Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-23
AN APPEAL TO ITALY
In Behalf of the Foreman Naltreated
in West Virginia.
A MARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH,
Tho Man Arrives in Pittsburg With the
Details of the Outrage.
MADE A TARGET AND ALMOST DROWNED


Last Saturday The DISPATCH exclusive
lv printed the story Of the abduction OF
Frank Amoroso, the italian foreman, In
Logan county, W. Va. 1t has since turned
out that he was not lynched, but his fate
was nearly as bad. The case has increased
in interest and it is now very similar to the
New Orleans Malta cases.
Amoroso's friends were very much sur
prised on Sunday, when he walked, or
rather limped, in upon them. The story he
told was quite similar to the one his men re-
lated, but there are still several unpublished
facts. Yesterday he was seen at the Key
stone Employment Agency and he told the
following story:
Nearly as Bad as Lynched.
'I was not lynched, as was generally sup
posed, but would about as soon have been.
To 60 back to the. beginning, the trouble
started with Mason, Harder & Co., the rail-
road contractors When I took my men
down there I was promised 81 40 for ten
hours work a day. Instead of working
ten hours, we had to work II hours and re-
ceive the same money. kept kicking from
time to time, but it did no good. One day
1 was surprised to see party of negroes
brought into the camp. The same
day was notified that myself and men
were discharged, and we were to move
from the company's property Just as
quickly as we could. We did this. Ny
men went to some huts outside the camp,
and I took up my quarters at the house of
Mr.. Dingess.
'The advent OF the colored men and our
discharge all happened early on the day of
March 10. That afternoon we tried to col
lect the back money due us, but the COM
pany would not settle. then went to the
nearest justice of the peace and placed the
case before him. He set the next morning
as the time of hearing in the case. Of course
the bosses we're mad because we knew
enough to ask for our rights, and the fact of
my suing them did not allay their feelings
any.
Dragged From His Bed.
THAT night instructed the men to at
tend the hearing, and went to Mr.. Dingess.
went to sleep early, and did not know the
dragged me from the house. The
facts of my removal have been
truly printed. Up to the time I was
out of hearing of the camp. I was dragged
along the mountain paths for over ten miles.
My prosecutors rode, but had to walk or
run, just as they were so minded. Numer-
Gus times fell over stumps and stones and
would be jerked bleeding from the ground.
In this way they hurried me along until the
steep bank of wide stream was reached.
"Here the party halted and held confer
ence. 1t only lasted for minute or two
and at it's conclusion was told to jump into
%kA
long tramp over the hills had
nearly exhausted my strength and
I felt death awaited me in those muddy
waters. knew to disobey meant death any
how, so I plunged in willing to take my
The men had evidently thought I
could not swim, and knowing the stream
was too deep to permit OF my reaching,
thought would go beneath the water and
their crimes would be hidden. waded out
about 20 feet and began to sink quickly;
throwing myself in position, I commenced
to swim.
Followed Through the Water.
'eThe gray light of dawn was beginning to
break, and the men on the shore saw me
Instantly I heard q great
splash in my rear, and I knew the men had
plunged their horses into the water and
we're ir pursuit. I kept little distance in
the lead the whole way over, landing a
minute or less before them.
''The water was so cold that it almost |
froze nv blood, and had hardly landed
until dropped down exhausted. The men
rode out of the water 1t was now fairly |
light, and 1 recognized among them some Of
nv former bosses. looked into their |
faces, but mercy was not written there.
They came toward me, begged to be |
spared, for surely thought they meant to |
kill me. Paving no attention to my plead |
ngs they commenced jerking off my cloth |
ng. and did not quit until every
stitch of it was gone. Ny hands
made stand up. The men gathered around |
ne and lashed ME with their whips till nv i
,ack and legs were mass of cuts, |
bruises and welts. When the blood COM
nenced to run down my body and dropped |
o the ground they stopped. Even with all
his barbarity the villains were not satisfied. |
They jerked me onto my feet and made me
,ut my clothes on.
Fired Upon a. He Ran.
''The leader then pointed up the hill and
aid: There's your road. You have one
minute to get out Of sight I started to
un, but every move I made panied me and
slowed up to walk. This was greeted
FltQ Lne command TO run. tried to
gain, but couldn't. Then there came sew
raj shots and the balls whistled past nv
ars. The firing was kept up until was
ost to view by bend of the road.
II kept on for long time before dared
o stop, but finally exhausted I dropped
own on the ground and rested several
ours then made my way to little
own, where stayed until was able to get
ack to Pittsburg.
''There is one thing peculiar about the
dventure and it was the only luck had
ave that I escaped with my life. In nv
lothes had about 5000 in paper money,
ut the men did not find it.
II am still subject of Italy, and on that
round think can make it very warm
Or my prosecutor. have placed the mat
er in Attorney H. L. Christy's hands. He
ill at once notify the Italian Consul to
he United States. and through him the case
ill be presented to the Government. I
ill certainly demand redress.
IT will also Bring suit against Mason,
Iardee & Co. for our back pay. When the
ase was brought before the Logan county
squire he dealt out some queer law He
rdered the company to pay one-half of the
honey. That is, if it owed me $50, it
'ould only have to pay $25. The Alder.
ian also held out fair margin"