The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-04-11
AN UGLY CASE.
The Awful Cruelties Practiced In
Our Phosphate Mines.
AN EARNEST APPEAL.

GStS ROOAL q SySA0iH iboA AI'S
Legislature Will Doubtless
Be Asked TO Abolish
by Act.
The system Of labor in the phosphate
territory in this State, which has often
in past years given rise TO complaints
Of vigorous character, and mas brought
to light many ugly crimes, is the sab
ject Of another exposure, the particular
case being that Of the murder which
the governor had, the sheriff Of Collie
ton county to investigate recently. The
Stste says Thursday the following was
received by the governor from the
Italian consular agent at Charleston:
To His E1cellency, Gov. NJ. B. Nc
sSeeney, Columbia, s. G.
Dear Sir: In accordance with re-
quest Of the Hon. G. Branchi, consul
general of Italy in New York, I have
the honor to hand your ezcellency an
affidavit sworn to before him in New
York city on March Both ult. by Ia
berer recently escaped from the phos-
phate mines of Pom Pom, s. G.
This laborer above stated was work
ing With the contractor Catello Pisza,
Who is the same party Of whom I had
occasion to complain to your e1cellen-
cy in my letter Of March 10th ult.
pray your excellency that you will
take wbssever steps you deem necessary
to alleviate the sufsriDgs Of these hu-
man beings who are go unfortunate to
be working under such tyranous con-
tractors.
I am very anxious to transmit to the
consul general in New York the result
of the investigation Of the homicide
committed on Feo 26th ult., at this
pho, phate camp made by the sheriff of
Colleton county BY your direction, and
[ pray your excellency to send me q
copy Of the sheriff report. have the
honor to be,
Your most obedient servant,
G. Sottil,
Consular Agent Of Italy.
The afhdsvit referred to reads as fol.
lows:
|, undersigned, Nicola di Bcoedetto,
8 native Of Ro.cssicura, (ltal.) actually
living at New York, 7S Mulberry street,
being duly sworn, makes oath and de-
clarss as follows:
On November 9Th ult. I contracted
With Catello P,zzo to 60 to South Car
o!ins and work on the phosphate
mines. | was at work at piece work
Piszo assured me that | could make 81
day We arrived at Charleston Nov
llth, and went straight to Pen Poa. It
vas not long before l discovered that
the work was 30 hard that We could
hardly make 80 cents day, that is
just as much as Catello charged US for
board. He used to take the checks
from the company, get them cashed
and give as an account from which it
appeared sha, We we're always in debt
with him. So We had to work for
nething. We we're housed in wooden
shanty. Pizzo had seven or eight
guards, all armed With guns, pistols
aud knives. If We complained Of any
thing We we're besten with sticks and
threatened with death. At night the
guards stood before the door of the
house with arms to prevent any OF Us
from getting away. 1t was nothing
but i'm prisonment. In the daytime the
guards were always on the works to
prevent escapes. Il any of Us got sick
We we're forced to work under penalty
Of being beaten.
I do net remember on what day, one
Of the men, do not know his name,
said that be was sick; in fact he had
the fever aud could not stand on his
feet. Ooe of the guards, Demenico,
came to order him to the works. a
dispute arose and without the slight
est provocstion the guard, Demenioo,
shot at the man and killed him in
stantly. That happened in my presence
and the presence of many others. The
guard was spirited away by Cstello
PizEo. who was present at the shooting.
The guard tried to excuse himself by
saying that he had orders to shoot any
body who refused to work.
Unable to stand the suffering any
longer, l ran away during the mig ht,
eluding the vigilance OF the guards,
or the 26th 9th OF February. I walked
all the way here employing % days in
the journey. Some times was able to
steal ride on freight trains.
Cross mark Of Nicola di Benedetto.
Sworn at New York this day March
30th, 1900, before NE,
G.. Branchi,
Consul General Of Italy.
President Frank Q. O'Neill of the Hi
hernia Trust aud Saving bank Of
Charleston has written the following
letter to the governor:
Dear Sir: I understand the Italian
consul, Mr.. Sottil, is urging 7ou to
take steps to prevent, az far IS you are
able, the inhuman treatment that has
in the past characterized the methods
employed in the phosphate digging sec.
tions Of the State.
Personally know something Of these
methods, which are disgrace to the
civilz .tion Of the country. l trust
,o, .;Il ha ohio to oaa vour u,O hp