The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-11-23
Never Sell Il

OF In Half An Hour-Was offered
$4,000. But Declared She Would
Never Sell 1t.
Plusbure. Pa. Nov 20.-With the
tiO0. 900 Of the Jones X Laughllns
Steel company back of them. force
OF 1000 men employed by that cor
poration enticed a lone woman from
her home. where She had long bailied
them. and during her absence they
tore down and carried OF her house
in half an hour.
For six months Mrs Sarah Lot.
whose home has been at the corner OF
sydney and South 26th strets. has held
up the progress OF the $4,000 600 ad-
dition 10 the plant of the Jones &
Laughlins company which Is TO extend
from oath 10 3ith strets along sydney
It was "only a woman's whim.' but
for six months that whim has been
victorious over the greatest steel con
Germ in the world. with the exception
OF the trust.
When he Jones & Laughlins COM
pany decided to enlarge IT'S plant it
bought mp all the property along sgd
ney street for fancy prices. But when
its representatives reached Mrs. Lot
they encountered unexpected opposl'
tion. She firmly refused to sell Fifty
years ago. when she was a bride, she
had been taken there by her husband.
When the great plant began to rear
itself about her little home she made
no complaint. but only fortified her
self for stronger attack. She had a
regular stockade built around her two
story frame dwelling. and there she
lived alone. protected only by three
ferocious dogs which she had secured.
Finding that they could not force
her to move, the company went to the
courts. but found no relief there.
There was no law which could force
the woman to sell. Then It was decid'
ed TO buy her of. Mrs. Lot was offered
a bonus of $4,000 for her place, and
the steel company agreed to settle
every claim of her heirs. But still the
agents met with the same obstinate
refusal
John told me never to sell the old
home. and never shall" she declared
IN her broken English.
An agent Of the Jones & Laughlins
company called on Mrs. Lot and told
her that her home would be torn down.
Snatching a bonnet and shawl, the
widow summoned her brother-in-law,
Charles Lot, and left him and the
brood Of dogs in charge of the house.
Then she hurried to the court house
to secure an injunction against the
company.
No sooner had she left her house
than Charles lot was enticed to come
out and he walked over on TO the
property owned by the steel company.
The minute he set foot on It he was
arrested by an officer who was there.
taken to the station house and locked
up on a charge Of ;respass.
Then the horde Of workmen. held In
readiness. swept down the place. The
stockade was torn down as II It had
been made Of matches. and the three
dogs were overpowered and chained.
Then. as # It had been a dolls house,
the home of Mrs. Lot was torn down
by the army Of men and thrown into
the street, together with its contents.
The entire proceeding occupied
lust half an hour. and when Mrs. Lot
returned great steel girders had been
erected where her home had stood.
Che tainted. and when she was brought
back to consciousness. sobbed bitterly,
saving she would not stir from the
place. By main force she was carried
away and taken to the home Of her
son.
A representative Of the steel COM
pany stated that the concern had acted
on the advice OF attorneys. II now
has possession OF the property, and
will. of course. retain it during the
years that the case will drag through
the courts-perhaps permanently as
the longest purse goes so much farther
when litigation Is in order.