The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1914-11-28


tanned in these places contrary 20
their own wish or the wish Of
their parents.
The Washington ID. c. Star,
Of Oct. IL, tells Of the escape Of
Bertha Roberts (lsl, and Rossiie
johnson (l5), from the II. o. g..
s. at 37ih and T streets in that
city the night before. Miss Rob
erts had been in the place for two
years, and Miss JOHNSON for six
months: both long enough TO
prefer anything else.
The newspaper account says
that the police were asked:to look
out for them, so the probability is
that they were caught and taken
back like fugitive negroes in the
good old times "befo' de wah.
Several escapes from this sweat
shop have come 10 public atten-
ton in recent years.
Another recent incident, par
ticularly pathetic was the case Of
Marie Scheben, an inmate of the
II. o q. S. at TT. Thomas, Ky,
who ended her life by means of
poison at that institution on the
morning Of Oct. 81. Her story
is told in the Commercial Trib-
une, of Cincinnati, dated the next
day.
Investigation by the coroner re-
vealed the fact that the girl was
in despair at being separated
from her parents. Whatever the
facts or conditions, il is evident
that she preferred death to hv-
ing in a papal dungeon.
Such are a few Of the escapes,
accidents, and suicides that have
come TO light in the last few
months. How many miseries are
locked up in these walls that
never reach the outside world
How many of these frail flowers
wither under the slaver's lash and
leave these damnable dungeons
in their coffinsi How many
drudge for years before death is
kind enough to bring them relief
Was there ever black slavery
or white slavery, or any other
kind of slavery comparable TO this
for cruelty, immortality and de
fance Of decencyi ,Are you
gentle reader, content to remain
passive, and allow this cold
blooded graft TO go on7 What as
surance have you that your OWL
flesh and blood may not be caught
in the net of the holy slavers anC
be railroaded TO misery and death
through one of these many traps
If there is any manhood, oil
womanhood, or humanity left
/ among the American people, tn,
time has come to assert it anC
stop this illegal, as well as inhu
man, traffic in the lives of Amer
ican girls, There is no occasion
for getting excited and doinI
something rash; but there is /
reasonable demand for immediat,
and efficient action to have tn,
law enforced. And if the law i
not sufficiently comprehensive I,
grapple with this hideous mon
ster, let additional laws be en-
acted to protect American youtl
from this devilish device.
Elsewhere in this paper is III,
draft of a bill requiring inspec
ton of all these walled-in slav,
pens. The first and foremos
work is to have this bill passed il
every state legislature. Don
hesitate, but demand from tn,
members Of the state law-makinI
bodies, from your district tha'
they introduce this bill, or al
equivalent bill, at the earlies
possible moment.
Show them why this bill shoulc
become a law; and don't rest un
til You have their promise to sup
port il with all their might. Civ
them TO understand that furthe
temporizing in this matter vii
not be endured by the patrioti
and liberty-loving people ,of thi
country. Get their promise t
support. the measure in black ant
white, and do not be put off wit
excuses or delays until the Law
provides for official inspection o
all such places as converts an,
Honses of the Good Shepherd, in
cluding an opportunity for in
mates held against their will 4
, secure legal redress.
Moreover, do not allow a mu
nicipal court TO sentence anothe
girl to one of these pest house
i Continued on page 4, Col. ~