Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-20
EMPLOYMENT
AGENT SHOWN
IN BAD LIGHT
Chief Kern Writes
Complaint
Crowley Denies Allegations, but VIII
Have to Prove His Innocence
to the Police COM
nissioners

If It legally can do so the police
commission will next Tuesday make an
example of the proprietor of Crowleys
employment agency on Second street,
north side between Main and Los An
geles streets.
In a scorching report from the chief
of police and the italian consular agent
the methods of the agency were at
tackled.
Alleged victims Of the firm were on
hand to testify.
Crowley of the agency was on hand,
too, claiming that he had just given
to a detective for Chief Kern's perusal
a letter from San Diego showing that
all representations made by the agency
concerning jobs there were true. Chief
Kern said he had not received this
letter.
Formal complaints fled against the
agency were read by Secretary Charles
McKeag as follows:
Five Are Stranded
ST transmit herewith a communica-
tion received by me from B. Castruccio
italian consular agent, from which it
appears that on March Is nine Italian
laborers were booked at the employ
ment agency conducted by E. II. Crow
ley, 1111a East Second street, for gov
ernment work at San Diego; that they
paid the Office fee, a sum for railroad
fare and SO cents for baggage each, and
that when they arrived in San Diego
and hunted up the man to whom they
had been directed they were told that
there was no work for them; that four
were able to pay their way back to
Los Angeles, leaving the others strand
ed in San Diego.
Yesterday j. H. Thompson, accom-
panied by w. S. Decker of the union
labor headquarters, reported that on
last Saturday he had called at this
same office and been informed that
there was work for carpenters at Santa
Cruz at $3.75 per day, with fare paid
to that point; that he did not have with
him at the time the fee asked, namely,
$3.75, whereupon the clerk in the office
suggested that he pay 81 down to hold
the job, which he did, then going to
his room, where he procured the re-
mainder of the fee, and returned to
the agency and then paid the remaining
$2.75. He was given the usual receipt
and also an unsigned letter stating that
he was carpenter, for work in Santa
Cruz. He asked for his transportation
and was then informed that he would
have to pay his own fare, over $11. He
complained that this was not the ar
rangement under which he paid the Of
was refused, and he was told to get
out of the office. He left after some
demur and the receipt was thrown out
after him.
Miners Complain
"A couple of weeks ago several men
complained that they had paid each a
SO fee to this same agency for work as
miners in a mine in the mountains, in
the southern part of Kern county, with
the understanding that a rig from the
mine would meet the train; that upon
arriving at the station they had to
pay for fourteen miles of staging and
then walk ten miles over the snow,
only to learn when arriving at the
mine that no men were wanted: they
bore letters from the foreman stating
that he had sent for no men, After
some delay these men reported that
Crowley had agreed to refund their
money.
"I therefore bring these facts to your
attention for appropriate action.
1--WE have had other complaints since
the operation of the present ordinance
directed against this agency, but none
touching such fragrant cases.
"Of the twenty-five other agencies in
town we have heard in the way of
complaint only a few times and none
of the cases were so aggravated.
"In addition to those complainants
who come to this department directly, a
number have made complaint to the
prosecuting attorney concerning the
Crowley agency; Mr.. Eddy can give
the details of these reports.
EDWARD KERN,
"Chief of Police"