The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-22
FOREIGN MUSICIANS.
Terms and Conditions Under Whichthe Street
Musicians Are Brought from Europe.

New YORK, Aug. 2L-The congressional COM
mittee appointed to investigate the immigration
question in all its various phases entered upon
their last days inquiry in this city at the West
minister Hotel this morning. Messrs. Ford.
Oates, Spinola, and Guenther were present, and
after to-day's proceedings they 70 to Boston,
where the inquiry will be continued.
Louis S. Samuel, dry goods importer. was the
first witness. He has the contract for supply
ing mail and coin bags for the government To
do this work he employs 150 hands. On being
pressed by Congressman Spinola, the witness
acknowledged that the majority Of his workmen
are aliens.
The committee next went into the examina--
ton of the system of importing musicians, under
contract. who make up the street bands Of our
cities. Samuel Kreutz, q native of Bavaria,
was called to the stand. Kreutz said be cameto
this country in February. 1885. with eight other
musicians. Their leader was Jacob Molter, who
had been in this country before. The witness
denied that he came to this country under any
formal contract. He played in street bands and
returned to Bavaria in August last He came
back in March, bringing six other musicians.
and on arriving here became their leader. A
contract made by the witness with one of these
men, named hummer, which he acknowledged
having made. was put in evidence. A like con-
tract existed between himself and other parties.
The witness declared he did not hold his men to
the contracts because he had heard it was against
the law. His trunks and those Of his COM
panions were examined by custom officers
in Baltimore, and it was there the
contracts were brought to light
By the terms of the contracts the men were to
receive 15k marks a week. but they would not
live up 10 the agreement. and the donations re-
band is now perambulating the streets of this
city. Kreutz's contracts bound the men for two
and q half years. The money earned during the
first three months was TO be retained by kreutz
and withheld by him in case the men deserted
him. On his part. he agreed TO bring the men
to this country in the steerage, to board and
lodge them in third class style. and to transports
them over railroads as third class passengers.
He also agreed to return them to Kusel, Ger
many. at the expiration of the contract. by
steerage. Sickness Was also provided for, Kreutz
agreeing to furnish medical attendance for two
W eeks, at the end of which, il illness continued,
they were to be placed in q hospital at their "
expense.
Emigrant Commissioners Charles ". fainter
appeared before the committee and called It's at
tention to q provision of the law by which the
Secretary of the Treasury is empowered to en-
te- into contracts with Governors of States and
other local authorities for the carrying out OF
the provisions of the contract labor law. He
said that no such contract had ever been entered
into between the Secretary of the Treasury and
Governor Hill. or any other official of this State.
Hence the emigrant commissioners do not feel
it their duty to look after the observance OF the
law ia this respect.
Lawyer WAGNER next took tina stand. and
said that in the practice of his profession he had
been called upon to defend q Swede unsc-
q~uainted with the English language, who was
charged with burglary. He asked the man how
he came to be engaged in burglary SO so on after
his arrival here. He replied that he was q
criminal by occupation, and that he had been6
sent TO this country by the authorities OF
Switzerland after be bad served q term OF impris-
onment there. Two other similar cases came un-
der his observation, both being emigrants from
Switzerland. The burglar he had mentioned
was found In possession of a complete set OF
house breaking tools, which he had brought
with him from Switzerland.
VIM. b. Lake. superintendent OF the ont
door poor, said his best Judgment was that 20
per cent. of the applicants for charity are of for
eign birth. German and Irish are In the ma
jority of those who apply for charity. He would
not say that this was true when the relative pro-
portions Of the foreigners was considered.
Samuel Vogelson, of No. so Bayard street.
said ne worked last winter for Samuel Samuels,
the mailbag manufacturer. Before receiving
employment he was compelled TO pay Mr.. Aron-
of, the manager, 81. Aronoff wanted more.
ArOUOU Always empiOycu kTeouuOTnSs duu Aopt
constantly taking on new hands, com polling the
older once to leave by giving them little work to
do. Every band was obliged 70 pay 81 to Aron-
off before he could get work.
Solomon Whisky. a Hebrew teacher, who
formerly worked for the mailbag contractor.
testified that he, TOO. had to paw Aronoff 80 be-
fore he was given work. He was only allowed
to earn $50 a week, and though he made
Aronoff q present Of a dollar or two on three oc-
casions he was not given work enough to earn
more. Other workmen who paid the manager q
regular weekly amount We're given enough work
to earn 81 or s. a week.
The committee then adjourned. to meet in
Boston on Monday next. when the Investigation
will be resumed.