The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-12-26
HORRORS OF FHE MINES,
How tho aIsn Sent to Charleston Were
Treated The New York Grand Jury May
InysStignte,

hVhkVhS w TUT alALS'
How the Men Sent to Charleston wsr
Treated The New York Grand Jury MA
Investigate.
Nav YoRK, Dec, 25.-WilliaP Orlando
an Italian labor contractor, who reside
on York street, Is, from all accounts, en-
deavoring TO follow Liverpool Jack
Fitzpatrick example, The dispatchel
recently gave to the public the pitlfu
story Of the men who we're sent to worI
in the phosphate mines OF South Caro-
lina, all Of whom were engaged by Or
lando, A. Feigel, the German Consu
General, and Belgian Consul Mali art
both aware OF tine treatment OF the men
and are using every endeavor within
their power 70 fully investigate the mat
Tor,
Many Of the unfortunate laborers who
were sent to work In the phosphate
mines OF South Carolina have returned
TO this city, where they are now, In des'
titHte circumstances, awaiting an Oppor-
tunlty 10 secure work ol some kind,
The story Of suffering aud brutal trrat-
msnt, as told by these men, has awaken
ed public interest to such an extent that
an effort is soon 10 be made to bring
william Orlando before the Grand
Jury. II ia expected that Henry Tatjs,
the proprietor OF saloon and iutelli-
gence Office at No, llS Greenwich street,
will be able to tell some interesting
facts. Tatje was seen at his saloon yes.
ierday by areporter, to whom he related
the story oi bis connection with Orlan-
do. He said that the I.alian labor con-
tractor called upon him, and said that
he wanted TO engage the services OF
some men for the phosphate mines Of
the Charleston Mining Company.
"Oi course" said Tatje, "upon 0rlau-
doe representations that the labor and
pay were both good, Iselected some Ger
man and Belgian laborers for him, nearly
all OF whom signed a contract binding
themselves to work In the phosphate
mines, Some Of the men whom Orlando
hired have returned, and from what
they have told me about their treatment
In the South by A, Z. Herr, the con.
tractor, am of the opinion that they
were badly swindIed and brlially treat.
ed. Since the men returned | have had
another call from Orlando, who reques.
ted me to furnish him 100 men for con.
tract work, but | refused to have any
more business transactions with hlm."
While Tats was talking 10 the repor.
ter, William Ahl and Peter Hail, two
OF the victims, entered the saloon and
related their experlencein the phosphate
mines.
William Ahl said. "No dumb beast
was ever treated worse than | and tue
rest who wereinth thephosphate mines,and
| am only too anxious TO tell my story
before the Grand Jury, II 1t will result
In bringing the scOundrel who deceived
US to justice"
Peter IIahl said: "should the Grand
Jury see fit 10 investigate the business
methods OF Orlando, Rose and the rest
Of their gang, will make an affidavit Of
all know about them. There will be
no trouble in having the swiudlers in.
dicted and sent to prison, us Fred
sGhweiniurt, Joseph Steiner, Jack
Driver, Carl Gronon and others will all
testify against them. There Is not a
week but that from thirty to fifty Ital.
ians and Germans are landed at Charles.
ton, to which place they have been sent
BY Orlando, to work Ia the phosphate
mines OF South Carolina"
A special dispatch from Charleston,
s. O., says that Jacob Driver, Peter Hall,
William Aid and Fred Schuningford
were arrested In st. Andrews Parish
last Thursday for violation Of their con-
tracts as phosphate miners. These men
were sent to the mines from New York
The German Consul, A. Feigel, said
that the story Of the mine laborers bad
been called To his attention, but he had
not yet received any complaints from
the German laborers who were III treated
at Charleston. He thought the printed
reports terrible in the extreme, and ex.
pressed bis intention Of acting at once
should he be called upon to exercise bis
authority In the matter.
The Belgian Consul, MALI, OF No. 329
Broadway, was absent from his office,
but his secretary informed the reporter
that William Fatman, the Belgian Con.
sui at Charleston, had requested him
(Malli) to warn all Belgian immigrants
against William Orlando, whom he wrote
OF as an Italian padrone. Consul Malli's
secretary had Just received paper
from Charleston, s. s., which, after read.
ing, he mailed 10 the Board Of Emigra'
tion.
The paper contained q letter from Tim.
othy Lee, an inspector OF the Treasury
Department Of Washington, who, as ad.
vised by the government, had invesu.
gated tho charges made against the
phosphate mine owners aud reported
the same TO Secretary Window. In.
spector Lee informed the Secretary
that the whole affair was purely a
State affair, aud one in which the gov.
ernnent could not properly take cogniz-
anCe OF.
Over dozen Of tue men who were
sent to work In the phosphate mines
were seen at No. IS Green wiCh street last
night. They are deeply enraged at Or
lando, to whom they attribute all their
trouble. The men all tell the same story
oi brutality, starvation and sickness.
Upon the return Of other victims, who
are now on their way TO New York, an
effort will bG made TO employ counsel To
prosecute Orlando,
ST.IDUlS GAS COMPANY SELLS OUT.
III. pron.,4y and FrnnphiseA sold nj Auc.