The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-24

gIkUhkANAtLAi N'l ShAesNl 80
RditorS lntslligsnosE.
In behalf OF q very large number Of
Workingmen in the States Of Ohio and In
diana who have been, as they think,
greatly wronged by few men in your
city for want Of proper legislation, de-
sire through your paper to call the atten-
tlon Of the Legislature now in session in
your city to the wrong Of which they COM
plain and the magnitude OF It: =,
These men are In the employ OF rail-
road company,by reason whereof 1urisdic,,
ton Is obtained to gaTnishee the wsgea oil
men who never were In West Virginia,
never contracted any liability in said State
and who would have a complete defense
II sued in Ohio or Indiana where any
liability was incurred, but simply because
the railroad company passes through the
Stata OF West Virginia by it's road and is
therefore compelled TO employ agents 10
West Virginia, such Jurisdiction is OBJ
tanned OF these woTkingmen's wages as 70
enable 0 suit to be brought in wheeling
In Ohio the wages Of laboring man 10
the extent Of $3.50, is exempt, II necessary
for the support Of his family and Tor q
period Of Cd days from the time 1t Is earned;
Ia Indiana earnings 10 the amount Of
$50 Is exempt for the protection OF MS
family and this no matter whether res
ident OF Ohio or Indiana or elsewhere.
hence, when necessary for the support Of
his family, as hereinbetOTe stated, are ex'
empt from process, but In West Virginia
such has not been the case, and by reason
thereof business has grown up which
can be well illustrated by showing what
one man alone has done the last year
against the employees OF one railroad COM
pany, The company to which refer 10
The P. @. & 81. l.. Railroad Company, and
the person to whom refer Is one g. o,
Smith. .u.
Beginning with March; 1880, find that
In that month G. o. Smith brought suits
against twenty Of the class Of persons re-
ferred 10.
torty.seven cases.
In May, G, o, Smith Is plaintiff in nine.
teen cases.
In June, G. o. Smith is plaintiff in
twenty'seven cases.
In July, G. O. Smith Is plaintiff in
tWenty.four cases.
In August, G. o. Smith is plaintiff in
iorty.nine cases.
In September, 1880, G. o. Smith Is
plaintiff In sixty.seyen cases.
In October, g. o, Smith Is plaintiff
against twentY.one oil said employees.
In November q. 0. Smith Is plaintiff
against forty.one.
In December, g. o, Smith Is piaiutitF in
twenty.eight cases.
In January, 1881, G. o. Smith com.
menCes the new year by suing thirty six
Of these unfortunate men, and In this
present month, so far as have come to my
knowledge, he has appeared 90 plaintiff In
nineteen cases.
II will thus be seen that G. o. Smith
has brought suit within one year against
three hundred and ninetY.eight Of these
Workingmen who render services for one
railroad company, all employed in other
States, and every dollar Of debt, II they
owe any OF these claims, contracted In
other States, and the parties to the trans.
action who ought TO be plaintiff aud de.
PENDANT both residing In the same neigh
borhood.
II cannot, therefore, fail to be apparent
10 every fair minded man that every one
OF these three hundred and ninety.eight
cases should have been adjusted where
the parties reside.
These claims are gathered up by the
men engaged In this highlyrespectable bus.
mess, advertising claims against railroad
employees OF such points as large numbers
Of men are employed, such as Dennison,
Columbus, Cincinnati and Bradford, Ohio,
Richmond, Logansport and indianapolis,
Indiana.
In some OF these places from 500 TO 1000
men are employed, and among them q
considerable number can be found who
either In fact owe, or parties with whom
they have dealt claim they owe small sums.
In many OF these instances little balance
on account is claimed, and In dispute OF.
ten one, two or three dollars OF debt and
nine or ten oil cost. OF course these men
can not 20 hundreds oil miles to defend,
but they must submit 10 whatever q. D.
Smith makes oath they owe him, and he
does make this oath, although he never
saw the defendant, although he never sold
him one cents worth oil anything, never
knew the man and never knew Of any
transaction with him.
I have taken the case Of G. o. Smith 10
illustrate this business, because he is thus
for the largest dealer In this business, and
AJAX the publication oil the foregoing in
your paper that the Legislature, now In
session In your city, may have some idea
Of the extent TO which this business is
carried on, hoping they will find a remedy
such as its Importance demands.
Yours truly,
J; DUNBAR,