Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1909-02-18

likely to be forgotten by those who
have witnessed 1t, was the sale OF men
that took place tonight at the Park
side Church Lenox road and Flat
bush avenue. Brooklyn. There were
800 people to be sold. out of which
two dozen with faces masked. each
designated with a number and de-
scription OF his characteristics and
qualifications, took the platform. They
stood there ready to be sold, asking
to be sold, pleading to be sold. They
modc no high demands. and asked no
price, no but were ready to give their
skill. knowledge, health and powers TO
the man who would promise food and
shelter. They were all. with one
NC,ptiou. young and strong. and mas
ters Of trades. well-built and neatly
dressed.
f. 7. O'Laughlin, the man who had
arranged the sale. acted as auctioneer
and he ordered many of the would-be
SiaN'S No ldht oh tnelr Codts anu uls-
play their muscles and strength. hold
ing profits of the investment. But not
withstanding the fact that the church
was crowded. and that 1000 people
were outside Of the place, who could
not gain admission, the demand for
men was small.
O'LaughIin Explains Sale.
Mr.. o'Laughlin, before bringing the
men on the platform. explained the
conditions that brought him to auction
off human beings. II once obtained
a Job for a friend. who was down and
out" he said. by placing an adver-
tisement that l wanted to sell him.
Since then / got zoe letters IF people
asking that do the same for them
| did not want to do IL. have neither
the time nor ability to give myself to
the task, and | was about TO dismiss
the applicants. But I began to read
the letters. Most of them read. FOR
Gods sake sell me. | have no food
and no place TO sleep"
Many of the writer's" continued
O'Laughlin. stated that they were
crime or suicide. and as 1 read, I be-
gan TO realize in what a social hell we
are living"
II have a wife, and l have a little
baby home. And as ! was reading
the letters to my wife she said, You
must try. something must be done.
Perhaps you can do something for
him-for the one who says he will
Jump into the river-and for those
who have little children, like ours!'
"Fri'rds," continued the speaker.
Il am sick, sick at heart, when think
Of the contents of these letters"
lie brought to the platform a dress
suit case. which he opened and dis
played to the audience. showing 1t to
be full of the letters. He then told
how the task of answering them be-
came impossibility. and how futile
IL would be to take individual action.
He. therefore. advertised for church
in which the auction could be con-
that the advertisement for a church
was inserted for six days, the on'y one
that answered 1t was DR.. john L.
Long. of the Parkside Church.
Ask to BE Put Up First
O'Laughlin told how he had been
asked by the applicants to be put up
first.
IL called a meeting of these first
up men last night in the library of
DIR. Longs church. I have been out
whose hair was verging on the gray.
and I feel that am at last on the
eve OF job
Ills face lit up as he talked. II
was as if the threshold of heaven were
about 10 open TO him. The chance of
job, to labor with his hands, to take
home bread to his wife and little ones.
was the goal toward which he had
been striving for long, weary months.
This Is the nearest I've gotten 10
IT, hc continued, and ! don't want
to bc thrown down now want you
To put me up. I'll strip and show
what finc. strong arms I've got. III
work like a horse, just for the chance
to live. / cant keep this thing up
much longer, III do anything to be
sold first
but there were others who offered
as much or more, one after another
they rose and pleaded to be put up
FIRST
Then one man saio. I'm willing