The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-22
CLEARING THE COURT ROOM.
The Throne that Appisuded Gen. Hoxsey In
the Mcdonnell Case Turned Out-A Pass
age ut Arms between Court and Counsel.

ADOuJ lOuT months ago inc employees OF
the mosquito netting mills Of II. h II. Adams OF
Paterson struck work on account oi proposed
reduction Of ten per cent. in their wages. Tho
hands. to the number Of four or five hundred.
have hold out stubborny and have prevented
Mr. Adams from getting hands from other
localities to take their places. II has been ono
OF tho most stubbornly conducted strikes that
ever was made in Paterson. and the end is NO
parenty no nearer now than II was the FIRST LAY
the men stopped work. Under ordinary cir
cunistances the workmcn would probably not
have been able to stand out so long. but it hap
pened that among the strikers there were many
members of the International Labor Union. md
through their efforts all the strikers joined the
order. which has branches throughout tho
country. and through the assessments of these
societies and the workmcn in other pnrts OF the
United States the strikers in Paterson have
been maintained. with the understanding that
they will rcciprocatc the favor whenever there
may be a strike in some other city needing their
COOPERATION and assistance.
Tho Labor Standard was the name OF the or
gan Of the International Labor Union. and was
published in New York until recently. the
publication ofice WAS removed to Boston. The
LdlOr Standard took up the cause OF the Adams
strikers and urged them to stick.
Joseph II. Mcdonnell. one Of tho editors OF
| the Lnb9r Sidnddd in addition To writing up
| the strike in the paper. paid several visits TO
| Paterson. soliciting subscribers To- his paper
and addressing mass meetings. The speeches
| lished In the Labor Standard, were alleged to Toe
abusive of Mr.. Adams and the. ,workmcn who
| continued in his mills. Mr.. Mcdonnell con-
| cuded go 90 10 Paterson and start a labor paucr
| 81 his own. This was, done the money to buy
the workmen, who said that tho regular Paicr-
| son papers were controlledby the capitalists.
and that they wnnted q paper 10 represent their
own Interests. The first number OF the Paterson
Labor Standard appeared about four weeks ago
II was fun OF news about the strike aud those
| employees who had returned 10 work In the
Adams Mill at reduced prices were designated
In II as scabs." Every week q list Of scabs "
| wns published In the Labor Standard A long
definition OF the term scab" WIS given in
| which 1t WAS said TO be something worse than
! traitor and deserving Of the greatest contempt
and they called upon Mr. Adams and demanded
protection. saying that else they would not re-,
until the courts met and then took some Of the
men who made complaints bei.ro The Grand
Jury. and the result WIS that Mr. Mcdonnell
was indictcd on criminal charge OF libel.
Mr.. Mcdonnell In the next number OF his
ierred 10 were ,srahs." and gave their names
again IN terms that they,cq3nsidered abusive. on
meeting in tho Paterson Ngwam 10 protest
against the indictment and express Indignation
ut the action Of tho Grand Jury The Wigwam
/ WIS crowded and strong language was used
| about the men who Ind returned To- work. and
| about Mr.. Adams and several other manufnr-
| urcr- and leading citizens ot Paterson. Fool
INK was expressed against The Grand jury.
ana there was some fear that there might La
| trouble iu the court when the case came Wy for
II tho hour appointed for the opening Of
court yesterday morning the street was blocked
| M with thronEs OF strikers and workiugmru
who wanted L, near the trial ~ Mr.. Mcdonnell.
But the court room is limited IN size. and IT was
proportion OF them were female operatives of
the mill. ana most 81 these were allowed tu -
in. AZ well as some men. until tho seats were AL
filled. Then the doors were shut and guarded
10y several gonstabl"s. This created good deal
~ dissaus faction. but there was no disturbance:
Judge Barkalow presided over the Court Of
General Quarter Sessions with Associate Judges
sanford. Daggcrs. and simmons. TIA" Dis
case of the STATE against Joseph +. Mcdonnell
for libel Mr.. Mcdonnell was seated at the end
r il. Hoxscy. Some difficulty was experienced
in Impaneliing jury; District Attorney Wood
upon which ii WIS based. George :. Chiswcll.
one ~ the proprietors Of the Paterson iTess.
Dor Standard containing the alleged libciloas
David Kennedy, nm employee ~ tho Adams
mill. testified that he worked IN that mill at tho
was, ,sWhiisL.d H. ih"n'.h; mai articie had
disgraced him. and said that many OF his for
mcr friends now refused 10 associate with him
in consequence. He had been in Mr.. Adamss
The paper OF Sept 2s containing the alleged
libelious article was then admitted IN eyldenre.
dcspt" the objections ~ Gen. HoNsey. So were
the Subsequent Issues repeating tho alleged
libel.
James DHTOYSnlre i'Stioi ilNf ne l1u boon
greatly injured by the publication. and he had
been continually insulted ever since
Immediately before the court convened inter
recess a throng demandcd admtt4nce al, the
entrance Constable Monks. who is about 70
years II age and who Inns been n constable for
many years. refused Ia Jet them In. The throng
then made a dash, knocking the aged constable
down. and rushed Ia over him. tr0mpllug him
badly, 4 number of other constahlcs and by
ISLANDERS came 10 the rescue and drove the in
vaders back. No arrests were made.
Mr. and Mr.. Charles Whit. jane Derby
.It Ia. 4 \ Ir4p Irttn
field and others. who had been called scai-,
test liod that they were dlsgraeed by the put
While James Tattersal was being cro-s-
examined the attention 81 Judge Barkaow was
momentarily called aside. The Judge was
aroused ~ q question put by Gen. HoNsey, and
said mat whenever the Court turned its head
Gen. Hoxsey would attempt 10 put IN improper
questions. and that he mad made al loast iiity
such attempts during the day.
=, The reprmand from ih9 Court put Gen.
H@H7ey on ms mee S"d he To pe wines snc
as If we ought 70 have some rights of cross
Jnda" Barkalow--Do you mean 10 inslnuate
that YOU have not had rights hercY
Gen. Hoxsey-Well. 1t seems to me that
cannot ask question on cross examination but
Judge Barkalow-Gen. HoXsey, you have
your legal rights hero on all points. but the
Court wants you to understand hat you cannot
ask any questions for political effect. or out OF a
feeling Of drmagogism.
mill had testified 10 the same general elect As
the others. the state rested.
Gen. HoXsoy then opened tho defence. lio
said that the Court had no right 10 charge the
Jury ia this case rs the Jury were the Judges OF
both law and fact. The General grew warm In
his speech and after while IN" audience b+-
gan 10 make the court room rcsound with thor
applause. The Court th"reupun Indignantly
ordered the court room cleared ~ all except
witnesses. This order was executed ythe con-
stnblos amid no little confusion and much
grumhine; but no one made violent resistance
A strong guard was placed AZ the doors. The
General concluded his opening 10y reading
some articles from the Ldtor Ntdndd,d To sho i
that il was a paper devoted 10 tn" interest OF the
work ng asses. The defendant, did not deny
the alleged hhellous publication, but cpniendei
that the word scab was not llbrllOus IN any
sense. He Gen HoNseyl had been called a
hummer sralawng, and y dead beat lin con
nectlun with the Grcouhack movemcno: hut he
did not consider that that constituted libel any
more than the word scab.
James Martin. an employee 81 tho Ldbol
Standard testified that a portion OF the alleged
libeilous article had been set up from printed
slip and part from manuscript samuel Siglcy
an English printer, said that in the manulec'
turing districts ot England Il scab meant q
traitor TO ones country. number Of others
were examined IA to the meaning 81 scah.
Some SAID it was n trnitor some an ulcer II
, the social systcm.' II is a technical term wei
a., Tn oh