The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-09
KARL FRIEDRICH A
THORN TO AsTORS
Have Helped Him with Employ
ment, but He and Son Re-
fuse to Work.

New York, Feb. 9.-Pathetie ac-
counts have been printed from time to
time Of the poverty of the family of
Karl Friedrich Astor, who claims to be
Aston and William Waldorf Astor, the
most recent appearing a few days ago
when the family was dispossessed after
appealing in vain to its multimillion-
aire cousins for aid.
With a father who showed some evil
dences of refnement, mother who
appeared to be failing with consump-
leg, and sunny-haired, blue-eyed, smil-
ing little girl of 8 years, the situation
seemed one where sympathy and money
could be well applied. But people who
know Karl Friedrich say that this is
not so, that many times he and his son
have refused to work when work was
offered them.
The wealthy Astors or the charity
organizations have obtained work for
Karl Friedrich and his son, but they
have given UP the positions almost i'm
mediately, and in some instances have
not accepted them at ALL
Thorn to Astors.
"These people have been thorn in
said charity worker outside the
Charity Organization society, 'tand
their father, Ludwig Astor, Kept up
his continual bombardment of the
Astors before them. They think that
because their name is Astor they need
not work. When Karl Friedrich ap-
peadel to Colonel John Jacob Astor'S
turned away and requested never to
come back. The only form of aid JUS
| tifable in the mans case is employ
| ment, and as he does not seem to take
the employment that has been offered
to him, giving or advising other aid is
"Being dispossessed and refused
aims at one and the same time will
probably be the best thing that ever
| happened to Karl Friedrich. 1t will
summons his manhood, if he has any,
/ and compel him to realize that every
work.
The action of Colonel Astor's agent
! was based partly on the experience Of
the Charity Organization society. The
/ records OF the society are not open to
public inspection, but here are a few
incidents which would be found in its
account of the Astors:
The society has known the family
for nearly eight years and has had uni
form ill>success in trying to get it to
help itself.
In l9Ul the society obtained a posi-
ton for Karl Friedrich at $40 month.
Karl Friedrich kept it for one day.
Worked Five Minutes. {
In January, 1905, Karl Friedrich
again came to the society for help and
was given letter to a firm which
wanted a man to make small packing
cases at from $12 to $40 a week. The
society also gave him $40 with which
to redeem his tools from pawn and pay
his back rent. He got his tools out
and paid his rent, but he only stayed
at the job five minutes, declaring thai
it was '.suieide to work SO hard fol
SO ittle.''
In the early part of the present
month Mrs. Aston came to the so
ciety's office and said that her hus
band had been out of work for thre'
weeks: The society gave her an ad
dress in Hoboken where Karl Friedrich
could get 8. good position at Twin;
wages, and in order to tide him owe
the first week, they gave Mrs. Asto
! several dollars to pay his carfare AM
incidental expenses. Karl Friedrich
did not go to Hoboken at all, and h.
spent the money for other things.
The son, William Waldorf, who's.
only disability is that he has only on,
leg, was put to work in a tobacco fac
tory last year, but quit without suffi
cient reason.
The society maintains shelters fo
the homeless poor. There has neve
been a time when Karl Friedrich I
family could not have obtained fooi
and shelter for the night by making
! annlication