The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-31
CONTRACT LABOR.
Further Testimony Before the House ommit-
tee-The Case of the Texas Capitol.

to emigration was about to resume its session
this morning, q telegram was handed Chairman
Ford announcing the sudden death in Michigan
of his sister, Miss Esther Ford. while on her
way to Duluth. MINI. When Mr.. Ford's fellow
members heard of this affection they proposed
TO adjourn, but after a private consultation with
Mr.. Ford. they acceded to his wish that they
should 60 on with the taking of testimony, and
the session began at a few minutes before IL,
with Colonel Oates 10 the chair. Mr.. Ford will
leave for Michigan on the 6 o'clock train to-
night. The telegram Mr.. Ford received was
from his wife, who is in Washington. 1t con-
tanned the bare statement that his sister, Miss
Esther Ford, bad died suddenly from accidental
poisoning while on her way from Lansing to
meet her elder sister. Fannie, who is attendinga
convention Of charities organizations at Macki-
nae. The dispatch was very meagsr, and neither
told when the accident occurred nor any Of the
particulars attending it.
The first witness called was an Italian,
Nicols GAlto, who came from the province of
Chieii, arriving here June %, last, by the steam
ship Cheribon. In his native land the witness
worked ss q farm hand at 10 to Is cents a day
and his meals. He also owned a small vineyard
worth 400 or 500 francs. He said that several
others came with him, and the whole party were
furnished tickets by an agent named Nicolini
Saraceni. who came to their village and per-
suaded them to come over here. Saraceni fur
nished them their passage upon their agreeing
to repay him go francs. He sent them to & man
named Emo Berpardini, No. "a Mulberry street,
who was to give them work. The witness and
his wife signed a contract to repay SO francs
to Saraceni, who, he said, was a storekeeper,
and well of. He landed here without
any money. Bernardins kept him q few
days, and because he had no money to paw the
'bosses7 for securing work. told him that he
could not get him anything. He has not done
a DAVIS work since he landed, and is supported
oy charity. In response to questions from differ
emit members of the committee, the witness
stated that three out Of the thirteen who came
over with him had received employment in the
country.
Where in the countryf' asked Congressman
Morrow.
'ln Philadelphia" innocently replied the wit
ness.
The witness stated that unless he paid Sara
cent go francs by the last Of October his vine
yard would be attached. He said that Saraceni
lad sent more than two hundred emigrants
over here in the last four years, charging each
$50 francs for advancing the passage money, and
that most Of them had paid him back that
amount.
The next witness was an italian from the
same province. who had been sent over with the
same man. His testimony did not differ much
from that of the previous witness.
After a recess the committee called John b.
Dyer, secretary of the Granite-cutters National
Union. to the stand. He is a native of England,
but has been in this country eighteen years.
Be 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 az Austin, Tex, had
brought over a number of stone cutters under
contract to work on that job. The witness had
received information they were coming, and
met them at Castle Garden, and three OF the
men were taken before the United States Dis
trict-attorney, but he refused to act, and they
were allowed to 60 to Austin. Mr.. Dyer pre-
sspted to the an affidavit made by
Charles Falconer, one OF the party, who says
that Berry engaged him and anumber OF others
at Aberdeen. Scotland. to come over here and
work on the Austin Capitol, he advancing
f3 los of the passage money. Seventy-eieht of
them came over, and fifty FIVE went to Texas.
They came over in April. 1886.
Robt. Maitland, another native of Aberdeen,
made q similar affidavit. which Mr.. Dyer pre-
sented to the committee. Accompanying Matt
lands affidavit was the following printed circu-
lar. which he said had been given him by Berry,
in Aberdeen;
AUSTIN Tex, March IL, 1886.
To the Stone-cutters of Aberdeen:
This ~certifies that Mr.. George Berry is in nv en-
ploy, constructing the Capitol building, State of Tex
as, anu tnat ne Is fully authorized to engage and hire
100 granite-cutters and bring the same to Austin,
Tex, TO cut granite for the Capitol building at 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. 1t will REQUIRE
Gig hteen months of steady granite-cutting to cut
enough stone to conplets the building. Biacksmiths
are also needed in this work, and their pay is 40 cents
per hour, or 81 per day of ten hours, Each black
smith ~sharpens tools for fifteen cutters. The fare for
passage, paid by me, is expected to be returned out of
earnings made by cutting by men to whom fare is adj
vanced. Gus WILKIE.
Contractor, Capitol Building.
A large printed card. consigning Robert Matt
land TO q. Wilkie, Austin, Tex, and another
circular, also accompanied the affidavit. The
second circular contained . printed certificate.
signed by Gus Wilkie, contractor, that board
and lodging at Burnett, where the stope-yard
was situated, was from SIG to $40 a month.
Another page set forth, over Wilkes signature,
the following bill of prices for labor at Austin:
Beds and joints, per superficial foot. % cents; one
inch drafts. per lineal foot. IL cents; fveinch cut
work, per superficial foot, 45 cents; eightinch, so
cents, and holdings, per member, per lineal foot, 50
cents.
The circular stated that a fair workman
earned at these prices 81 Der day, while a fast
man earns So per day. Mr.. Dyer stated that
when he found he could not stop tho men here.
he notified the Knights of Labor at Austin, ana
they now have = suit pending in the United
States Court against the CAPITOL syndicate, I'M
der the contract labor law. The witness said
that the government furnished the contractors
convict labor to quarry the stone and that the
grapite-cutters were asked bv the luarrymep
not to cut granite which was ouarried by con-
Wet labor, and then Wiikie sent over to Scot
land for these men. He said Senator Fsrwell
was the chief man of the syndicate, and that
Wilkis was acting for the syndicate. The wit
moss would not swear that Senator Farwell knew
of Wilkes action in importing this contract la
Dor. The State OF Texas gave tho syndicate
| three million acres Of land and the labor of five
hundred convicts.
David Dawson. one Of the contract laborers
brought over by Berry, was next sworn. He is
a blacksmith. but when he lad talked with
Berry, and seen Wilkes circular. he engaged to
come over. and at Berrys request secured Of
teen others to go with him. Each of the fifteen
advanced % shillings as an earnest that they
would come, but at the last minute Berry de.
cided not to take two of the men, and they Sc
cured his arrest. He settled for flO. and took
the others, some eighty in all. TO New York.
The witness went to Burnett, Tex, and worked
there under Wilkie fifteen to eighteen months.
| He understood before he went there that Wilkie
had convict labor on the Job, but was told that
the convicts would be taken of as soon "a Will
kie could get enough free labor to do the work.
On the contrary, the witness declared Wilkie
doubled the number Of convicts. Wilkie
paid the witness 81 a day. and at his
request the witness wrote to a friend
in Aberdeen, who, on his assurance that there
was work for them, secured about sevsnteen
others. who came out here and were employed
by WilKie. The witness said it was a yery com.
mon thing for the people Of Aberdeen TO come
over here and work during the summer and re.
/ turn in the wicter. The witness said he could
make 81. 70 q day here. bat in Aberdeen he conld
only make s1.25 q day. The skilled laborers
who come over here for the summer work are