Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-10-28

Even the grand jury Of Cook County
has been invoked to aid the cold
blooded money shark to wiring the life
blood from his victim.
The September grand jury, com.
posed largely of honest men. paid Its
attention to these human blOOd.suck-
ers In no uncertain language,
Many cases were presented to the
grand Jury In which money lOancrs
asked the Indictment Of debtors. In
almost every instance the jury refused
to indlct, stating Its reason Us follows:
'.rhc numerous cases OF crime trace
able to the operations Of 'chattcl mort.
gagc sharks ana confidential credit
concerns for 'salarlcd people give re-
newed emphasis to the Importance OF
the establishment Of chnttel banks un-
der the supervision Of the state, rs con-
templatcd by the law recently enacted.
Their limitations, however, AFFORD but
n partial remedy for the poverty, DIS
tress, and crime Of which the renlOrsc-
less chattel mortgage and confidential
credit usurcrs are the prolific cause.
and we therefore suggest TINT strict
legal regulation should govern all Oc.
equations in which such mortgages or
credits are u primary or incidental
part"
The confidential credit" concerns
and chattel mortgage sharks have been
known this very week to take the bed
ding OF of dying man In Chicago.
In another instance they took nll the
furniture away from poor widow
with six children, who had paid the
shark $50 interest OH a $50 loan and
who was left without even chair to
sit upon by the human devil who held
her note and who still demanded the
original $50 note and $40 interest.
The poor widow was shirt maker
by occupation. occasionally doing wash
Ing to keep this inhuman wolf from
the door.
Oh, the curse that this state OF nf-
fairs will bring upon the high city OH
Gals and high county officials! The
blood Of the poor will not always be
shed In vain!
Tom Hoods "Song of the Shirt ia
more applicable to Chicago to-day than
It ever was to London. Just read its
lines and then apply them to the situa'
ton In this city
THE SONG OF THE SHIRT.
"With fingers weary and worn,
With eyelids heavy and red,
A woman sat, In unwomanly rags,
Plying her needle and thread.
Stitch! Stitch! stitch!
In poverty, hunger and dirt,
And still with O voice Of dOlOr0us pitch
She sang the Song Of the Shirt
Work! Work! Work!
While the cock Is growing aloOf,
And work! work! work!
Till the stars shine through the root
It's oh! to be slave,
Along with the barbarous Turk,
Where woman has never soul to save
II this is Christian Work!
"Work! Work! Work!
Till the brain begins to swim;
Work! Work! Work!
LII Tue eyes uIc ucuNy WV o'ssS'
Seam and gusset and band,
Band and gusset and seam,
TIL over the buttons fall asleep,
And sew them ON in q dream!
20, men, with sisters dear!
O, men, with mothers and wives!
1t 10 not linen you're wearing out.
But human creatures lives!
Stitch! stitch! stitch!
In poverty, hunger and dirt;
Sewing at once. with q double thread
A shroud az we'll as shirt.
"WOrk! Work! Work!
My labor never days;
And what are its wages? A bed o
STRAW,
A crust OF bread, andrags.
: That shattered roof, and this Make
door,
A table, q broken chair;
And . wall 70 blank, my ahad0w
thank
For sometimes falling there.
sAOh, but 10 bceathe ~ breath
OF ~ eow1BgD - Dgi0gee1o sWsel