New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-21
.DEsTITUTION ar THE MINES.
MAGoNs AND PowDERLY TESTIFY.
WHOSE DUTY Is IT TO INVESTIGATES CASES OF con-


a. bens conducted by the Conqress Committee were
asan crowded yesterday with interested listeners COZ
iecfor Magune the first witness Called MS wv
tnspcctors at Castle Garden, he said were not ap
pointed solely detect contractlobo cases. c h%
always contcnded that he had no authority 10 a' U"
any such cases until Informed by tho commissioner
that thcy had detected violations OF the law OH INA
suh,cct The responsibility Of examination and de-
t.ct,on rested solely with the Commissioners On orc
orcason he had asked them 10 investigate the case OF
several Italian stonccutteis who. he hal reason 10
think had been imported under contract They re-
ported TO him writing that no evidence hah peen
found sufficient detsin the men, ana he CONSIDERED
that he had not The right 10 dctan them. Tho Com
mi,scners offer called his attention 90 cases OF con
,r,et labor being imported. Several men had been
returned TO Europe though he did not remember pre-
ciscly under what circumstances lie had no author
ity TO nominate inspectors 10 do the work OF the Com
p,ssioners The law charged them with these duties
General spnola-But the Commissioners have repeat
ely stated before that IL beyond their scope to
defect imported contract labor. A.-That IL question
OF law snd 1 incrpret the law the duty is theirs
Q-The Commissioners maintain however, that when
they investigate contract labor cases ies do so ONLY out OF
courtesy the Secretary VI the Treasury. who has In
vied their cooperation. A.-wen, maintain again
that they must do
o.-Do you always net Immediately upon being notified
by the Commissioners, Always There Is no con.
troversy between the Commissioners and myself
always endeavor them but not TO oppose them
There may differences between US arising out OF
respective interpretations Of what contract labor Is
opinion is meant to cover eases where labor
Is brought emergencies. There IS not ma
chncry enough provided put law In force and differ
always rise where there confusion Of State and
Federal power
Q-Do you have anything to DO with the granting OF
licenses TO ship captains? Ayes
FRAUDULENT NATURALIZATION PAPERS.
Q-IIas Captain Bell ever called your attention to the
practice OF obtaining naturalization papers 10y fraudulent
methodist Ale the names OF two men who,
a. he alleged held bogus papers. took immediate steps
the matter, but discovered foundation
whatever fof the charge.
OF another such brought TO your attention
would you send accused and ask him 10 show yol
his pspersl A-No; should send to the courts to see
the man aturalzed though in ordinary
/ accept papers prma face evidence should
say that there truth in the statements regarding
these false naturalization papers
Q--Yct Key testified that he had assisted in obtaining
naturalization papers by perjury. A-There probably
Truth in his story either
o-But would scarcely testify that he had PEI
iured himself II such were not the fact A.-oh
don't
T. V Powderly General Master Workman of the
Knights of Labor. was examined In regard To the
condition of the work ngneD In the United states
The laboring population OF the country he SAID, was
being cgraded wherever 1t came in contact with
foreign labor. Many thousands were out Of work
throughout the country. At the Eckat Mine In
MARYLAND he had a hundred Hungariais
living In a single shanty. They made their own
Shoes hewing them out Of the trees in the surrounding
woods; slept at night on beds of filthy straw, not
even undressing themselves and lived the poorest
grade OF salt pork and meal Fifteen years ago
all the miners in that section of the country were
thrifty respectable citizens, who owned pretty
cottages and raised families that became credit to
tho country. Now more than half Of the miners were
Of the wretched class he had just described The
Italians who worked In the coal regions OF Pennsyi-
vanis tagged to their destination like so much
merchandise. They were known BY brass cheeks
which they always wore.
At this point Of the examination General spinoa
entered into a discussion of q" trusts" with
MI. Powdery. A member Of the COM
mittee objected, the ground that such
subject irrelevant to the object of the nvestiga-
ton General Spinola, however, continued to express
his opinions until Chairman Ford dryly requested
that the investigation be allowed to proceed Gregory
wcinstcin, a sanitary Inspector was then examined
on tho condition of the Russian and Polish Jews in
this city His testimony In effect the same as
has been given on the stand before regarding this
class of immigrant population
SOME HEARsAY TESTIMONY.
The next witness called William Martin who
said tina. he was a tinsmith and a knight Of Labor
Martin had nothing 10 say that could possibly be
Of any importance 10 the committee. lie had heard,
however and he believed, and he knew other men who
had heard that Mr. Morton had violated the contract
labor law II perfectly evident that
the man had been brought TO the
stand with the purpose Of bringing Mr..
Morton's name into unfavorable prominence. Con-
gresham Cuenther accordingly criticised the witness
severely. after which he dismissed from the
stand General Spnoa, during this examination again
launched into platitudcs but was declared out OF
order. A reporter on The STAR named Curtis then
volunteered to make some statements about the al
legged Importation of labor by Mr.. Morton. Congress
man Guenthsr demanded that he be put under OATH
He testified. that q man named McCrae who was in
tho employ Of Mr. Morton had told him that his
two sisters had been brought to this country under
contract with Mr.. Morton They had several letters
and three kilograms from Mr.. Morton as evidence.
One of them had had $50 a month offered her and
the other S35 Curtis had also and talked with
Forbes, Mr. Morton's gardener, who also had been
brought bore under contract, as we'll as man named
Boyd. Forbes told Mr.. Morton that he would not re-
main in his employ because HIS wages, thirty or
paid TO other gardeners in this country for such ser
him on tho ground that he was under contract. The
man insisted on going away, however
vAGARIEs OF STAR REPORTERS.
Forbes then went 10 florist in New-York City
by tho name of Cownaa and asked him to lend him
$40, which sum he said he owed Mr. Morton for his
passage money. Cownan Endorsed a note for tho
amount, which he supposed, Curtis said, had been
given TO Mr.. Morton. Tho foreman OF William h.
yandcrbilts hot houses had told the witness that
Cownan had complained 10 him that Forbes had made
no payments on tho note. Cowuan had told the
witness that he thought the money had been loaned
10 Forbes by Mr.. Morton. Boyd however had told
tho witness that the money had been advanced for
FOrbes's passage money. 49,
Mr. Cuenther then read the article from Tho
STAR about the italian who had had offered him
to wear Harrison and Morton badge. lie said that
he did not to bring politics into subject which
he felt ought to be lIept free from all partisanshp
1t would seem, however, that this could not be
avoided, owing TO some influence not apparent. He
called attention to the fact that several editorials
had appeared in The star. In regard to tho alleged
brfbinG Of the italian. and that, though the story
bsd been proved beyond doubt to be a malicious
fabrication, The Star" had taken no steps TO ac-
kpowledgc rs falseness. Under such circumstances
he Inclined TO dstrust any reports that might
come from such a paper.
The committee was then adjourned to meet again
day