The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-10-22
GIVES FORTUNE TO FIRE VICTIMS
 IN HIS FACTORY
Reed B. Freeman, at Sixty-Six, Starts Life Anew After
 Disbursing $3,OOO,0OO.
THIRTY GIRLS PERISHED
 IN EMIGRATION PLANT
After Prayers for Guidance He Decides on Course and Now Is Happy, Though
 PennileSS.

After paying every creditor dollar
 for dollar and dividing the remainder
 of his fortune for the families of the
 thirty girls killed in the burning of his clothing factory in Binghamton, N. Y, Reed B. Freeman announced
 yesterday that at the age of sixty-six
 years he was starting life anew
 When I went to my clothing fac-
 tory in Binghamton the morning of
 the fre,'' said Mr. Freeman in his lit
 tie furnished room in Walnut street
 South, East Orange, yesterday, q was worth probably s, ,0O0OO0. The world certainly looked fair to me then
 "A few hours later I saw thirty of
 my employees killed and my fortune swept away. As I saw the flames lick up my property and saw the thirty
 bodies spread before me in the morgue resolved that I would use every dol lar possessed for the benefit of those besides myself who had suffered. I realized that my loss was monetary, outside of losing my employees many of whom had been my friends, but
 their families had suffered a loss that could not be measured in dollars and cents.1
 Tears came to the eyes of the aged manufacturer as he spoke of the girls who had been burned to death or killed in leaping from windows of the factory.
 'It is a scene I, do not wish to re- caII,'' he said, "but God knows I have done everything could. For the ben eft of those poor girls families I have made paupers of my own family"
 Several years ago, when MT. Free man was in his New York office, in the New York Life Building, Leonard street and Broadway, he was stricken with typhoid fever and was sent to a hospital in East Orange. His charities in Binghamton and his Chautauqua work made him known to the church workers of East Orange, and they made his conva1escence so pleasant that he then promised himself that if ever he changed his residence from Binghamton it would be to East Or ange. Therefore, after he had settled his affairs in Binghamton after the fire, he went to East Orange, and there is living in a modest boarding house
 q haven't a dollar today he said, ttbut have lots of good friends To- morrow start out as a clothing sales man in New York city, and with my first commissions will send to Bing- harukon for my wife nd our daughter, who is nine years old.
 When | signed a check yesterday for payment of the last claim against me there was a wonderful feeling of relief All that is past now. There is a clean slate and I start out as a. new man. My sixty-six years will be no handicap to me. I feel like twenty six.
 .'I never knew I had so many friends Not only have they given mental so-| lace to me, but I could have drawn upon them for almost any amount. The banks in BinghaInton and several in New York city urged me to rebuild the factory and continue the business, offering to accept my notes for any re- quired sum and. to make the terms my own.
 'But, after that awful tragedy, Il knew never could live in Bingham ton, that if I tried to the scenes would be before me. I was firm in closing out everything and now am sincerely glad did.
 q prayed God earnestly. long and to guide me and I know I did what was right.
 You know I have always been re- lig1ous. come from the old Puritan stock of New England and all my life [ have taken deep interest in church es For many years my Binghamton factory paid me net profit of $2o0, 900 or $300 GOO a year, and most of that money went to build churches of all denominations within a, hundred miles of Bingharnton, to, the r. M. c. A., the E. w. c. A. and to the ChautauQue and 1 other similar uses.''
 MT Freeman was president of the Y. M C. A in Binghamton for many | years, and was Instrumental in the l erection of it's fine building there He also was president of the Carmel Grove Chautauq1a.
 "A few days after the fire took an Invoice of everything I owned said MT. Freeman sI called for bills from all merchants and business houses and banks to whom I was indebted. Then I began the forced sale of all even my home, and began to pay debts Business houses and banks assured me that they were in no hurry, to take nay time and that my credit was good for any Further advances But I paid everything. ' personally ,aIled upon the families Of the girls who had lost their lives. Many ab- solved me from any blame but my .esolution was firm, and what was left of my fortune after paying the debts vent to the relief of those families hat had suffered because of the f1re.''
 MT. Freeman will make his office in is old New York rooms, at Broadway Lnd Leonard street.