New-York tribune., 1910-05-25
DEN0UNcES GIRLS HOME BIC FEES FOR LAWYERS
Austrian Institutions Agents
Barred from Ellis Island.
SECOND TIME IN TROUBLE
Commissioner of immigration
Acts on Reports of Women
Detectives.

detectives.
Acting on reports of women detectives
employed by the North American Civic
League for Immigrants Commissioner
Williams yesterday barred the agents of the
Austrian Society of New York from Ellis
Island. The agents were excluded from the
island last year because the Commissioner
found that the home was unclean and that
the women were not surrounded with the
proper conditions, and the same charges are
now made The Civic League for Immi-
grants is new organization, and numbers
Miss Anne Morgan, Frank A. Vanderlip
and Felix Warburg among the members
of its executive committee.
The Commissioner states In his letter that
in April an agent of the Civic League
spent two nights at the home, No. 81
Broad street, and found the beds filthy in
the extreme"
"A serious cause of complaint last sum-
mer." continues the letter. was that you
employed no matron; nevertheless, the only
woman connected with the management on
the occasion of this agents visit was the
cook, and she took care of the girls
On the contrary, these were looked after
by two foul mouthed men, who not only
did all the chamber work. but walked them
in the morning Instead of knocking on the
door they walked in, yelling .Aufstehen!
CGet up!), and something in Polish. The
girls who did not get up were shaken by
these men, who again came into the DOR
mitory while they were dressing and made
vulgar remarks concerning them In German
and Polish. These two men were not the
only ones about the house who were vul-
carly familiar with the female inmates.
Upon leaving the agent paid the usual
charge for board and lodging.
Last week sent agents during the day
time to inspect your new quarters, at No.
81 Broad street. They reported similar
conditions as to the mattresses and bed
clothing. Two of the Objectionable male
employees were still there; also the same
manager, who did not appear to be at ali
disturbed when his attention was called to
the filth of mattresses and blankets. There
was nothing to indicate the presence of
matron. and the chamber work was still
being done by men. It is an abuse of Ian
guage to call such a place a home for
girls"
Mrs. Joseph P. Puke1 wife Of the man.
ager, said that she had acted as matron
since October, and that two women SER
wants We're in the kitchen. Only one of the
eight women dodgers could speak English
or German. She said that she had been
going to the home for year when out of
work and found no fault with the condi-
tions. The house is in four story build
ing, with accommodations for sixty people.
The sum of 50 cents day is charged for
lodging and meals and 10 cents extra Sc
cures a private room and a more exclusive
dining room. Large bathrooms are on each
floor
THE Austrian government pays the home
81 600 annually" said Manager Pukel. but
there is always a deficit to be made up by
the directors We do the best we cam
"a woman detective came here on April
% giving a fictitious name and remaining
several days. Another much older woman
came one afternoon and said to the de-
tective. oh. my daughter, come home with
me- We did not know that the first woman
was an investigator and refused to let her
20 until the other woman returned with a
lawyer. I let two porters go after the in
vestigator left, not because they had act
ed Improperly. but because they were too
slow. One was sixty years old. We have
had only six immigrants from Ellis Island
since May 1, five of them women. Most of
those who come TO the home are AUstrians
who have been here some time and have
no place to go when out of work.
The executive committee of the Austrian
Home issued the following statement last
night:
I'VE do not propose to be used to adver-
tise any one, and we will under present
conditions abstain from having further rep
resentation at Ellis Island Our home will
be conducted as before, for the benefit of
Door Austrians. The letter received from
Commissioner Williams shows plainly the
animus which he has against this home.
There have never been any complaints from
bona fide immigrants, but always from pro
fessional investigators.
The Commissioner seems to think that
the immigrants will be better cared for by
the sharks and boarding house runners who
line the Battery awaiting the arrival of the
people we have sheltered heretofore. The
home is always open to inspection. There
is a matron in charge who is the wife of
the manager The class of immigrants ad-
mitted is of Abe poorest, and l. is impoS-
sible to keep the place as one would expect
a hotel to be kept. 1t is to be regretted
that the Commissioner has again seen mt
to attack the home, although he promised
faithfully to inform the president of the
society of any complaints that might be
made before taking action against the
home"