The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-03
DIDN'T DO A THING
Employment Agent Wilson Before the
License Committee of the Council.
SOME BITTER THINGS SAID
Chief Tebo Gave IL Out Straight
That the Man Conducted His
Affairs Loosely-Te
Of Those Concerned.

Inc Incense committee spent three
hours last night in investigating the
charges against Employment Agent T
@. Wilson, and after a short discussion
following the investigation II was de.
cided to recommend to the council that
his license be revoked. The full CON-
mittee, consisting of Aldermen Knowl-
ton, Rodda and Vivion were present
together with Assistant City Attorney
barrow, who conducted the investiga-
ton. Mr.. Wilson was also represented
with his attorney, John N. Kirk. Chief
of Police Tebo was the first witness
He said that complaints of bilking had
been made to him against Wilson ev-
cry few days since he opened an en-
ployment Office. 1T am satisfied that
he does not intend to conduct a square
business" continued the chief, for he
has not tried to be square. The char
acter of a man should cut some figure
In granting him a license. j would not
give a footpad a license to carry a
gun. yet believe that in giving Wilson
license you are simply giving him a
gun to hold up people with"
Tom Williams, foreman of the Noun
tain Chief mine, testified substantially
as follows: mr.. Wilson called me up
out of the mine one day and asked me
to give a man a job He said that the
man was not a miner, but that he
would make good man on a car or
at shoveling. told him that we were
full. He then said that there would be
something in IL for me. / asked him
for his card and he handed it to me- I
judged from IL that Wilson was an en-
ployment agent. He asked me to name
price for putting the man to work
and / told him that / would not. He
said Say ten dollars and / under
stood him as meaning that there would
be $40 a month in 1t for me IL 1 would
give the man job. 1 told him that
we did not do business that way and
went back down the mine. never had
a man approach me with that kind of
a proposition before"
John Simons. a practical carpenter
told the following story: Wilson had a
sign out that he wanted carpenters,
ana / went up to see him about 10
O'Clock one morning. He said that he
wanted mechanics and that / could go
to work at noon. He said that his
commission was SO and i gave il to
him with the understanding that IL ]
did not get the job / was to get my
money back. He gave me a note to
Mr.. Moffet, in Meaderville, and went
down to the building that he was put
ting up. Mr.. Moffet was not there
The building was almost finished and
there were only three men at work on
IT. One of them told me that several
men had been laid off the day before
and that he did not think Mr.. Moffet
needed any men. On my way back up
town secured a job at another place.
i then went up to Wilson after the SO
that 1 had paid him, but he refused to
return 1t. / reminded him of the con-
ditlons under which 1 had paid him the
money and told him that he had lied
and say so now. Chief Tebo went to
Wilson with me afterwards and we
told our stories. but 1 did not get my
money"
M. c. Moffet was then called and re-
peated his story as already published
In the Standard. He said that he had
never given Wilson an order for any
mechanics. "Mr. Wilson met me on
the street one day." said Mr. Moffet
and asked me II l would put a couple
or his friends to work. / said IL they
were around when needed workmen /
would put them on. / could not have |
put Mr.. Simons to work when he came |
TO me with note from Wilson. / did !
not know that Wilson was charging
men for Jobs when he spoke to me |
about putting his friends to work. No |
man can furnish me with men and |
charge them for their jobs. After this |
matter came up Wilson asked me TO |
sign an affidavit stating that I had |
given him an order for men, and 1 re- |
FUSED. l put one man to work one |
morning and discharged him in a few |
minutes, as / saw he was no carpenter. |
He then told me that he had paid VIII |
son - Tor the job, and told him that IL |
had known that / would never have |
put him to work"
Mr.. Wilson was then called TO the
stand and asked to explain his actions.
which were under investigation. i'm
connection with sending men to the
Diamondville coal mines i'm Wyoming.
He stated that G. w. Holmes was the
general agent for the coal company.
he advertised for men and agreed TO
employ them through Wilson. He gave
Wilson orders for men to go to work
which were to be presented at the
mines, and Wilson said that all men
who went to the mines with those or
ders were given work. He said that he
had explained to the two Swedes who
had been spoken of by Chief Tebo.
where the mines were located. In con-
nection with the alleged failure of men
whom he sent out to the reservoir to
secure work, Wilson said that Miller
ana Irvine, who had a contract near
the reservoir, sent him word by Rod
Leggat that they wanted six men. He
said that he had sent dozens OF men
Jul NhcHN' anu tndl tney mad secured ]
work. Three men whom he had given
orders to go to work there came to his
office with Chief Tebo and demanded
their money back. They admitted, he
said, that they had not been out TO see
Miller & Irvine.
Il never guarantee work." explained
Wilson. Il charge for information as
10 where work can be secured, and N
men go there and don't secure work
their money is returned. talked with
Mr.. Williams as a collection agent and
not as an employment agent. / wanted
TO get the man to work there in order
hat could get an order for his wages
ana collect bill had against him and
get my percentage out OF IL. II was a
business proposition. and 1 offered Mr..
Williams IS TO put him TO work In re-
gard 10 the Simons case. 1 told him |
would return his money when he would
prove that Moffet had refused him
work"
Chief Tebo flatly contradicted VIII
sons statement in regard to- the