The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-11-17
ANXIOUS TO GO Home |
Able Bodied Foreigners in
Crowds at the Steamship
Offices in Hoboken.
WANT TO WORK THEIR PASSAGE.
Agent Johnson SAYS He Has As
Many As Five Hundred
Applicants.
WANT TO WORK THEIR PASSAGE.

The arraignment of nine homeless for
eigners In the Second Criminal Court
yesterday and their discharge this morn
ing is an incident worthy OF notics IN the
history of European emigration TO
America.
The Chicago Fair and the recent busi>
ness depression figure largely In this
little incidenr, and the incident itself
figures in what might be termed stam-
pede of poor disappointed foreigners who
are ciamoring to again set foot upon
their native soil. For Investigation of
the story told through an interpreter by
the nine men arraigned yesterday mora
ing revealed the fact that the shipping
offices and the saloons and slums of
River street. Hoboken., at least are
jammed and crowded daily with able
bodied men of various nRtionalities
anxious to work their passage home as
ious stedmsnip lines that ply
between this country ane Europe. II the
niue men arraigned yesterday lare fair
sample Of those who crowd these resorts
ship lines IL is fair to suppose that nearly
If not all of them rsturn home pennl-
less.
APPEARANCE OF THE MEN.
These nine msn were arrested by
Policeman Gehring of the sixth police
precinct, for sleeping in freight cars
along the West Shore Railroad. When
arraigneG yesterday they stood up
as nine half-starved. shivering wretches,
with cadaverous faces, aud in Ghattering,
unintelligible broken dialect attempted
TO explain why they were sleeping IN The
freight cars. They had been struck by
the cold snap the night before. Through
the services OF an Interpreter they ex-
planned that they mad been promised by
one johnson, shipping agent OF Ho-
boken, that they would be given chance
to work their way home. 1t required
no evidence beyonL the aclions
of the men themselves to cons
vince the Court that they had
been in this country but 4 few months.
One or them bore letter from the
office of the German Consulate In New
York, asking assistance for lhs man on
the ground or his nativity. and all
claimed tnat Agent johnson had prom
ised them assistance so far as u home
ward passage was concerned.
WHAT DETECTIVE KEENAN, SAW.
The nine were remalued by Police
Justice Birdsall unLil this morning, AMI
the Justice, who 50 possibly a chance OF
saving the county the expense of sup-
porting these men during the winter
months. for that is whas the county
would have to do IL tha prisoners had
been sent to Snake Hill as sdisorderly
persons. Instructed Detective Clay Kee-
nau TO investigate the story concerning
the promise OF Shipping Agent Johnson.
And it WAS while In search OF Agent
Johnson's Office yesterday that the detec~
tive discovered The crowded condition of
the sailors resorts along River street.
AGENT JOHNsON's STORY.
The wrong address had been given
the detective, but he subsequently, foaud~
Agent Johnson's Office at No. 81 River
street. He was told byAgent johnson
that he already had between five aud six
hundred applications from such men, aud
was shipping the applicants home as coal
passers as fast as there WAS Ademand for
Them: that he would be able to take care
of two or three of Justice BirdsalPs pris-
oners in q week or SO.
THE MEN AGAIN SET ADRIFT.
When alraigned this morning the
prisoners created quite contrast in
general TO their appearance Of yesterday.
They had been given food aud had com
paratively warm place TO sleep. The
odor that pervaded the atmosphere of
means delightful. When they under-
stood that they were discharged a smile
apparently fitted from the face
of one 10 che other and really
seemed TO light up the prison pen,
and after Keenan, as Court officer had led
them out into the fresh air and sunlight.
he lreturned and remarked TO his Honor,
You have made nine hearts glad" Ppm
sure Pm not mistaken" replied Justice
Birdsail. Every face In that pen was an
honest one,