New-York tribune., 1876-03-11
A CHICK on THE CRISPINS.

MANY or THR STRIKING sHoEMAxERs ARRESTED
AND HELD TO BAII-SRETCH or THE DIFFICULTY.
The long-existing difficulty between the Girls
pins and Haunan & Reddish, manufacturers of boots
and shoes No 81 warrcn-s, eliminated on Thursday
in the Indictment and Of about 30 members OF tue
Order on charge Of conspiracy. The strike has been
marked by series Of disturbances and assaults and the
hostility toward the firm and its nonunon employees has
been very bitter amounting almost to an open warfare
AZ stated by the frIn the difficulty had its origin about
two months ago in the introduction of new machinery
for "bottoming" shoes These machines had long been
in use In the East and ii claimed effected great
saving in the labor and expense OF manufacture rms
required reorganization of the system OF the shop Inc
old plan of working in " teams" and OF giving OUT WORK
by the dozen pieces abolished, mud what the men
call the string" sysem was substituted. shoe, nsesd
of being completed by the 4" team" being passed from
hand to hand untn finished. To teach the men
the use Of the new machines, Bannan Reddish lnro
duced three instructors fOremen In the several de-
parmens prefcrring TO do this rather than dspace tie
old employs The foremen not being Crspn7'
were Immediately urged Join the union. Upon their
refusal all ut 90 OF tho struck assigning as their
reason that the rules OF the union forbade the employ
ment of union and nOn-uniOn mon in the same shOp.
After several Intellectual attempts 10 an adjust
nent of difficulties Hannah Reddish began substituting
non Irnon workmen for tho old hands, bringing men
for that purpose from the East and employing such
a
purpose TO free from Cpn rule was announced
the firm found itself at with the entire Order and
for two months past factory has been in state OF
siege. regular patrol has been kept on duty by the
strikers in front OF the building and strict system or
espionage maintained over the movements OF the men
by threats purchase and intimidation about fifty men
have been driven from the employ OF the hrH ana IN
several cases violent personal assaults have been com
mitted the wOrngmen at their own homes or on the
street ON complaint OF the firm few arrests were made
in the early stages Of the trouble but the Offenders
escaped conviction, and the members or the nm nave
been arrested for false imprisonment SO far has the
aylessness gone that the nonunOn workers only ven
re forth in sauads of dozen or more time to their
meals while about - Of the tmid eat and sleep IN
the workshops Hannah d Reddish say that they have
taken their action after mature deberaon' and VIII
maintain their present stand regards the employment
OF members OF the Crspn Union. Should the law anOru
move their workshops 10 NewJersey. They claim th't
employment OF nonlnion men. and say that under no
could they be induced to employ Their on
hands Gahds, efefP. 1rSd upon 'n'' s'ins UP "-' t
TRnrSE reporter called upon several Of the strikers
Yesterday at the Crispin headquarters in Chatham IT.
The alleged consprators who had been released on bail
we're ssenbleJ win their friends aud were in high
state Of excitement and Indignation. They claim that
nearly half their numb"r are eupoyed IN 0theT sops,
and were way engaged in the troubles wh Hannan
& Reddish They characterize the proceeding against
them as high handed and uuwarrnted, ana STATE thelr
Ibe 10 Crspins who were arrested on Thursday night
on bench warrants issued by Judge Gdorsleevr were
brought into the Court OF General Sessions yeseray
They are charged with conspiracy IN interfering ana IN
timdating the present employees OF Hannah Reddsh;
as has been described above, and they were Az
indicted by the Grand Jury on the complaint OF
tnaf trm 4 ey were brought from the Twenty
seventh Precinct station house, and were followed
by largo crowds. Col. Charles >. Spencer appeared
az counsel for prisoners and pleaded hot guilty oI
the entire number He criticised the action OF the Grand
Jury in finding indictments without preliminary * *
animation before Police Justlce. The BAN OF me
leaders varied from $50 10 $1,000. Elteen were ds
charged on their recognizances. Their trial VIII
probably take place on Tuesday, March IA III Is sald
that many other Crisplns are to be arrested