Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-22
WHITE SLAVE TRADE.

following facts:
WRONGS OF ITALIAN CHILDREN.
The most startling disclosure which has
grown out of the large emigration from
Italy is the fact that children are purchased
| from their parents aud brought to this
| country 10 earn q living for their owners.
| The multitude Of miserable little wretches
who daily and nightly patrol the streets,
| annoy the passengers on the ferries, sur
| round the doors u heaters and lecture
halls, belong to THU class.
HOMES IN ITALY.
In the Southern part Of Italy many Of the
peasantry are below the Intelligence of the
BedouiDs. They su6sist upon the scanty
growth of partly cultivated farms and raise
barely enough to carry them through the
| year. This is especially true Of the dwell
lers In the vicinity of the villages Of Mar
sicovettere, Lacorenzans, Caleello, and Cor
letto-sn within radius Of 100 miles from
Naples.
Agents 90 out from New York about
once year and visit these neighborhoods.
Their stories of the great prospects which
sre offered to the young in America are
poured into the ears OF the peasants and
ignorant villagers. After the subject has
been somewhat agitAted the agent becomes
more explicit.
He approaches the father Of family, aud
after Commenting upon the beauty of his
children, tells the infatuated parent that bis
BOYS sshould be sent At once to America,
where they must in time become rich."
'There are no poor in America" "The
children should go when young, so that they
may grow up with the people and the bet
ter acquire the language" "None are too
young or too old TO 60 to America"
Such are few of the arCifces adopted to
induce the parents to entertain favorsbly
the unnatural proposition which the agent
next makes. The father, finally convinced,
stamners out regret thai poverty prevents
him from going to this FL Dorado or from
sending his children thither.
The agent then offers to take the children
to America, and to pay $40 or $50 to the
father upon bis signing an indenture abAn-
doning all claims upon them. Often the |
agent promises the parent 500 at the end |
Of one year, and so defrauds him out Of his |
Infamous 'head-money." Instances have |
come to the knowledge Of lawyer In this |
city where three small children were thus |
indentured for four years. service for 500 |
After the AGENT has collected sufficient |
number of children they are all supplied |
with musical instruments, and the trip, on |
foot through Switzerland and France be- |
gins. They are geneEsly shipped to Genoa,
and often to Msrseiles, and accomplish |
the remainder Of the journey to HaVTe or |
Galais by easy stages from village TO VII |
lage.
thus they become paying investment |
from the beginning. This journey occupies |
the greater portion of the summer months, |
and after long trip in the steersge Of
sailing vessel the unfortunate children land |
at Castle Garden. As the parents never |
hear from them again they do not know
whether they are doing well or not.
homes IN NEW YORK.
After passing through Castle Garden, |
they are at once transferred to Baxter, |
Crosby, Thompson, Elm, Elizabeth and |
Park streets, where their life of slavery be- /
gins In earnest. A Tribune repo' ter yester-
day made tour throu.h the dreary lodg- /
ing-houses. Nos. 35, 45, Al and So Crosby |
street, Nos. u and "a Thompson street,
and several tenemefs in Elizabeth street,
between Broome and Spring streets, were /
visited. A complete descrip ion OF No. 45
Crosby street aud Of the great tenement In |
the rear is here introduced.
The building which bears the number is
an old-fashioned brick house which at one |
time was painted white. Ascending flight
of stone steps, the reporter entered q dirty |
hall way leading to porch at the rear.
stairway at one side Of the hall gave |
access to the second story and attic. whence
two gsunt, unshayen men, wrapped in |
cloaks, descended, suspiclously inspecting
the reporter At every step. The porch at
the reaT OF the building looked out upon a
small court, and beyond high bosrd fence
tall tenement, apparently teeming with
life, rose to such blight as absolutely to
shut out what little sunlight would have
punctured through the murky atmosphere.
AS the reporter stood on the porch re-
garding the building, he noticed through q
window at his right q very strange scene.
Around the sides of a small room, IN the
front bull ling, children to the number Of
about twenty were ranged, and in the CEN
ter of this circle was an old hAg, crouched
upon her knees.
She was engaged in s strange course Of
which she was giving to the
dirty-faced boys and girls. AS each was
called, he or she stepped up to the woman,
and received something-perhaps penny
which was al once returned. The right
hand was always employed by the children,
and their manner was both attentive and
One luckless urchin, Of perhaps years,
did not perform the tedious lesson proper
ly, for as the gift was returned he received
from the woman stout blow on the ear.
The boy did not appear to be even sur
prised. Another child was called up to the
hag and the game, or lesson in begging, or
whatever it may have been, was proceeding
-Anr, 10 e |
strange group discovered the visitor, and,
Instantly rising, came to the window, and
froWIed upon him so savagely that be at
once returned through the hall to The street,
Determined, however, to go through the
large tenement, the visitor entered . low
corridor which runs between the buildings
No. 45 and No. Al Crosby street, and after
wading through filth and muddy water
reached the open court in the rear. Here
be met children who approached and rub
bed sgainst him.
From every room proceeded the diseord-
ant sounds OF viOlius in childish hands.
The building was only 25 feet in depth,
and there were four rooms on each floor.
In this house resides Nicholla Negro. In
the first room on the left, 10 by Y, we're
auartered man, wife, and several child |
ren. Ascending to the second floor by Q |
slippery stairway, which was almost spiral,
the visitor saw a school OF young musicians
in sfront room. The music teacher was
playing out Of time, upon 3 black violin,
aud several urchins, furnished with the
same Instrument, were Vainly trying to fol-
low him. The discQrd was something to
be speedily forgotten. The Railways were
full Of children, snd as the visitor climbed
10 the next floor he again encountered the
music Of tuneless hGTps and cracked VIC
liDs.
From this floor until the fifth story of
that damp, dirty and wretched tenement
was reached, the scene was the same.
These are the homes to which the Italian
children are brought.
A DREADFUL ACCIDEGT.