Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-07-28
1eIIinggTheir0VnStory g
Immigrants Testify Before the
 Special Commission.
WHY THEY FLOCK TO AMERICA.

and Find Plenty of Work Here-SOld
 singly and in Droves Like Cattle.
 NEW YORK, July cS-The special con- gressional committee continued it's inquiry into the methods of immigration agents
 President Roberto Marzo, of the Italian Immigrant society, resumed his seat in the witness stand soon as the committee was ready for business. In accordance with his promise Mir. Marzo produced . list of the bosses. with whom he was acquainted, who hire out Italian laborers to railroad com panies and others, and afterward systemati- caNy swindle the laborers. Chairman Ford made very careful examination of the names.
 II notice" said he, ''that you have marked some of these names with g cross. What does that meanF'
 "They are names of men against whom a large number of charges have come to my ears"
 And others have double cross Are those villains of double dyem
 "They are"
 Mir. Ford then inquired whether these bosses were financially responsible.
 "Nearly all are responsible" replied MT. Marzo, land some of them are very rich"
 "How do these men operate7n inquired Mr. Ford.
 ''They charge the immigrants 8 commis- sion for obtaining work for them Some times when the men go 10 the places named they find no vacancy. At other times a boss will let out an entire party of laborers to another boss"
 Mir. Marzo further testified that he felt confident that 75 per cent. of the Italian laborers who came to this country were out of work. He thought the prepaid passage iolya lnr increasing Italian immigration.
 To Congressman Oates NIT. Marzo said the wages for farm hands in Italy were from thirtyeight to forty cents per day and three htres of wine, and that they could live comfortably. The Italians who come here and get work, continued the witness save money, notwithstanding the great amount they have to pay to tho contractors. When they get $1OO to $2o0 together they send it home. Five hundred or 1000 francs is & fortune in an Italian village, and naturally causes a desire to emigrate among the people, who see one of their returned countrymen has grown so wealthy.
 Mir. Marzo was followed by an immigrant named Francisco Zapponi.
 Zapponi said he landed in New York on May 6 on the steamer Olivia. He said that he came from the province of Benavento, and that that is within eight hours ride by rail from Naples, but he could not tell whether that was ln northern or southern Itafy
 He was persuaded to come here by a man who had visited his village in search of labor CTS to go to America. In Italy he was en- ployed as mule driver. He earned from thirty to forty cents per day during nine months of the year. His average all the year round was about twenty-five cents per day, He had wife and family, and it was very hard for them to live Zapponi did not make up his mind to come to America until two weeks before he started. His determination was formed on the glowing picture that was held up to his gaze by one Nicholas Bartoni, alias Bichi, who visited Zapponi's village from Marabello, three miles away Bartoni dropped down on to Zapponis town in a quiet way, and ill an even Quieter way sought out the men of the place and told them that if they would go to America they could earn seven and one-half francs (S1. 5O1 a day Bartoni said that he had made up two parties who had gone to New York, one of them being composed of twenty men, and they were all making plenty of money in the new world. Alter several interviews twenty three inhabitants agreed to start, Bartoni having agreed to put them in the way of re- ceiving their passage for IA francs Zap poni sold his mule for no francs to help raise the necessary sum.
 He reached New York with about thirty francs in his pocket He saw some men on landing who promised to find work for him for a bonus of $2 or B. He would have given that if he could have obtained work at once, but he could not, nor has he received employment since To-day he is without a cent in his pocket, and is supported by ! benevolent societies. Zapponi said his family ! were keeping themselves alive upon Indian corn that they raised. Fifteen of his com- panions who came here were also out of work Zapponi said he would work for seventy ! five cents day, and if he did not get work ! soon he would take fifty cents. If he was \ working steadily he would not spend more \ than twenty-five cents day for food and ! lodging for himself. He would not live very
 well on that amount, but he would live pretty we'll He would, perha g, have little beer once a week. He would not spend more if he earned $l. 50 day.
 Zapponl had twenty nine francs and ninety \ centimes when he landed at Castle Garden He received for this, he testified, $4 30 in \ American money. He should have received e little over $6 As somebody had evidently perpstrated a petty swindle Congressman Morrow examined the witness closely. He ' said he got ticket when the money was ! changed. He thought he had that ticket at ! home, and he was directed to bring it to the ! committee in the afternoon. He spent no ! money on board, and did not pay anything at Castle Garden for carrying his baggage, "because he carried that himself on his \ shoulder"
 Zapponi had no idea of becoming & cit izen of this country when be came here. He
 simply wanted to get work. He was living ! in the "Convent" in Elizabeth street. where there were several of his companions: they
 slept on boards When he and his companions
 came here they expected to work here for
 about two years, and then go homo with the
 money they expected to save.
 ! A collection was taken up for Zapponi, and
 he left the room about $6 better eff than ! when he entered it.
 The first witness sworn at the afternoon
 session was another laborer, Antonio Di
 Dierrovo. He came here April p last from
 Naples at the solicitation of one Giovanni Di
 Chicchio. He was able to obtain ten cents a
 day and board in Italy at farming, and came
 to this country under the impression that he
 would earn $1.5O day. Di Chicchio paid ' Prox E,-