The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-06-20

FRAUDS on ENGRANTs-THE COMMISSIONERS OF
EMIGRATION. MISUNDERSTANDING that several enact
ments have been passed by our Legislature, for
the purpose ofproec,ing emigrants arriving at this
port, from Observation-Disclosures that societies
have been organized for their protection from the
runners and forwarders along the docks-we under
stand that those unfortunate strangers are fire.
quently the victims of vany and fraud as they
ever were, and that but very few ofthem escape
the nets and snares which are laid for them by
evil designing persons, connected, directly or in
directly, with the passenger trade. No sooner
does a ship arrive at Quarantine with cmigrants,
than she is boarded by set of runners connected
with boarding houses and passenger offices, who
actually take violent possession of the emgrants,
as well as their baggage-take them, on their land
ing, to fraudulent and spurious protective societies
and boarding houses, where they swindle them
out of all they possess in the world, and frequently
beat, and otherwise mal-use them besides. In
this way thousands of emigrants are deprived of
the little stock of money which they intended
for defrayng their expenses TO the Western States.
We have heard of several cases, recently, of
positive fraud and swindling, which cry aloud for
redress, and in which poor families have been
cheated out Of every dollar they possessed, and
thrown on the cold charity of our citizens, the VIC
Tins of abuses which they tolerate. We are salts
fed that this is one of the causes Of our aims
houses beng full of foreigners. On their ar
rival in this, to them, strange country, without a
friend TO counsel or advise them, they fall into the
hands of runners and sharks. who deceive them in
every possible way, and never leave them as long
as they have dollar. The last dollar of ,hoir
money being gone, and not knowing where or how
TO apply for labor, hunger compels them to seek
the almshouse, where they become charge TO
the city. We have frequently referred to this sub
ject, and have advised all emigrants to seek
he protection Of the several benevolent societies,
or that of the consuls Of the nations which they
have left; but our advice and warnings have been
prevented from reaching them by those whose in
terest II is 10 keep IL from them. We now again
say that emigrants should not listen to any one or
give ear 10 his advice, unless he be the regular
recognised agent Of some emgrant society here
The British Protective Emigrant Society have
an Office in Greenwich street, where there is an
agent for the express purpose of protecting emf
grants, giving them advice and forwarding them to
their places of destination in the States or to
the Canadas. All emgrants from the British
islands should 60 to this place Immediately on their
arrival, If they wish to avoid deception, fraud and
swndlng.
We much fear that the Commissioners OF Emigra-
ton are somewhat to blame for these continued
frauds on the poor emgrants. Webope they are not
using their Offices for political purposes, have
frequently surmised. II part Of their duty to warn
the emgrant arriving on our shores against the
Tricks Of the sharks and pirates who lie in wait for
him, ready to swndle him Of his little stock Of
money az soon as he lands For some purpose
or other, they never mention some Of those soci-
ties which have been formed for the protection of
strangers-but instead Of doing so allow, those
unfortunate people TO be made the dupes of the
knaves who infest our docks and wharves. We
are informed that there are some concerns in this
city who pay much as fifteen hundred dollars
week TO runners alone. Ii is evident that If the
business Of forwarding emigrants into the interior
was conducted on honorable principles, they could
not afford TO pay this immense outlay TO per-
sons who do nothing more than secure the emf
grants for their employers. Why DO not the Com
missioners Of Emigration look into the matter
They cannot but be aware of the way in which
emigrants are swndled; and why do they not
recommend those poor people to seek the advice o.
the British Protective Emigrant Society, or the
ofha