Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-28
THE CONTRACT LABOR LAW.
Witnesses Become Frightened and
Refuse to Testify in the
GLASSWORKERS CASE.
President Eberhart Says Restrictions Must
Be Increased.
NEED OF INSPECTIONS IN EUROPE

evaded again, that's all, salo immigration
Inspector R d. Layton yesterday when
reporter OF The DISPATCH called his at
tention to the order of Acting Secretary of
the Treasury Spaulding for the release of
the 13 Belgian glassworkers detained at
New York.
''The best evidence and the only evidence
usually obtainable of breaches of the con-
tract labor law" continued Mr.. Layton, sis
purely circumstantial You can't expect
men who are breaking the law to have
themselves labeled Imported under con-
tract, nor can you hope that the men on
this side who make money out of the busi-
ness, from the laborer imported and the
manufacturer who gets the cheap labor, to
conduct his business openly. The whole
busin ess is done in the dark, and we very
seldom get more conclusive evidence of the
parties guilt than we had in this case.
''Let us look over the evidence we had.
When returned from trip to Northwest
ern New York the last week in October I
received tip from Jeanette that an i'm
portation of Belgian glassworkers was to
be looked for in about weeks time.
Very Positive Testimony Secured.
81 went out to Jeanette on November
5, and with the help of some interpreters of
a rather unsatisfactory sort-for they could
hardly speak English-I managed to get
from several Belgian glassworkers there
the information which has already been
published, to the effect that two men who
live at Jeanette, Emil Emanuel Frank
and Frank Mason, had contracted with 80
glassworkers living in Belgium to get them
jobs at Jeanette and other glass centers at
a uniform rate of SIS apiece. got the de-
scription, even, of the men who were
coming, how they would be dressed, with
top hats, etc., gloves on their hands,
and in the second cabin of the steamer.
Thirty were expected in the first batch, ten
in the second. Some of the witnesses told
me very distinctly that they had heard
Emil Emanuel Frank say that he was to
get SIS from each man for getting him
job. 1 sent word to Commissioner Weber
in New York, and his inspectors at the port
had no difficulty In identifying the men on
the steamer Friesland, which had left Ant
werp at the time my informants had pre-
dicted the suspects would sail The only
and trifiing point upon which my informa-
tion did not tally with the facts was that
the men arrested as they left the Friesland
did not wear kid glovesto conceal the trade
marks on their hands
Result of the Examination.
"Well, in response to Commissioner
Webber's summons, 1 went on to New
York on Friday, November II, and beg an
the examination of the immigrants on ELS
Island on Saturday. They all denied they
were glassworkers at first though they
admitted that they came from the glass
towns of Cbarleroi and
Jummet in Belgium. They said they had
no acquaintance with one another at home,
that they did not act in concert in
coming to America, and that they met for
the first time on shipbosrd. During the |
voyage they had not talked about where |
:hey were going or what they were going |
TO do. They denied having been posted BY |
the officers of the ship as to what they |
should say to the inspectors at the Barge |
Office.
Pressed bv me, they admitted, or at |
least IA of them did, that they had been |
and came to this country to |
follow their trade. The remaining 16 stuck !
to it that they were coal miners, although, |
strange to say, they were all bound for |
towns like Jeannette, Butler and Pittsburg,
where no coal is mined. All of the men de-
MED having paid money or contracted to
pay anyone for the work they hoped to find. |
We voluntarily agreed to admit the alleged |
coal miners, but l framed an Indictment |
against the remaining H. and Commissioner
Webber decided that they should be sent |
back. Before this verdict had been reached |
the Belgian Consul in New York laid the
matter before the Belgian Minister at Wash !
ington. and he asked for a rehearing for the |
men on Tuesday, November 10. The Fries
land sailed the next day, November is, and |
without the IA Belgians who were admit ted |
TO another trial. After a full consideration
Of the evidence Commissioner Webber ad.
Judged them guilty again.
Unusual Action of the Consul
"The Belgian Consul again appealed to his
superior at Washington, and the Minister
took the unprecedented step of asking for
further investigation. Superintendent of |
Owen then directed me to pro-
ceed to Jeanette and go over the ground
again. Last Wednesday l reached jean
nette and found that all the men who had |
testified on the previous occasion had taken
fright They were afraid OF being hauled
into court, of losing their places ii they told
the truth. Not one of them would say un-
der oath what he had told me almost un-
asked when l went there first. In the
meanwhile the Belgian Consul here had got
ten from Emil Frank an affidavit denying
that he had offered or contracted to get jobs |
at Jeanette or elsewhere tor his fellow
countrymen. l cannot say that was sur
prised that the Treasury Department
ordered the suspects to be released. I'm
nense pressure had been brought to bear
and hard-swearing did the rest.
Il still think the IA will have to pay their
sl5 apiece to the man, whoever he may be,
who promised them jobs at that price. The
first information got WAS TOO exact, and
agreed too minutely with the facts as they
lad
came just as l said they would come; their
very denial of pre-arranged plan, of
mutual acquaintance, OF learning before |
land the story that they should use as a
character.
Need for More Rigid Laws.
"This case has proved to me again that
,he steamship companies and their officers
will do anything and everything to aid i'm
Migrants in breaking the contract labor
aw. Now 1 have the affidavit of one of the
nte rpret ers at the Barge Office. New York,
o the effect that he heard one of the Fries
and officers say in French to the Belgian
as they were being landed DO
ecollect what you have to tell?' They
NEW their story TOO well; each man reefed
If the same yarn, but we pricked holes fast
nough in them when we cross-examined
hem separately"
"What addition to or alteration in the law
would you suggest to keep out such lmmi-
,rants?" was asked.
"a much larger restriction of immigration
s the only remedy 1 see," replied Mr.. Lay
on. 81 really do not see how we can keep
his class OF immigrants out. They are not |
at all, let me be understood, |
xcept as imported under contract They
re all nice-looking, well-dressed men. The
poorest of them had over 500 francs, or over
100 in their clothes, and one had 2. 200 francs,
II about $500.
Praise for Immigration Inspectors.
"a want to say also that the immigration