Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-27
BRAN FORCED To
TAKE HUMBLE
POSITION
Clerks in Coffin Factory at $50 q
Month-His Accuser in Even
Worse Luck.

DespairinG of obtaining employment
at anything paying more than the
barest living wage. Thomas Bran,
who Smiled" his way to liberty after
seventeen years In the Atlanta Fed
eral Prison. has taken a place as ship
ping clark in a coffin factory, for $50
"A month
Coincident with Bram's endeavor to
obtain work is the story of his ac-
cuser, Lester II. Monks. Harvard man,
scion of one OF Boston's oldest and
wealthiest families, who is struggling
TO earn his daily bread as a common
laborer somewhere in the Northwest.
IT is doubtful II any down and
out" man who ever trod the streets
Of Atlanta searched harder for work
than Bran. One man offered him a
place as day laborer to shovel coal
Bran was for taking the place. but
his friend, Harry NJ. Perkerson, said
no
Hopes To make Good"
The weeks rolled by and promises
cf employment which looked bright.
saded. Bran discovered an opening
at the coffin factory and insisted upon
taking the place. The remuneration Is
less than the rate of the average
boarding house in Atlanta. He gets
to work at 6:3C o'clock, has half an
hour for lunch and gets away by $50
or in the evening.
Bran has the opportunity of max
Ing good In a position In which many
have failed, as the coffin COMPANY has
found difficulty in obtaining a compe-
tent man for shipping clerk.
Il am going to make myself so valu-
able that they will have 20 pay me
more" Bran said.
He commenced work Monday morn
ing and Thursday night was taken
ILL., He was too sick to 20 to work.
but only the remembrance Of a ply
stefan kept him in bed Saturday
found him at work again.
One position has been offered to
Bran which he can not accept under
the conditions of his parole This is
an offer from Harry Sllverman to pu'
him in charge OF his rathskeller at
pay OF $50 per month and board. Mr.
Perkerson has taken this up with the
United States Department Of Justice
in the effort to have the parole
changed so that Bran may take the
place.
Strlkingly coincident are the words
OF his accuser at the famous trial.
From Prince Rupert, b. c., April 4.
1912, Lester II Monks wrote to a
friend in Boston: "A remark many
men have made to me | remember
well; Any man who really desires
employment can readily obtain it
Well, II anybody says such thing
to you. please reply that l say, It's
not So"
Once Made $4,000 a Year.
Monks was making $685. 900 a year
in the coal business when reverses
stranded him. He was a passenger
on the Inflated Herbert Fuller, his
family starting him to Buonos Ayres
on account OF his health. 1t was he
who charged Bran with staying Cap
tain and Mrs. Charles l. Nash and
Second Mate August Bramberg.
The remarkable thing was that
Bran ordered irons put upon himself
though denying the charge, and gave
the instructions to the crew which
turned the ship about and brought
them to port In Halifax, n. s.
When reverses came Monks bid his
wife and children farewell and wen'
TO the West. He landed in Seattle
with $3.50 and only the clothes ne
wore. The former Beau Brummel of
Boston society slept in Turkish bath
establishment by the kindness of the
man in charge.
Went Without Hat.
The only work he could find was
that OF a common laborer, and that
was SO scarce he often went for days
without food. The last heard of him
was August IS, 1912, from Camp 26-A,
Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad, in the
TAR Northwest
At that time he did not possess a
hat, and had not worn one for three
months. He described himself as be-
ing a bit reConciled to his lot, though
the drop was from $4,000 year to
less than $25 a month.
Twelve years ago to-day left Bos-
ton for Washington to be married. p"
he wrote on May I, 1912. My pros
poets at that time seemed to be bright
and secure, but as the late lamente1
Dan DAILY used to say, Now look at
the damn thing"