New-York tribune., 1907-05-14
EXPOSURE CAUSES STIR
Continued from first page.

or SNON TO De given by the bankers ana ticket
agents, and ] also wanted it to 50 into effect at
once There was n lot of influence against the
agtating it several bankers came to me and talked
threateuinEly They resented interference. This
is good bill. but think larger bond would be
better and safer.
Frank Zotti. of Frank zotti & Co. who has three
Offices in New York and branches in Chicago and
Pittsburg and whose firm does a large business in
railroad and steamship tickets, while agreeing that
INSCRIPTIONS agents rob the poor and ignorant
foreigners of thousands of dollars yearly does not
believe the immigrants will be protected their
interests conserved by the Wells measures. Mr.
Zotti said:
! believe that Assembyman Wells means we'll
with his two bills. but do not believe he has
thoroughly investigated the ultimate motive of the
would favor law which if constitutional. would
compel every man. firm or corporation engaging
In the sale Of steamship railroad tickets. not
excepting the steamship lines themselves. to put
the protection of passengers and their eventual
The bill that has been made law by the sig-
nature of Governor Hughes. under section = does
checks issued by transatlantic steamship coInpa-
MES or their duly authorized agents" Every one
the steamship companies do not always keep tneir
promises and there Is therefore hn no refSo" why
As to The question If their duly authorized =, l1i
York and Chicago. | see reason for their giving
the bond If the steamship company gives oond,
United states who sells steamship tickets under
Ference f.' cannot not SEE how such peonie be eT
spt from the bond as the hi steamship a TGInpa3les @
teCt themselves in certain instances by asking inc
from Son !" 81 600 hut What protection does the
passenger get for the money that he intrusted in
The second bin introduced by. Mr. Wells would
st further help the steamship lines and put thenl
in certain autocrat tic and dicatoral position with
any who intends TO engage, or is engaged, In
think the whole theory OF both bills is un-
American and unconstitutional, because believe
commerce is within the SCOPE and power of Con
fssnsncc of drafts on foreign Countries and the
transmission of money between states or between
state, is Interstate or international commerce.
am always against any law intended for the
these two bills are in the interest Of the trans
beIia ~ h y' MI " y oTe poor unsrdEt, IT. o'']nons ]
Well but was i'll advised.
Commissioner Watchorn and the heads of the !
various steamship lines commended The Tribune's /
exposure of the system which has preyed the /
ignorant foreigner. The heads OF the bigger lines |
said they have been fighting these 'shyster agents
for years and thought exposure such as The |
Tribune's would have tendency drive these
persons of the business
Commissioner Watchoru said his department had 7
been working with the philanthrcpic organizations
interested to protect the foreigners from these peo
pie and land the offenders in jail.
''lrs glad to The Tribune expose this system
he said. There's nothing like daylight such
rasCally traffic. / hope The Tribune will keep Il
up. I am working in harmony with the Civic Fed
Grafton for the passage of the bill now in the
Senate hv which hope 70 drive these scoyndreIs
out of the business. and maybe land them in jail
where they belong
Gustav II. Schwab the New York representative
of the North German Lloyd Steamship Company,
which transports yearly thousands of emigrants to
this country, was unstinted I'm his praise of the
expose made in yesterdays Tribune OF the bogus
steamship ticket agents He said The Tribune had
H. Yg-rF
the methods of these unscrupuous agents"
The North German Lloyd Steamship Company
Mr.. Schwab said, has long known of the bogus
ticket agents. The steamship companies have
strenuousy endeavored TO stop the practice. and
had a provision Incorporated in the penal code pro-
hibiting the selling Of tickets by other than
thorzed agents OF steamship lines. Unfortunately.
this was declared unconstitutional. Just what can
be done put a stop to this dishonest ticket bust
ness is not now known II largely remains for
such high class and influential papers as The Trib-
fight the evil and TO do their utmost TO
stamp ii One thing is certain-the press in its
endeavors to put stop TO bogus steamship ticket
selling will surely receive the support Of all the
steamship lines"
Emil Boas. of the Hamburg American Line said:
We have not had many complaints of this kind,
though, of course IT is known that this traffic e1
fs f6rbdde1 to H9r rac With peGieqs There has been
"a law passed recently bonding all agents 10 tho
consideration. but 1t is not enough to make law:
be enforced, and to enforce IL there should
be a special officer appointed who would visit
these agencies from time to time and how
they conducting their business.
Several of the ticket brokers who had been i'm
plicated the sale of bogus tickets have given UP
their business Offices entirely gone into the |
business under other names In one case the news
OF prosecution had evidently reached the ears OF
the prOprietors, for the office was closed and
notice pinned the door informing callers
that the manager had gone out and was not
known when he would be back
In one case the manager Of one OF the ticket !
Offices referred to in yesterdays Tribune denied
that his firm had done any crooked business and (
said that he the authorized agent of most OF
the steamship lines He said there had never been
a complaint against his concern and he would |
pay $,tVJ TO any one who could prove that his firm
had carried on any crooked business.