The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-08
BOYS HELD IN SLAVERY
IT IS UP IN MICHIGAN THIS
 TIME.
Worked as Bootblacks-Disclosures atkalamazoo Result in Notice
 to the Commissioner of
 Immigration.

halamssoo Special to Chicago Record Herald.
 White slavery is being practiced in Kala-
 mazoo end many other Michigan cities. The
 escape of Is-year-old bootbiack from his
 master. Anthony Demers. owner of the Greek
 snoe shining cellar in II9 North Burdick
 Street. yesterday morning and "Tony's'' anx- iety to recapture the child revealed the meth- ods practiced
 sent this morning to the Commissioner of Im-
 migration in Washington asking him what steps to take to prosecute
 Every year boys are being picked up on the
 streets of Greek cities and sold into slavery in
 this country. The purchasers are mostly Greek shoe sinners, who pay from $50 to SIS for a
 or 6-year-old boy for the first year. The second year the price is advanced s25. Each succeeding year small advance is made in
 the figure paid until the boy is of age. Then the boss'' must take his chances with his protese.
 Nicholas Demoggeor was shipped from Greece to this city seventeen months ago. and after suffering many alleged indignities
 made his escape yesterday morning. Peter Sarantos, Greek, 25 years of age, who has spent the greater part of his life as a shoe sinner without compensation. took pity on the youngster and ran away with him. The two took train for Galesburg. and after a two
 hours stop in that village went to Battle Creek. where all trace of them was lost
 Anthony Demers and a brother, Alexander, are at the head of a shoe-shining organization
 which operates parlors in Kalamazoo, Battle Creek. Jackson. South Bend, St. Joseph Ben- ton Harbor. Detroit and Chicago. With pos- sibly two exceptions the work Is all done by
 little Greek boys whose ages range from s to
 iS years.
 Once or twice every month Demers visits
 the other shoe-shining stands and collects the
 money. If any boy Is especially ragged he Is
 reclothed in secondhand clothing purchased of the ragman. Irony" justihes himself in the
 slave practice by claiming that Greek parents do not care anything about their children and
 are glad to have them come to this country just to learn English
 When Demers returned during the early part of the week from his collecting trip he claimed
 that Nicholas. the runaway boy, had stolen 50 cents while hes was gone. It is alleged he used very stringent measures to impress on Nicholas that thievtng would not be counten- anced. Then he left for Chicago and Peter and Nicholas closed up the North Burdick Street shop and left for parts unknown. They took nothing with them and left several dol lars in the cash drawer. When Demers re- turned yesterday his rage knew no bounds. All day he hunted the streets and at night fall he rushed excitedly into the sherifrs of fee and asked that the boys be found. Demers finally made the following state-
 ment to the officers: That boy was sent to me seventeen months ago from Greece-the boys parents don't want him. and pay to them SIS for the use of that kid the very first year have him. This year 1 the boy get so he speak English pretty good. and he shine shoes well I send Sio0 to Greece for him. If I get the boy may be send little more next year. I want to take care of the boy and give him a good education didn't send him to school yet. but your school man, Mir. Blaney. came to see and tell him send the kid to night school just as soon he can speak good English enough. Once take the kid up to school at night but | find they charge for the boy, and decide | to wait until he learn English better, so it | do him more good"
 The local truant officer was unsuccessful fir | his efforts to get the boy into school and the | State Factory Inspector missed the basement l dive.
 John Cartonize. i6-year-old Greek boy working here, says that he worked for noth. | ing just as long as he could stand it-then he | demanded pay The boy says he is get | ting SIo month It is supposed the ignor. | ance of the boys and a system of terrorism have been depended on to keep them in subjec- | tion.