Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-06
SENT INTO SLAVERY.
Ten Hungarians Make Serious Charg,
Against New York Firm.

~AA NAahG u OhaFRC
Against New York Firm.
The steamship Cienfuegos, of Wards
line, which arrived yesterday from Glen
fuegos, says the New York Times of the
3D. inst, brought the ten Hungarian immi-
grants who were induced, it is said, by
false representations, to sign contracts
which they did not understand, and were
taken to Cuba, where they were held prac-
tically as slaves. Upon the arrival of the
steamship at this port the Hungarians
were sent to Castle Garden, where they
will remain until suitable employment is
found for them. Their names are Carl
Maiski, JOhan Walwik, Leopold Knappa,
Gabriel Wysocki. Matthias ZabOwski,
Leon ZabOwitZ, Joseph ZableZyk. Ludwig
Lugazik, Walanty Grusgkas and Andreas
kOZen. Two or three of them had been
in this country two years or more before
they were sent to Cuba, but others landed
only a few days prior to their signing the
contracts. Two came from Austria, but
the others were of Polish origin.
These men were induced bv a clerk
named August to visit the employment
agency of Zander & Myers, at No. 16
Greenwich street. The men were shown
contracts-which the agent pretended to
read to them-purpOrting to bind them to
work on farm within one days sail of
New York. They were told that the place
could be reached In three hours by rail.
but the fare was cheaper by water. They
were to receive $40 each for the first
month, but afterward their wages would
be raised. Upon these assurances the
men signed the contracts, which were in
Spanish, and which bound them to serve
several years in Cuba. About December
. last they went on board one Ofthe Ward
Line steamships, aud were two or three
days out before they discovered that they
were being carried to Cuba.
Upon being landed at Cienfuegos the
deceived immigrants were taken inland
number of miles to plantation known as
YugO Leguerit0 ROdas. There they were
set at work cultiYating tobacco and sugar.
They say they were obliged to work from
4 a. IN. to p. m. each day, with three half
hours allowed them for meals. Their
food was Of very poor description. The
meat was so bad that they could not eat
it. At night the men were kept in a small
hut, and for the first month they were
obliged to sleep on the floor, which con-
sisted Of rough boards. The first Sunday
they were ordered to go to work, Carl
Malski refused to work on SUNDAYS and
was placed in stocks and beaten. The
others, seeing this treatment, were fright
ened into copsenting to work. The
proprietor of the plantation, whose
name 1s'He was UOgtesOiO, cdiieu III
file of Spanish soldiers, and after
Malski had again been beaten he con-
sented to work. A few days afterward he
was taken sick with fever. but was beaten
and forced to 90 on with his task. Some
of the others were taken sick, but were
also obliged to work. After a while the
American Consul at CienfuegOs investi-
gated the case, and the men were set at
liberty. They were paid $40 month for
their services, but each one was obliged
to give $25 of his wages for passage to New
York. Several of the Emigration Com
missiOners visited the Garden yesterday,
and were shown affidavits which had been
made by the liberated immigrants. They
were very indignant, and directed that
the matter should be laid before the Mayor
with view to breaking the license of
Zander q Myers, and having these agents
further punished.