The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-08-24
Kearney, the Agitator
EVENTS IN THE LINE OF THE CHIEF OF
THE LABOR PARTY.
Boston Journal.


Briefly he is an Irishman become an
American citizen: q drayman turned
agi.ator. Speaking in details. it may
be said that he was born in Oakmont,
county of Cork. Ireland. in FEBRUARY,
l845. d His father, Michael kearney,
was 81 Irish laborer, AID died when
Denis was but eleven years of age.
The family consisted of seven sons
jeremiah. now aged thirty four, who
follows tue sea and who is supposed 10
be on the coast of Africa; Denis, aged
thirty one; Patrick, aged thirty, resi-
dent of this city and blacksmith by
trade; Micheal, also a resident of this
city aud tailor; Daniel. aged twenty
six. whe 10 in San Francisco with his
brother and takes charge of his
business as a drayman during his
visit East; Timothy F., aged twenty
three who accompanies Denis
on his Eastern tour: and William,
the youngest; aged twenty one, has join.
ed the Society of the Christian Broth
ers in San Francisco, ana proposes to
devote his life to the service OF the
church as Christian teacher. Denis
Kearney began life as a postboy in his
native village at the early age OF SIX
years, carrying the mail III the early
morning to and from An adjoining town,
and attending school after his labor was
performed. His fathers death, when
he was but eleven yeas old, compelled
him to leave home in order to obtain
employment and help to support the
family He first shipped as a cabin
boy in a vessel sailing from Cork to
Liverpool, and later went on voyages
t. the East Indies. He was so inteIli-
gent and faithful as a sailor before
the mast, that, at the remarkable age
of fourteen years he rose TO be mate OF
a clipper ship, and.
AT NINETEEN WAS CAPTAIN
In charge of one Of the largest vessel in
the foreign trade. Ever since his first
experience as a cabin hoy he has sailed
under the American flag. He has
sailed in the ships Bounding Bill"
Frinchlcy and Jas. Dhesley, in and -
of the ports of New York, Bo-. 81.
Baltimore and San Francisco. Om
oath of October, 1868, he reached >.
Francisco on the shooting Star, ard
after that followed the sea three Or four
years. He rmained two years as first
ii rst officer of the Shooting Star. He
then went as second officer on the
steamer Active, between San Francisco
and Victoria. Afterwards he become
foreman on the wharf, and about five
years ago went into the draying busi-
ness, paying $4,000 to the man whom
he bought out During the years that
he followed the sea, and since. he has
supported his mother, bringing her
from the old country to this city, where
she has comfortable little home with
| two of her sons near the Brighton
station on the Boston AMI Albany
Railroad. He also assisted in bring
ing his brothers to this country, and
has helped them to obtain employment,
so that they are all doing well. \
little over year ago he appeared be-
fore the people of San Francisco as an
agitator. In the spring of 1877 the
drsyrnen of the city held q meeting to
take measures for the overthrow of
what they regarded as monopoly In
the government teaming. Kesrny was
made member of the comittee to
wait upon the Senator Sargent. but
that gentleman having, as it is said,
treated the comittee cavaliery. the mat
ter was carried before the regular
authorities in the fall, when Kearny
took leading part. At this time he
called meeting in u hall, which was
held on the 18th of September, and
those who composed it passed resolu
tions calling upon the workmen tc
serve their connection in their own
interest.
REFORMS WE'RE CALLED FOR
In the following language. which may
be taken as indicating the ostensible
purposes of the party:
/. The abolition of ala assessments
on candidates for office-the people
to own the offices. not the incumbents
2. Holding state and municipal
officers to q strict accountability for all
their official acts.
5. The establishment by the state
of Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
4. The immediate reduction and the
regulation thereafter of the hours OF
labor.
8. The creation 10y the State Legis-
laturs of Convention of Labor. with
headquarters in San Francisco.
The following Sunday the first of
the serious of meeting on the sand lot.
so-called, was held. Only about SEQ
men attended, but the following Sun
day there were 1000, and the numbt r
increased from week To week until, at
times. from 10000 to $4,000 would be
present at once. The speakers used
strong language. and although Kearney
! and others were arrested again and
again and released on bail. their
speech became only more emphatic.
Then came trial aud scquittal ON Il
charge of intending riot. and :
troubles. over. internal disseu y.
arose, which. however. were gu.
by Kearney, who was soon elected
PERMANENT PRESIDENT OF THE WORK
INGMEN's PARTY
/ Denis Kearny looks like neither a
brigand nor rough, and those enter
prising gentlemen of San Francisco
press who have been sending blood.
curdling descriptions of him TO the
/ East would better save them hereafter
/ for the nursery He is man of
medium size, wellbuilt. and with an
appearance of solidity suggestive rather
/ of Drawn .han OF beef. His mustache
/ snd hair are dark brown. and his face.