The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-17
WOMAN ASKSED
FOR PROTECTION
FROM USURIoUS INTEREST
OF ONE OF sAvANNAH's "ACCOM-
MODATING" MONEY-BROkERS.

Who Had Charged Seventy Cents
Interest Month on Loan of g..
Threatened to Take Away Sewing
Machine, Her Only Means of Sup
port, if Interest Was Not Paid.
Broker Granted Extension of "a
Hours in which to Raise Interest.
Driven almost to desperation by the
demands of a money-lender to whom
she had applied for aid and been CIV
en- a small loan. woman ap-
pealed yesterday morning to Judge
Henry McAlpin of the Court of Ordi-
nary to avoid having her sewing-ma-
chine, her only means of support TAX
en- from her.
The story as told by the woman
was pitiful one. A widow. with five
children, she had worked hard,
by means of her sewing to
provide for the support of herself and
little ones. For time all went well
and the. meager pittance that her sew
ing. after working far into the night
and beginning during the early hours
of the morning, brought her provided
for herself and children.
The little ones were sent to school
and though the work was hard and
combining, the hours long and tedious,
the mother was happy. because she
was Independent and, besides keeping
real want from her door, had the chill
dren about her
Then came the inevitable story with
its near approach to tragedy Work
fell off and there was little demand for
the sewing which the mother could do.
Rent came due. Clothing for the little
ones was necessary and food must be
supplied. Work could not be found and
the problem of existence was growing
serious.
Applied to Money Lender.
Then the mother, ready to seize
any plan that would relieve the i'm
mediate wants. applied to a money!
lender. 1t was only a meager sum that
she asked, two dollars. The
money-lender called and looked at the
furniture and decided that it was worth
two dollars, or better, that it was worth
more, and that he could probably get
it for 81 and later sell it at a profit.
The papers were drawn up, the man
of money charging the wom-
an 20 cents for the use of the 50 for
thirty days. The mother was optimis-
tic and believed that the money and
the interest could easily be earned in
thirty days. The immediate wants re-
lieved, she again began her search for
more sewing.
Threatened to Take Furniture.
Yesterday the thirty days were up,
and though every effort had been
made, there was not the seventy cents
| interest on hand. Some work had been
found, it is true, but the proceeds had
| all been taken up in meeting the cost
| of lifes bare necessities.
Then the plan of asking for more
time and paying additional interest
was decided upon. She went to the
morey-lender, but his heart was not
| touched by the pathetic struggle. Care
lessly he told her that such course
was not business and then, he con-
| scented to grant her twenty-four addi-
tional hours in which to raise the 20
cents.
Tired and discouraged. the little
woman turned away. There were no
| friends OF whom the 10 cents could be
borrowed and the loan renewed. Even
if work were secured, payment would
not be given in advance. And hanging
over her all the time was the threat
of the money-lender that he would take
/ her sewing machine, the one means of
existence.
Appealed to Judge McAlpin.
Driven to desperation, the woman APP
pealed to Judge McAlpin, and asked
what could be done, a magistrate hav-
ing sent her there. Seeking
| to control her emotion, she told the
story. There were no embellishments,
no attempts to touch the heart, no. ap-
peal for charity. She simply asked
advice.
There was one course open, an ap-
| plication for homestead exemption. She
was told how TO make it, and this she
| did. The application was drawn up
| in proper form, the necessary legal
papers We're issued, and the woman
went away happy. And somehow, in
the hurry. the court seemed to forget
that there were customary charges for
| granting homesteads.
|
! nj taHEaH