New-York tribune., 1903-04-06

The strafling and exclusive exposure of the
"bunco" games used by propretors of fake"
employment agencies to swindle poor and ig-
norsnt people in search Of work, made in yes
terday's Tribune has resulted in disclosing a
phase of the system and the effort that
various societies have been making to suppress
the evil in this new direction The Legal Aid
Society in London and the United States Bu-
reau Of Animal Industry have been combating
the eE-i referred to- Hundreds of poor and un-
fortunate immigrants ignorant alike Of the
language and the snares OF the employment
sUindlers are victimized by the proprietors of
shipping agencies They are robbed In large
sums for passage. shipped to some far off port
under the assurance OF return passage, bru-
tally and numerically treated during the vow
age. and then left helpless in q strange or for
eign port TO fend for themselves. despite the
promise Of g quick trip work and a return
passage.
50 great have been the excesses of this sys-
TEN that the American Consul at London has
been investigating one well authenticated case
os the murder Of one OF these unfortunate vic
tins Of the promises of the proprietor Of a
shipping agency A system which begins with
fraud and advances through robbery to Ill treat
rlent and murder-this is the phase of the
ke'' employment business which, dealing
largely with the shipping of cattle helpers, has
been the source of scandal both sides of the
Atlantic.
The "bunco' shipping employment schemes
conducted in the following fashion: In
addition TO the regular men employed to tend
the cattle sent to England on the large cattle
steamers there is always q number of addi-
tional hands necessary TO assist in looking
after the cattle. These helpers are shipped
only for the voyage. are useless for return
voyage, cattle transported this way,
and are therefore usually made up Of class
OF men who are looking for cheap transporta-
ton across the Atlantic. In most cases they
dssa atisfed immigrants, who have not
found America the FL Dorado they dreamed
Of. and are anxious 10 quit It The supply
Of these cattle helpers is frequently inadequate,
and to secure the men the steamship lines
contract with various shipping agencies to
supply hands at 81 more g head. To fill
this demand the shipping agencies collect men.
In the majority Of cases, Of course. this is per
fectly legitimate business; the excesses and
iIlegalities practised by a certain number Of
agencies the trouble
HOW THE GAME Is WORKED.
The shipping agency. that is. the agency en-
gagged in -@bunco" game, begins its business
In this manner An advertisement, about
follows is inserted in a newspaper:
MEN TO England 81: Germany. SO: also free trans
II portstion. return passage.
Seeing this sign the poor foreigner, eager to
get back 10 his old home goes to the agency.
paws HIS money. with the understanding that he
is 10 have q passage Of some class or other on
p steamer or to DO light work In many cases
the man simply hears there is better chance In
London, and stipulates that he shall have a re-
turn passage, as advertised. He goes on BOARD
the steamer, is subjected to the severest KIND
Of treatment and does the hardest sort of work,
and finds himself finally stranded in some for
eign port without resources and without re-
turn passage. This is one plan Another is quite
as had man is sent TO New-Orleans' Charles
ton or Louisiana to get place on q ship there'
and is provided with a fake" letter to SNIP
ming concern there. When he arrives pehhlless
he finds that he has been victimized. that he Is
entitled TO no place, and that his money has been
taken from him fraudulently. The Legal Ala
society has received communications from the
Chief Of Police Of New-Orleans, from the AIneri-
ran Society in London and various other sources
chronicling incidents Of this sort
Here is part of the affidavit or Natnah tToiu
nv, taken for the Legal Aid Society, wE1ch.
-. x,,,;1.- sworn statements, is now the basis
or the action of the society to brlng LOT 'i
revocation of the license of the shipping agent
Having read advertisement Tt IN IN the the Aiiantic
S.-i,r-5Ty 'Conpauv at No. 1l5 East tHSt-St,
hSTe s saw er5poy 3 eht on board vessel going to
south Africa from New orr Old OF > for = chance to
81 s TsT,Ieteer. Later he told me he had ehahce
-, - - % from New-Orleans, ana gave .ht so
.fctzl4 70 that city. I believe the tlcket cos 81
- - toI5 me he took s. for getting me a yoo-
-b co1orron Sasson. who made similar % tsd'
vent We 10 New-Orleans carrying an unsigned let
Te- from Schwartz
The reception they had in New-orleans Is DE-
so-tted IN the following letter Of John Jounee'
e,,nerintendent Of the New-Orleans Ponce De
rsr-raert. TO the New-York Police Department.
Nathan Goldman and SOLOMON m sasson @ 1,snfic SHIP
g ne l,-oo ~ vour city, 6 6 Schwartz agent
- s. shipped TO South Africa as a muleeSTi et sd
lr--g- VS. given TO them by the apoNe asei'
6ressed TO Charles Hagen Shipping ag' N{T Hage1
- NOW nothing of the above frTn arc ~ ~
"a several complaints OF them LIgy o,a& under
= - 5retences These men have -oeen - iIt ~ ~
e-iI heir clothing 10 raise money 10 Ie'ui" ~ -