The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-28
WORKING WOMEN'S WRONGS.
HOW THEY ARE DErRAUpED OF THEIR JUST
DUES.

HOW THEY ARE DErRAUpED OF THEIR JUST
DUES.
Women who are compelled to rely upon the labor Of
their hands or brains, and who the strong
arm OF father brother husband protect them
subjected wrongs and injustice OF which the general
public have little or knowledge. The records OF
that very excellent institution, the Working womens
Protective Union, show this only too plainly. This
Union, which organized in 1868 ito promote the
interests OF who obtain livelihood by employ
ments other household service and especially
provide them with legal protection from the frauds
and impositions of INSCRIPTIONS employers" has
during the past years performed Of
vice to the working women which is not to be lightly
estimated. Ii Is not an uncommon practice for en-
ployers finding that they dispense with the
vices OF their employees. TO discharge them with bal
ance still due them. Indeed some make 1t custom
retain portion Of the weekly stipend anent the
of discharge.
Ono OF the most common frauds practsed upon wo-
men is that well known as the sewing machine
swindc Under the guise OF benevolencs, too ire
Quenty INSCRIPTIONS agents induce the seamsress to
purchase sewing machine, to be paid for in weekly or
monthly instalmen,s least this is the suppositon
of the seamstress. But when the arrangement 10
about to be consummated printed form Is handed her
for her signature, which is bat lease OF machine TO
her at rental OF So per month, while verbal promise
is given that when has paid $l2 more rent, the
machine to become her own property
Relying upon her credulity and her inability to dis
crimipatc between the lease and the verbal promise
the victim entrapped She believes that the money
she is paying per month Is making the machine
securedly her The agent knows full well that ~
one failure TO pay the monthly instalment
falling back upon the lease which the seamstress
has boon induced sign and the character Of which
ste does mt he IN IL al
himself OF that by which she to her livelihood
This may occur and IN has frequently been
tue that the seamsiress has nearly paid Tor tne
mach anu within only one or Two months OF 10
actual ownership
SHE HAS NO REDRESS.
II called agent falls back upon the
printed form, shows that IT merely leased as
So per mouth she says she was paying for tho ma
chnc by instanents and that wheu she hau paid the
full amount asked Tor the machine 1t to become
Ler property. The willy agent asks her Tor written
proof o her statement ana presents tho form
signed by herself Shc cannot coptrovert II So
he takes the machine, but little worn by less
than years USE ana her labor and money are gone
beyond recall The woman Is robbed aud The crafty
agent IS protected Ny the law. THIS Can be called
notnlng moro less than systematic swindle, and
the meanest Kind OF one Al that.
In partially breaking up tus swndle and IN present.
ing tho rascalies their agent 10 the sewing ma
chine companies the Union has done excellent work.
Another form OF this swindle is in inducing tue poor
woman TO purchase machine under the promise OF
keeping her constant until is paid ior In
stead OF paying her Tor tho done all is credited
against the machine, and she Is compelled TO work in
dlrest poverty her machine seized aud her
previous work 60 Tor nothing lnnumcrabe Instances
of this most contemplate swinuing could be gwen
II 1t were necessary The above Is ,ut one OF
the impositions to which working women
subject Since the first OF the year 443 complaints
against employee been presented The Union
redress The majority these cases consist of petty
evasions OF just claims The merest pretext upon
winch TO base dissatisfaction with work performed
upon tor retention OF portion OF the wages
Generally the amounts retained small in the eyes
OF the employer, but sadly large tho eyes OF the
employee necessity increases The worth OF penny
be- yet is true that the most Vi these complaints
made by womes against women. Too often, und- r the
highly moral guise OF INJECTING an alleged deserved
punishment these POOR women are robbed OF their
hardly earned wages. The OF a leading actress
was noticed among the list against seamstress Tor the
making oil theatrical robe, $l9 81. Another Is
tina. OF fashionable mner on Broadway
against a trimmer, the figures standing At
$76 Then there Is distingu sued dressmnker, WIG
has her emporium Broadway, employing some
where tho nrghborhood OF thirty girls. She has
fully u dozen cases nsd against her the collection
book tho oils covering all sums from So up TO $50.
One oil tho shameful frauds ID that Of lace en-
broderer He advertised in the papers Tor pupils
wished to learn Of laceworE, stating that ho
would nbd work vr his scholars soon AZ they were
proficient One poor girl gladly responded TO The ad
vertisement applied TO him for instruction. Ho
agreed teach her thoroughly three four days
for the sum OF SO. ind her work. Shc paid
him the money and began her course OF instruction.
He failed, however, 10 teach her perfectly as he
promised how to operate the machine, alleging thai
. had tIme. The result WAS that ut The end OF
week he had her $40 and her work. anu she
more competent 10 run an embrodering ma.
chino than when she took her hrst lesson. She de-
manded her money, but II refused her. She asked
HIM Tor work, but that also denied. On her COM
plant to the Union that Institution entered suit for
her against him. which Was decided IN her favor and
ne was forced pay the bill, and sherins fees
during that the reporter sat there twenty
complaints filed by Mr. Parsons (tho attorney
employed by the Union) Tor prosecutor. The plaintiffs
all classes OF trade and conditions There
miners, dressmakers, nurses, sovernesses, fur sew
ers and corset Some had largo bills for col
lection, and Others ''wdow's mite, ~ but all cases.
great and small listened to nttentvey, carefully
oited down investigation, and the client each in
turn dismissed with such words OF encouragement
their case demanded. 1t will thus be that the
Working Womcn's Protective Union ~ doing gratu-
itous work which should commend 1t TO all who
charably inclined to those who love justice and who
believe the of the Master, that 1.-The lAborer 10
worthy Of his hire"