Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-07
LABOR BUREAU MANAGER
FINED IN POLICE COURT
Convicted Of Failing to Return Fee
to Party for Whom lie Pro-
vlded No job.
DoHERTY BRINGS PROSECUTION
state Labor Commissioner Han on
File Many Complaints Of Alleged
Abuses by Labor Agencies-Says
Contract Violates State Law.

proceeding under the new law re-
curing his department to prosecute
Vlolatcrs Of the amended statute gov
erning employment agencies. Labor
commissioners Doherty. Yesterday
Drought charges against the American
t-"oor bureau, a private agency con-
ouctins an office in the Foster Build
ing, near Ninth and Franklin Streets,
which resulted in "a conviction and the
imposing Of II fine OF 800 by Police
Justice Crutchfeld on the manager OF
the agency. The case appealed.
Complaints had been pouring into
commissioner Dohcrty's office from per-
sons who charged that many Of the
private agencies in the city were iE-
noring the provisions Of the new law
requiring thcm 10 return to applicants
the registration fee IL no employment
were provided within thirty days after
cnro.lmtnt The law WAS passed by
Inc last Leg islaturc 10 protcc, uncn-
ploEed persons against tn, rapacity OF
fcw uhprinciplcd agencies which col
iected fees trom applicants for work
without returning service euuiva..
LEM.
STATE INSPECTOR
APPLIES ron POSITION
~ order TO procure evidence upon
whiol. TO base action IN court
Commissioned Doherty delegated Miss
Lille NJ. Barbour. one Of the depart
menus inspectors. TO apply 10 the
american Labor Eurcau for assistance
III hhding a position az clerk. The
agency charged her a registration fee
OF VI and undertook To- plac. her
AFTER the expiration Of thirty days
! MISS Barbour wrote TO the manager Of
IN. bureau calling attention To the
f'ct that she had not been provided
with position within the thirty DAYS
prescribed by law. and asking II she
| were entitled IA,
fee.
To this communication Miss Bar
oour received reply from III. agency
stating that II she should need a po-
sition any time within the n-Nt two
months the office would be x lad To- help
her. The writer made no offer To re-
turn the fee.
DOHERTY SAYS CONTRACT
VIOLATES STATE LAW
According To Commissioner Dohertv.
the American Labor Bureau Is making
use or contract which Is In itself
violation OF the law. lie exhibited
one yesterday, executed on September
6. 1916. which, with the name OF the
applicant omitted. reads "a follows:
nave ans dag employed the
American Labor bureau AS my agents
10 secure me position as laborer and
LOT such services agree to pay and
have paid them the sum Of 81 for
which they hereby agree to render
faithful service for a period OF three
months. unless position should be
sooner secured for me. In event The
said American Labor Bureau do no,
succeed In securing me a position in
said three months time. agree that
all money paid them shall be irrcdeem.
ABLY theirs. and forfeited 10 them and
the statute made in such cases and
provided for the refund of the said 81
Is hereby waived"
Tho Of
missioner Dohcrty holds. undertakes to
nullify the protective clause OF the
new law, which provides tina, lin case
the applican; shall not obtain IL si,ua-
ton or employment through such
licensed agency within thirty DAYS az
ter registration aforesaid. then said
licensed agency shall forthwith repay
and return to such applicant. upon de-
mand being made therefor. the fuI
amount OF the fec paid or delivered
by said applicant 10 said licensed
agency"
HAS On FILE SEVERAL
COMPLAINTS AGAINST AGENCIES
commissioner Doherty said that he
had on file several other complaints
against the American Labor bureau
and other agencies. which would be
reached In the proper order The con-
Hiction Of Manager J. J. Anderson yes
terday was or the one charge brought
by Miss Barbour.
ono woman. signing herself "A
widow" wrote To Commissioner Doherty
yesterday concerning certain private
agency. as follows:
II ain widow and have son and
daughter. My daughter applied to him
for work and paid him 81. lie won't
give her tho money back nor yet any
work. He talked terribly TO my dauph-
ter. ] don't care to go to the Police
Court. ] know OF others from whom
he took money without giving Them
work You ought to see that tho ,aw
raCull ting these nlacHS L..