Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-08-07
EVILS OF IMMIGRATION
THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT
 TEE RESUMES ITS LABORS.
Labor-.A Padrone Falls Into a Trap That Was Neatly Prepared for Him.

| TuuCOn0 ANlAS Into a 1rap That Was Neatly Prepared for Him.
 NEW YORK, Aug. 7.-The Congressional | Immigration Committee have resumed their inquiry. The first witness examined was
 Mir. Henry w. Edye, agent for a French | line of steamers, calling at Palermo and l other Italian ports. He said that the line was only established In 1886, at his sugges- ton. In that year the line carried 1,276
 steerage passengers to this port, in 1887 1 I,42S and thus far in 1888 6, 100. MT. Edye hao not much information at his disposal | with reference to the passenger business of | the company, his firm attending principally 1 to the steamship company's freight busi- l ness; the passenger business was attended l to by another agent. MT. Edye submitted
 to the company prepared statement of the passenger business.
 The next witness examined was Luigi 1 Troie.
 he said he was money changer, and that his business had no connection with | business of baIAiing; he had no other business than that of money changer: his wife had business which was sufficient l to support him and all the family; her business was that of midwife; he stopped 1 at home and attended to the family, as his Wlfe's profession took her from home a great deal; he therefore gave up his pre- vious occupation and adopted that of money changer-changing Italian money 1nto American currency; he had now en- gagged ln the business of supplying labor CTS; he had been about four years in this country; about four days ago an oppor- tunlty presented itself to him to enter into the labor brokerage business.
 The witness then proceeded to tell how apout four days ago stranger called on him and asked him to supply him with 800 laoorers for work on a railroad The ne Rotatlons leading up to this transaction, were detailed, and the terms on which the witness was to supply the laborers, board them, etc. and receive payment therefor from the railroad company at the end of 1he month, the company agreeing to furnish tho shanties free for tho men to live in. The witness said he had signed an agreement or pro- posal to do this, put thus far the transaction had not yet beon consummated the men were to be taken from this city, from the unemployed Italians already in this city; the letter or agreement he had signed was in English, but it had been interpreted to him; he understood Eng fish somewhat; he understood it better when it was spoken by Italians; he had not promised to divide up with the person hiring With whom he made the agreement commission on the laborers' board bills etc.; remembering his oath he positively denied that he had agreed to import from 3oO to 800 Italians for this contract be- cause the person wanting them said he did not wish to have Italians who had been in this city; the witness reafirmed that he had not agreed or contracted to furnish the "geutleman y With three or five hun dred newly imported Italians at Castle Garden.
 Chairman Ford (to the interpreter at the same time handing him letter)-Show him that lc ter and ask him if that Is his signature. The witness identified the document as the letter of proposition he had made and signed, at the same time looking very crestfallen.
 Chairman Ford then read the document as follows:
 CONTINENTAL HOTEL,
 TWENTIETH STREET AND BRoDwAY, NEW YORK, May 3, 1888. Phillip Smith, Esq.
 DEAR SIR: In regard to the men which you have spoken 10 mo about will say
 this: can and will agree to furnish you with three or four hundred men, Itallans,
 good steady men, at Castle Garden, be-
 tween the first of September and first of October next, at one dollar and twenty cents ($1, 20) per day of ten hours each. If you desire an interest in the boa arding
 or furnishing the men with provisions 1
 will make this proposition to you: will
 agree to allow you per cent. on each
 mans account for groceries and provisions
 for each month to be deducted by the pay
 master at each settlement.
 If this proposition meets the approval of your companies, l would like to be in- formed soon possible, when will go and look over the works, and make my calcula-
 tions accordingly; then we can draw up and execute a formal contract Ill detail
 (Signed) Respectfully,
 LUIGI TRoJA
 As soon as he had finished reading the letter Mir. Ford said to the interpreter:
 Interpret that to the witness and ask him if that is the letter he signed" "he inter- preter did so, and the witness sad that it was the letter he had signed, but the men he was to supply were already outside at the time he signed it. Signor Louigi Troja was then permitted to retire. He did not know it, but he had fallen into a very pretty little trap set for him by Secret Service Officer Simmons of the United States Sub-Treasury In this city, at the re- quest of the Committee. He realized, how ever, that he had in some way got into trouble, and the production of his letter was evidently puzzler to him. After he had retired Joseph SIca, an Italian, was called. He said he had been en- gagged in furnishing railroad contract ors with Italian laborers for about six years past. He told how the former wit ness had asked him to go into partnership in the business of supplying and boarding 800 Italians. The witness spoke broken English, and managed to get along without the services of an interpreter. He told of going with Luigi and seeing Mr. Smih, and closing the bargain to supply the men, etc, and made it plain that when Mr. Smith insisted on having newly arrived Italians, he (the witness) and Luigi promised to get them at Castle Garden if they were given about six weeks in which to do SO: the men were to..get s1.20, and their board was to be de- ducted each month, the witness and Lugi and the railroad contractors to divide upon the profits, etc. The witness said he sup piled Brown, Howard & Co. with laborers for work on the aqueduct, and received a commission on all they bought at the store kept by the contractors the engagement with Brown Howard tS Co. was made through D. Mclean of that firm; the wit ness said he had sent as many as 1,5oo mensI to the West Shore Railway Company.
 The Brooklyn Strike Ended.
 BROOKLYN, Aug. "A meeting was held in relation to tho strike of the Brooklyn FNrnQ