The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-12

the Japanese laborers in the hopfelds at
Pleasanton, Alameda County. 1t came
about in this way. On the opening of the
investigation at Pleasanton last week the
Commissioners obtained a copy of the
labor contract entered into between Sato
and Downing and the Pleasanton Hop
Company represented by Mr.. Lilienthal
BY this agreement Sato has to furnish 100
Japs to work in the hopfelds. The docu-
ment contained a clause by which the
foreman of the farm could cancel the con-
tract at his pleasure, and the laborers and
Sato would then forfeit their legal rights
to collect what was due them for their
labor. In other words, they had agreed to
forfeit their rights under the mechanics
lien law. This was published at the time
in the CALL, and it was not long before the
article was translated to the Jap laborers,
who for the first time realized that the
contract was a decidedly one-sided agree
ment, and they became apprehenslve that
they would be taken advantage of.
This caused them to become suspicious
and restless, and when. on Saturday, Mr..
Downing for some reason not known failed
to pay them for work done they declared
that the cinch contract was beginning to
operate. On Monday morning they re-
fused to resume their work, and at the last
accounts they were still out on a strike.
Even if they receive their pay now the
gang, numbering about seventy-eight, will
as likely as not pack up their belongings
ard start out for the orchards and vine.
yards AS there are but few coolies in this
City the places of the strikers will have to
be filled with white men.
The investigators yesterday placed n.
Sato, the japanese labor contractor, on the
witness-stand after trying for week to OBJ
tain his testimony. While the Commits
siouers are satisfied that he did not tell the
truth in many particulars, and especially
concerning the hiring of cody laborers,
they believe that he, too, has been i'm
posed upon and that there are men who
have made money by imposing upon his
ignorance.
Sato is a shrewd little Jap in some ways,
but he is better at handling coolies than
he is at making bargains. When ques-
toned Sato testified that he was SO years
of age and came to this country in June,
1898, from Kobe, Japan. He was a farmer
before he came here, that is, he was a
laborer on q farm for ten years. As he
worked for his uncle be got only his board
and clothing. For three years he received
only $50 a year. He came direct to San
Francisco, and had little over $28 when
he landed. Sato said he could neither
read nor write.
"When you send to Japan for laborers, >"
Deputy Dam asked, "who writes your let
tiers for you?"
81 never caused such letters to be sent u
the japanese answered. He stated that
as soon as he arrived in San Francisco he
was sent to Pleasanton.
WHO sent you to Pleasanton?" Dam
asked.
'Motohero, the clearinghouse keeper
on Stevenson street, where | stopped, sent
me, as did not know where to 90. At
that time there was bureau of informa-
ton on Powell street, and the man who
kept it told Motohero to send me to Pleas
anton"
When asked as to his knowledge of the
japanese employment bureaus in this CITY
Sato said that as he could not read nor
write he had Yamamoto, his bookkeeper
in Pleasanton, send to San Francisco for
all the help wanted. He did not know
where his scribe sends the letters. Seeing
that he was getting into, deep water Sato
began TO deny that any letters had been
sent either to San Francisco, Victoria or
Japan fer help on his authority. Further
on Sato said that when he was first en-
gagged by Liienthal in Pleasanton he was
paid 81 10 a day by Sugawara, the infor-
nation and employment bureau man on
Powell street.
Sugawara appeared to have a contract
with Lilienthai so that he collected all the
money for the japanese help there and
paid the men. Out of the 81 10 he paid 20
cents a day for his board and lodging.
According to his accounts of the various
sums of money he received for his labor he
made 500 80 for his first years work. In
1894 Soto said that he and Graham of the
sugar beet company made a contract for
Jap help to work the beet fields SEVENTH
five men worked under this contract.
The majority were from San Francisco
and the others from Sacramento. He was
unable to tell how these laborers went to
Pleasonton He thinks that they simply
drifted into the place searching for work,
and he hired them.
Deputy Dam-Is it not a fact that you