The way the Irish are Drought into the Shambles.
The annexed article from the Reston (Mass.)
Daily Courtier, gives an account of the mode in which the
United States crimps try to sell freshmen to the
Yankee recruiting officers.
It ought to serve as a warning to any who may be tempted to emigrate by promises of employment and high wages:
‘
The Irish citizens of
Charlestown and
Boston have been greatly excited this week, in cause quence of the arrival in
Charlestown of eighty six young Irishmen from the city of Dablin, under extraordinary circumstances.
These young men, one hundred and two in all, left
Liverpool on February 27, in a steamer for
Portland, which reached that city on Wednesday morning, March 9. The men took an early breakfast and then landed.
A few of them strayed away from their companions, but the remainder came on to
Boston in the afternoon train in charge of the emigrant agent
a Mr. Finney, under whose inducements and promises they left their homes.
Upon their arrival in this city the men were conducted to an old building on Banker Hill street,
Charlestown, belonging to
Mr. Jerome G
Kidder, of this city formerly used for his business purposes, but now improved as a "mission
House." at this building nothing was provided for the reception of the ment no food, although they had eats nothing since early morning and it was now half past 9 o'clock no bedding, no comforts of any kind, not even straw to sleep upon.
After a little while some crackers and cheese were procured, and a ton of ale was brought in, with which the wearied men sought to refresh themselves.
In the morning they had whiskey for breakfast, and a number of those who partook of it were made
’
Mr. Kidder, the owner of the presented himself on the night of their and told the men — so it is reported by several of them — that the work they were brought over to do was not ready; but that need make no difference; they need not be idle a single day; they could enlist at once, and recommended the 21th, an Irish regiment, to them.
Upon this the suspicious were confirmed, which had been growing upon the men, that they had been deceived and enticed from their homes under false pretenses.
The men are fine, stalwart fellows, young mechanics, all from the city of
Dublin. One of them a young men, by the name of
Ward, is a comedian, who has acted upon the Dublin boards and in the Irish provinces, in parts like these assumed by
Barney Williams and
Florence.
Their story is, that throw were induced to come to this country through the representation of this
Mr. Finney, who was announced in the papers as an "emigration agent for the principal railroads in
New England, who was commissioned to procure 1,000 laborers." The terms be offered them were a free passage, work immediately upon arrival, a new suit of clothes and two pound a month and found, for wages.
Mr. Finney now declares himself to be agent for
Mr. Kidder, and
Mr. Kidder protests that because the men to be brought over here in good faith actually and
cond likely to work upon the Works, and that he was ready on Friday to take as many of the men to West Redford as would consent to go, and put them at once to work.
He says, moreover that he has no knowledge of who ordered the to the men on the night of their arrival.
It was certainly done without his privily.
The condition of the men the morning after their arrival in
Charlestown was anything but gratifying.
Their number had already been by those left behind at
Portland and of these the recruiting agents had snapped up eight.
Without money, without friends, with scanty clothing, with no to procure they would have suffered greatly had not hind hearted country women supplied their wants, Recruiting agents, however, found them and in the course of the day gabbed up several.
On the evening of Thursday they had another interview with or
Kidder, when they were told the had must be cleared, and they would not have and a place to lay their heads, had
John Warren who keeps an establishment on that street near by, bestirred himself and procured for them upon the neighbors round Yesterday morning they were still in Banker Hill street, subsisting upon charity, and still pastered with recruiting agents.
In the course of the forenoon
Mr Eldder again appeared among them, offering to take as many as would go to the water works at
West But the men had lost confidence in him. They coat
Mr. Kidder $7) a head to land them in
Boston.
It will prove a poor speculation as it has turned out. But if they had taken his recommendation on the night of their arrival to enlist, he might have made himself whole and something more.
The Irish citizens of
Boston and vicinity, feeling indignant at the imposition practiced upon their countrymen, called a meeting at the Stack pole
House to investigate the in the case, which was very argently attended Charles F Denarlly,
Esq., was called to the and
Edward Ryan was appointed
Secretary.
The
Irish who attended the meeting resolved to provide or the immediate of the emigrants, and to do all that can be done to punish those by whom they were deceived so cruelly.
The wretches calculated wall that a third time of year their victims could not easily find work.
