Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 92, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1911 — Sells Wife and Children for $1 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Sells Wife and Children for $1

Philadelphia.— According to the story told by Mrs. Mary Ouglsa of 1817 South Lee street, this city, to Magistrate Hughes she and her three children were sold by her husband for 81 to a man who, she declares, has threatened to take her by. force. In broken English she asked that her husband be found and made to support her and the three children whom he had left at bom# to starve. Though the alleged transaction took place some time ago and though the woman repulsed the man who claimed her as his property, she declared that istae was still In fear that he might come forward, now that her husband has disappeared, and force himself into her home. j ..<f. “It was three years ago,” she said, “that my husband sold me. He wanted money for more liquor. He gave me and the children for |l. and 1 didn’t know anything about It When the ■■' it'.'*, . r ■ ' ■ v ' .*4 \

man came to me and said: ‘I will five here, I own you, you belong to ms, I paid for you,’ 1 thought he was cnaxy, I said, ’you won’t live here,’ and I tried to drive him out of the house; then he showed me my marriage certificate and said he had bought me for |l. I snatched It from him, and I have it now where he can’t get it; bat I am afraid.” Magistrate Hughes sent two at his officers to the woman's home to verify her story. The youngsters were huddled together oo the kitchen floor before the stove, which apparently had not had fire In it for days. The baby of nine months was crying, and the other two, Jpe, five, end. George, -a-year or so younger, were gnawing at chips of wood which they had picked up In the street to kindle a fire. There wee not a vestige of food In the house and the children were blue with cold and. h«if starved. In one of the upper rooms the officers fouhd an emaciated boy, Mrs. Gugiaa’s brother, who recently came from Poland, and who is suffering with tuberculosis. Magistrate Hughes provided enough money to buy food for the family tot a few days.