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

WI SC LUCK
DespairinE Of obtaining employment
at anything paying more than the
harest living wage. Thomas Rram
VINO smiled" his way to liberty after
seventeen years in the Atlanta Fed
eral Prison; has taken place as shin
ping clark in coffin factory, for $50
month.
Coihcldent with Brams endeavor to
OBTAIN work is the story of his ac-
cuser, Lester H. Monks. Harvard man
scion Of one of Boston's oldest and
"ealthiest families, who is struggling
TO earn his daily bread as a common
laoorer somewhere In the Northwest
II Is doubtful If 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
MS friend Harry NJ. Perkerson, said
no.
Will support him myself before
VIII allow him do that sort Of work at
ms age just because he has served
time in prison" said Mr. Perkerson.
Hopes To make Good
The weeks rolled by and promises
CT employment which looked bright,
faded. Bran discovered an opening
a the coffin factory and insisted upon
taking the place, The remuneration is
tent man for shipping clerk
less than the rate of the average
boarding house in Atlanta. He gets
TO work at $50 o'clock, has half an
-Four Tor lunch and gets away by $50
or in the evening.
Bran has the opportunity of MAX
Ing good in position in which many
lave failed, as the coffin company has
found difficulty in obtaining a compe-
Il am gong to make myself so valu-
able that they will have to pay me
more Bran said.
He commenced work Monday morn
8 and Thursday night was taken
He was too sick to go to work,
II only the remonstrance of a ply
''riau kept him in bed Saturday
I md him at work again.
Can Not Tend Bar.
One position has been offered to
am which he can not accept under
conditions Of his parole. This is
an otter from Harry Silverman to pu:
him in charge of his rathskeller at
pay Of $50 per month and board Mr.
F1rkoison has taken this up with the
nited states Department of Justice
in the effort to have the parole
changed so that Bran may take the
place
During his seventeen years inn
Irisunment Bran was intrusted with
important work by the prison authori-
ties He was regarded as the best
general utility man" among the num-
bered men. His health is unusually
good. His one days Illness this week
is the first he has had in many years.
OF unusual strength. clear eye and
handsome appearance, it is hard to
realize that a man like him should
have trouble in finding work
Strikingly COincident are the words
of his accuser at the famous trial.
From Prince Rupert, B. c., April 4,
1912, Lester Fl. Monks wrote to a
friend in Boston: "A remark many
men have made to me l remember
well: Any man who really desires
employment can readily obtain it,
Well, if anybody says such a thing
to you, please reply that l say, it's
not So
Once Made $4,000 a Year.
Monks was making $25, 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 Buenos Ayres
Of y Tt =
who charged Bran with Staying Cap
tain and Mrs. Charles l. Nash and
Second Mate August Bramberg.
The remarkable thing was that
Bram 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 a Turkish bath
establishment by the kindness of the
man in charge.
In desperation, he assisted in the
week of training third -rate prize
fighters and in one instance acted as
one of the seconds in a fight
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
lar 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 a year to
less than S25 a month.
Twelve years ago to-day I left Bos-
ton for Washington to be married"
he wrote on May Z, 1912. My pros
meets at that time seemed to be bright
and secure, but as the late lamented
Dan DAILY used to say, Now look at
the damn thing.
DoJJooho YTy p77p1o1 IN