The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-20
FIGHT TO END SALE
OF PRISON GOODS
AS UNION MADE
Local Manufacturer Charges
Penitentiary Handkerchiefs
Are Not.Labeled.
FREEHOLDERS TAKE
ACTION IN THE MATTER
Unfair Competition Is Running
Business, It's
Alleged.

fight against handkerchiefs made
by prison labor in the Essex County
Penitentiary at Caldwell being sent out
and sold without the prison tag, so that
they could be taken for unionmade
goods, has been taken up by local
handkerchief manufacturer
According to the allegations made
before the Board of 'Freeholders, the
made n-prison tags are sometimes
lest or removed before the handzer-
chiefs reach their destination. The
goods are then sent out to jobbers
and retailers. Neither knows whether
the goods were made in prison or in
union shop, it Is claimed. This, it is
pointed out is unfair to union shops
and workmen.
Instances are cited where the goods
/. made in prison and wrapped in bundles
or from ten to twenty dozen were
marked with but one tag, and that
placed in the bottom of the boxes.
Very often 1t is alleged, the tag mys-
teriously disappears shortly after the
goods are shipped from the prison.
The Newark Embroidery Works in
Shipman street, aided by other manu-
facturers, has determined to contest
the right Of Jerome Schwerin's hand
kerchief industry in the penitentiary
10 send out handkerchiefs unless each
one or each dozen are marked made
in prison." William J. Bornemann,
manager of the firm, has engaged
counsel to prosecute the case. He de-
clared today that the union men, job
hers. retailers and purchasers are en-
.,s4tled to protection from prison made
articles. Not only that, he said. but
The present method Is injuring the
business Of the manufacturers.
Goods should he stamped.
THE prison is not the place to make
goods manufactured by regular manu-
facturer." said Mr.. Bornemann. "They
simply take ten dozen or so bundles,
tie a tag on the whole lot-and the tag
can be taken off easily-and ship them
to Jacob Schwerin, who acts as agent
for a Passaic firm. There the tags,
understand, may be removed and the
goods sent out. AS a result no one
knows whether they were made in
prison or elsewhere. They should be
forced to do as the Arlington Protectory
does-that IS, stamp every article show
ing where it was made. Here we mark
at least every dozen handkerchiefs we
send out. If they are not marked they
are stamped with an ink that comes
out in the first washing. The prison.
made articles should be stamped in a
like manner. If the prison goods were
properly stamped many persons would
rot buy them.
"Mr. Schwerin pays the Board of
Freeholders $4,000 year. He turns all
of the goods manufactured in Caldwell
prison over to one hrm. Our contention
is that all prison-made goods should
be marked, so they would not enter
into competition with other goods and
so that people could know exactly
where such goods were made. When
the sub-contractor takes the labels out
we are up against pretty hard COM
petition. as they are able to sell goods
much cheaper than we can"
~ Charge Bad Faith.
Mansfield w. Enrich, counselor for
doubt the goods were tagged, but that
he knew of instances where the hand
kerchiefs were shipped to Passaic and
the tags removed before they got
there.
1t was stated by counsel today that
there is no law compelling peniten-
tiaries to stamp goods made there.
There is a law, however, compelling the
State Prison 70 stamD its goods "Made
in Prison" According to counsel when
Schwerin signed the contract with the
Board of Freeholders he agreed to
carry out the provisions of the law
applying to State prison-made articles.
The question was taken up by the
Board Of Freeholders yesterday, and
on motion of Freeholder David B.
Nathan, County Counsel Joseph L.
Mum will be asked for a written opin-
ion as to the extent to which the
goods should be stamped, tagged or
labeled as coming from the peniten-
tiary.