The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-15

The telegraph wires of late as well as the
columns of the New York press, have given
us inklings and strange developments of
the traffic and slavery of Italian children
which is being INDUCED in by the padroni
of Italy in the United States The matter
is one that calls upon humanity for serious
attention and already measures have been
taken for the Suppression of this infamous
and inhuman business. 1t appears that
these children employ themselves in the
larger cities of the Union as harpers and
violinsts and from reliable sources it has
been found that some 1000 of these waits
are now in this country. During the three
months ending June Both last, 3l7 of these
Italian children all below the age of twelve
arrived at New York. They are taken I'M
der charge of these padrones and made to
work for them, in return for which labor
they are most inhumanly treated.
A distinguished Italian, Capt. Moreno,
who IS now in this country has taken a
deep interest in these waits from his native
lamp and has done much to ameliorate their
condition A short time since he addressed
letter to the editor of the Ne,cs at New
staying, in which he took occasion TO re-
mark severely upon the course of the min
lister in regard to these children, who in
stead of attending to them and protecting
them from torture was lollng in the luxu
gbNurhRent Gdls; 'j passed law afflxing scy.
ere penalties to the traffic in children and
instructed representatives abroad to stor
the importation of them. The Italian con.
sul-gencral at New York claims to have
done all he could to stop the traffic while
in reality he has done nothing. Capt. Mo-
reno has applied TO the Italian government
to have this general removed but az vet
to no purpose.
The recent legal actions have frightened
some of the padroni, and one of them re-
Gently left for Canada, taking twenty-onc
children with him. These padron have
agents in all parts of this country and of
Italy. They themselves live in idle dissi-
patton and do nothing seemingly but abuse
and ill-treat the children. The latter are
provided with no food but are forced to
pick up crumbs as well as pennies. They
are taught to work on the religious feel
ings OF servant girls by making the sign
of the cross when begging for bread. The
children nil liant at io1, 10,
unfinished filthy room, where they get
their sleep in the rags that cover them.
The amount Of money exacted from each
of these little musicians averages seventy
five cents day, and when they fail to
bring thebrequired amount to the padroni
at night, they are most numerically
beaten.
The hands of the infants are tied toge-
Their and then they are beaten in various
ways; sometimes they are tied up with
their heads down, whipped; and then some
times the soles of their feet are rapped
othertimes they are stripped and bitten in
various parts of the flesh or pinched with
forceps.
The official documents show that this in
famous industry is carried on upon vast
scale and has its branches and agents all
over the world. The late suit against
Nicenzo Motto, in New York, failed for
want of evidence, but yet it revealed as
founding facts. The three little boys I'M
der his charge were taken care of by MAYOR
Havemayer, and will probably be sent back
to Italy.
The whole business is one that must ere
long be fully ferreted out and these vile
offenders of every law of justice and hu-
mainly be brought to speedy and deserved
retribution May that time soon come.