Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-31
IMMIGRATION INVESTIGATION.
Scotch Granite Cutters Imported to Work
on the Texas Capitol Building.

NEW YORK, July 3O-The house commit
tee which is Investigating immigration
called John B. D yer, secretary of the Gran
ite Cutters National union, to the stand
today. He is native of England but has
been in this country eighteen years He
knew of stone cutters having been brought
over under contract to work. He said that
one George Berry, acting for Gus Wilkee,
the contractor employed by the syndicate
TO build the new state capitol at Austin,
Tex, had brought over number of stone
cutters under contract to work on that job.
Witness had received information they
were coming and met them at Castle Car
den. and three Of them were taken before
the United States district attorney, but
that be refused to act and were allowed to
go TO Austin. Mr.. Dyer presented to the
committee an affidavit that Charles Fal-
coner, one of the party, who says that
Berry engaged him and number Of others
at Aberdeen, Scotland, TO come over here
and work on the Austin capitol, he adj
vanclng IS los of the passage money. Sey
enty-eight Of them came over and fifty-five
went to Texas. They came over in April,
1856
Bobert Maitland, another native Of Aber
deem, made similar affidavit, which Mr..
Dyer presented TO the committee. Accom-
panying Matland's affidavit was the fol-
lowing printed circular which he said
had been given him by Berry in Aberdeen:
AUSTIN, TEX, July IL, 1886.
To the stone cutters Of Aberdeep-Ihls
certiiies that Mr.. George Berry is in my
employ, constructing the capitol building,
state OF Texas and that be is fully author
lied to engage and hire $50 granite cutters
and bring the same to Austin, Tex, to
cut granite for tie capitol building AZ
the bill of prices named below. Payments
on this Work are made on the fifteenth day
of each month for all the work done in the
month preceding. It will require eighteen
months Of steady granite cutting to cut
stone to complete this building. Black
smiths are also needed in this work and,
their pay is 20 cents per hour, or s. per day
of ten hours. Each blacksmith sharpens
tools for fifteen cutters. The fare for pass
age pad by me is expected to be returned
out of earnings made By cutting by the
men to whom fare is advanced.
GUS WILKEE Contractor,
Capitol Building.
A large printed card, consigning Robert
Maitland 10 G. Wilkee, Austin, Tex, and
another circular also accompanied the affi-
davit. The second circular contained a
printed certificate, SlSncu ny UuS w IlhSe,
that board and lodging at Bur
nett. where the stone yard was situated,
was from SIC to so month. Another page
set forth, over Wilkes signature, the fol-
lowing bill at prices for labor at Austin.
Beds and joints per superficial foot %
cents; one inch drafts PEI linal foot l2
cents; five inch cut work per superficial
foot 10 cents; eight inch 80 cents and 1
mouldings per member per hnal foot 30
cents.
The circular stated that fair workman
does earn at these prices * per day, hiie |
a fast man earns s. per day. Mr.. Dyer |
stated that when he found he could not !
stop the men here, he notified the Knights !
of Labor at Austin, and they now have =
suit pending III the United States court |
against the capitol syndicate under the /
contract labor law. Witness said that the |
government furnished the contractors con-
Wet labor to quarry the stone, and that |
the granite cutters were asked by the |
1uarrymen not to cut granite which was |
1uarried by convict labor, and then VIII |
kee sent over Scotland for these men. !
He said Senator Farweh was the chief |
man of the syndicate. and that Wilkee !
himself as actitg for the syndi- !
cate. Witness would not swear that Sena- |
tor Farwell knew of Wilkes action in /
importing this contract labor. The state |
Df Texas gave the syndicate 100000 acres |
Of land and the labor of 500 convictS