
who were well-informed. intelligent men. I
and they an tell the same story. 'Po- !
get another job money gone. then hun
ger and cold Nothing but charity. star /
walton or crime These are the only re- I
sources They are wise in applying for /
aid, but I don see how they all VIII be /
provided for at this rate
That is the opinion of a man who de- (
votes his lifetime to charitable purposes. I
and who is well Informed in the affairs /
in the Il Dor world
The following is said to be a fair esti-