The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-08-29
SEMI-W IGEKLY
THE SWEDISH SLAVES.
Conclusion of the Investigation
Into the New Hampshire Case
New England MOnOpOIlsts and Their Sys-
TEN Of SlaVery-Their Brutality and
Meanness Shown the Victims.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 27.-The State De-
partment has about concluded its inves-
tigatiOn of the SuncOck Mill case. This
Is New Hampshire cotton mill, and
some time ago it sent to Sweden for
wOrkingmen. These labOrers were
picked up for the mill by the immigTa
tiOn agent of the Inman line of steamers
and they were not skilled operatives.
The company expected to instruct them
and make them useful. There was no
contract to that effect, but the Swedes in
some way became convinced that they
were expected by the company to pay
their steamship fare. They landed at
Castle Garden, In New York. where they
were met by a SuncOck policeman, and
taken to the village where the cotton
mill is situated. They at once got into
debt to the mill for furniture, and to
two village stores for provisions and
other nece5saries of life. One of these
stores is kept by the mill bOOkkeeper.
The Swedes were unable to pay the
debts contracted, and according to their
own representations, which have been
presented to the State Department by
the Swedish legation, they saw no way
out of their difficulties by remaining in
the employ of the SuncOck mill. They
say that the wages were so low and the
work so uncertain that they could never
employers and their bOOkkeepeT. Three
of the men say that they were offered
better pay in Massachusetts, but they
were told that If they attempted to leave
New Hampshire they would be arrested
for debt, under the statute permitting
the arrest of debtors who are suspected
of being about to leave the State to de-
fraud their creditors. The Swedish Gov
ernment, through its representative
nj Iai in in
cock mill is holding these Swedes as
slaves; that is, they cannot get better
employment in New Hampshire, the law
which prevents their leaving the State
holds them to perpetual servitude to the
employers in whose debt they are. The
men allege that the company was guilty
of great brutality in making the arrests,
and that they were fOrciOly dragged
from their dwellings at midnight, and
otherwise maltTeated.
At first it was supposed that the de-
mand of the company for the passage
money in the absence of a contract,
made a delicate diplomatic question,
and that the Government would be
called upon to at least make informal
representations to the New Hampshire
authorities. The company now, how
ever, profess that this claim was based
on moral, and not on legal grounds, and
the furniture and goods at the stores. A
charge is made by the company that the
three men were drunken and idle. The
Swedish Minister asks if the industrious
who can never earn enough to pay their
debts at the mill, must suffer for the
worthless, and insists that all are in
timidated and prevented by the abuse of
the statute from leaving New Hamp-
shire for the purpose of lettering their
condition. The report to the Depart
ment made by the Governor and AttOr-
ney General of the State, will probably
be accepted by the State Department as
precluding the United States from tax
ing any action, the Offense, if there be
any, being against State laws. The De-
partment says that of thousand Swedes
taken to New England in this way none
have complained except these three.
The Swedish Minister admits this, but
insists that his charges against the Sun
cock mill are true, and that they are
supported by an agent whom he has sent
to examine them.