Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-04-24
FOURTH EDITION.
The CGIOred Strikers.

THEIR ARRAIGNMENT BEFoTE THE MAYoR-EAcH
rs PLACED UNDER BONDS TO KEEP THE PEACE.
| At noon, to-day, the colored laborers who
struck Wednesday, and whose arrest, on
charge Of riotous conduct, WAS noticed in yes
terdays COMMERCIAL, had.a heaiing before the
Mayor. W. r. Hodgson conducted the case in
| behalf of the State. The names of the strikers
| under arrest William Demby, Charles
Maiden, Simon Parker, James Whartonby, Hi
ram Tate, William Johnson, James Tilghman,
Charles Demby, Henry Richardson, George
| Gooden and John Hinman.
The first witness called was Pusey Walton,
who testified that while going down to the mill
on Friday morning, with new men to supply the
place of the strikers, they were met by gang of
the latter who came running across the lots and
| intercepted them, declaring with oaths that no
man should go to work at the mill for
Il less amount of wages than those
asked. The men were acting in concert and
were violently demonstrative. The witness did
not notice any clubs in the hands Of the strikers
but did see stones, and saw johnson stoop down
as if to pick up something He had heard of re-
ports of these men going about terrifying la
borers and of their threats to kill any who should
attempt to supply their places. Was not aware
that any member of Walton. Whann x Co. had
assaulted any of the men. On Wednesday last,
when invited into the yard to 60 to work the
men declined unless more wages was paid them.
Some of them eyinced a willingness to go to
work, but the more determined picked them up
bodily and prevented IL. Iney then acted IN an
excited manner, and were following all about
the entrance way.
Jacob Walton, who was with Pusy Walton when
the new laborers were intercepted in going to
the works, told substantially the same story but
said that had not his party.given in and a part Of
the new men gone back there would have been
riot, ,s the colored men pulled off their coats
and hats and were ready for fight. Their.man
ner terrifying, and it was not safe for man
to undertake to go to the works alone. The
firm have lost considerable by the stoppage, and
the threats made by the strikers have kept new
men away.
William Miller, and Lewis Stevens, two Of the
new men who did go to the works. told about
the same story, Miller adding that the colored
| men said 1--WE will thrash you tonight"
| Thos Weigles, new colored laborer, in his
statement said he saw good many coming out
to the works who were stopped by the coored
men.
William Mitchell, who worked at the mill yes
| terday, testified that at night two gangs, one
| of men armed with clubs, and another of four,
went out to his. home on the marsh, in the rear
| of the superphosphate works, and being demon
strative the door was barred against them. part
of Them afterwards got inside when the door
was opened, when he (hlitchelD was informed
that if he went back to the mill to work it would
| be worse for him. One of the men said he had
as much money as any of the firm and did not
care if he did have to lay in the New Castle jail.
| John Oaks and Eliza Mayherd, who lived i'll
| the same house, gave about the same testimony.
The Mayor placed all the accused under bonds
| in $500. each to keep the peace, Walton, Whann
| Il Co. desiring no more than this, and they were
| also required to pay the costs. 1t was also re-
qured that the sureties be good freehold citi-
zens.
NEW MEN TO BE EMPLOYED.
Walton, Whann & Co. authorize us to say that
| they will at once set about the obtainment of
new force of aborers, and that they will pro-
| tect them against violence.