The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-30

LITTLE WONDER THAT PICK
PENETRATED YOUR ANATOMY
Slave of the System Headed by
SkriIis Attempts Murder of
Latter's Deputy.

George Tampakopoulos, the self styled
Grand Vizier of Castle Gate, and oeP'
uty of l.. G. Skriiis, the chief GreeN
padrone of the Gould system In CtaN'
lies almost at death s door as the re-
sult of having coal miner S pick en-
beddcd in his bosom at the hanos Vi
two of the victims of this vicious sys-
tenn which is tantamount to slavery.
Andrew Kouncs is the name of the
wielder of the pick and is now under
arrest under charges of attempted muir"
der.
One Victim of Hundreds.
Kouncs is only victim in common
with hundreds Of others OF ms hatloh-
ality who have suffered at the hanus
of The padrone system as apphcd on
the Gould railroads and coal mines III
Utah through the hands of l.. G. Skriils,
known as the sultan and hls granu
viziers at Sunnysde, Castle Gate, WIN
ter Quarters and Clear Creek mines as
well as on the section hands along the
lines of the Denver & Rio Grande ana
Western Pacific railways.
How System Works.
The system as practiced IN the pres
ent as IN the past IS briefly this: Be
fore Greek can obtain employment
from these corporations he must hrst
obtain letetr from l.. q. Skrllls or ms
agent or representative In Salt Lake
City TO the local grand vizier at the
point to which he is TO be sent and
where his labor is needed, OF which.
Skrilis is advised by the companies.
This letter in the case of a Job pay"
ing Sl75 per day usually costs $40. The
man receives his transportation to his
destination and upon presentation OF
his letter to the grand v1zier is taxed
IN additional $40, sometimes Sl5 or S20,
according to the supply and demand
of labor. The scarcer the work the
higher the premium, but today $50 ap-
pears to be the standard bonus payable |
TO Skrils and his outfit for any kind
Of work.
Placed OH Waiting List.
These preliminary demands having |
been complied with, tho laborer is put
on the waiting list of extra men, sub
ject TO the demands Of the company. AS
soon as he appears for work he is con- |
fronted by his foreman with a printed |
form of assignment setting over to Il.
G., Skrilis the sum of 81 per month |
known as the head tax Next in
order to hold his Job he is expected to |
sec the foreman TO the extent Of dollar
or two that disfavor may not fall upon
his head too suddenly. Then again Il.
&. SkrIGs or one of his brothers con
tlnually swings around the circle from
mine to mine and thence through the |
various section houses, ostepsibly to see
that there is no labor troubles that
come to head and to keep the men up
TO their work.
Must Pay for Visit
Each visit of such nature is the
subject of further donations in the
form of sweetening the kitty for
the maintenance of the Skrilis regime
and for the payment of its expenses A
refusal OF the payment Of tho primary
initiation premium results, of course,
IN employment of the man. Re.
fusal to sign the monthly assignment
OF his pay is met with prompt discharge
from his temporary employment and
the deduction of the dollar willy nilly
10 deny the swcetcning Of the kitty
means immediate discharge. and before
unemployment can be had another basic
premium of so as against So sweet.
ener-
Master Grows Wealthy.
hounes is under arrest and therefore
lhe Tribune refrains from any state
menr OF his ease, but that the system
may be exposed without cavil the state
ments of many individuals have been
taken having i'll view the abolition Of a
CRIMINAL system by which few per.
sons; some high in official favor, arc
yearly benefited by thousands of dol
lars extracted from the pockets of these
foreigners without service or return in
any FORM TO the laborers, most of whom
they never see save as they Dass nv in
the official private car