The farmer and mechanic., 1906-06-12
These Facts Admitted.

| LOO Italians in camps OF seycnty-fiyc
/ 70 one hundred strong along the rpaG
Tor fifteen or twenty-five miles In tht
heavy work Of grading. blasting ana
lunhel1nS These men are furnished
by New York agency at SO much
head. the total cost Of landing them
including agency commission being
$l.0O. Some or them speak English
They are paid $50 per day ana
nave TO pay for their provisions a;
eXtortfonate lrices from the contraC-
tors commissary. In the contract os
employment the men obligated to re
mann at work until the initial ex-
pefses are paid and amy accumulate!
account for living supplies is IiquI-
dated from the proceeds OF their
wages.
other undisputed facts are that a
deputy sheriff. regularly appointed
acts as railroad policeman, living
at the camp and that a justice of the
peace, who followed the contractors
from Tennessee, where he was a ma
tive, was appointed a Justice Of the
peace in Mcdowell county. by the
clerk of the Superior court last Oc-
tober. He also lives at the camp
the two officers being known as the
railroad judge and sheriff and a.
such are looked upon by the igno-
rant foreigners as the sole sources Of
power, authority and justice in the
United States.
ON May 14th the deputy sheriff
summoned posse of twenty. five citi-
zens, on report that conspiracy had
been formed by nine Of the Italians
to murder an oVerseer, ana
without warrant or or
der Of arrest proceeded to
the camp Of the coup Of twenty-five
!aborers, headed by an overseer with
4 drawn pistol, and ordered the
II he l,af l.tF
might go to their tents and secure all
wca pons there such as guns and pis-
tolls.
The Italians resented this. declar-
ing they only used their guns in hunt
ing and in the miX-up a Volly was
fired. one Italian being killed instant
y. one dying an hour later and seN
eral wounded slightly.
There was no inquest held over the
dead but the sheriff of the county
sworc out a warrant against members
Of the posse. the case was heard be-
tore the justice of the peace and all
parties were dismissed. Another war
rant was sworn out before the same
justice against nine OF the Italians
charging them with conspiracy to-
they We're bound oyer t.
court. and in default of bail placed
in Mcdowell Jail.
These Are Disputed.
The disputed facts in the matter
are in regard To the cause Of the
trouble. To the Italian consul who
could understand their language. the
foreigners stated that they were held
practically as prisoners by the CON
tractors and that when one tried tu
escape he was caught and put -
work in the tunnels during the day
and locked up in a stockade at night. |
his class of dissatisfied men being
used regularly in the tunnel work In i
he camp which was fired on was an
italian who had signed a contract in |
New York to work as foreman Of a |
gang at increased pay This man on
arriving was not given this position
out was put to work as a common Ia |
oocer. He was q very intelligent man
ma could understand English some |
ma was able partially to make himself |
He complained Of his |
treatment To such an extent the con- |
ractOr OF SUPERINTENDENT concluded il
vas best to let him leave. promising |
o pay his way back to New York.
When he was ready 10 90. ne was told
hat his ticket would take him TO |
Johnson City. Tenn. but a short dis
ance. In protesting against this he /
states that he tried 10 explain that |
laVing no money if he got no furtheri
han Johnson City he would starye
o death To express this, since no at
ention was paid to his broken Eng
ish he SAYS he placed his finger in |
lis mouth and made a cross mark on
lis stomach, and with his foot traced