The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-04-06
THE CAUSE OF THE.sTRIKE.
Foreman Hall MREsa y statement OF His
OaSo-WhRt Led TO the Strike,

CaSo-WhRt Led TO the Strike.
New YoRK, April ga Dallas, Texas,
special to the Sun says; "Among the
men in humble circumstances who have
been thrust into sudden notorIety by the
strike on the Gould Southwestern system
is Charles A, Hall, the former foreman OF
the passenger car repair shops OF the
Texas & Pacific railroad at Marshall, 1t
was he whose discharge from the service
OF tho Texas& Pacific railroad precipitSted
the present labor revolt on the Southwest.
ern railroads. A year ago Mr.. Hall was
active In the first great strike
on the Gould Southwestern system
when the men won an increase in wages
and better terms generally In the relations
with the railroad. These benefits were
secured through the knights Of Labor.
Hall at that time was quite conspicuous in
the local management Of the strike at Mar
shall, although he was only an ordinary
workman in the passenger car repair shops.
A few months alter the settlement OF that
strike he was promoted to the toreInanship
Of the shop. lie was discharged on Feb
ruary IA. " have every reason to be-
lieve, said Mr.. Hall, a few days ago, "that
| was promoted to the foremanship because
at that time l was the most competent
person at hand to take charge oil the shop.n
THE CoMPANY's GRUDaE.
I was impressed, however, with the fact
that the railroad had grudge against me
on account Of my activity in the strike
and early this year l felt sure that the
officials were only awaiting a pretext to
discharge me and put In my place some
one who was not q knight oil Labor Man.
Wheeler, one Of the officials under there
Ceivers indicated as much a day or two
ago when in speaking Of my case he said:
The case OF Hall was a particularly ag-
grayated one. lie made himself obnox-
lous in the trouble Of a year ago and we
only took him back for the sake OF peace.
Hoping to encourage him on securing his
good will for the company We promoted
him to be foreman oil the car repair shop
but he proved more troublesome than
ever and besides hewas incompetent
"This shows there was grudge against
me aud that the company was watching
me and only waiting for pretext to turn
me Adriit When, therefore, l attended
the Knights Of Labor meeting Of my as:
sembly Nj. Orosbls, the general shop fore
man, who is bitter opponent Of the or.
der, was the instrument they used to
bring on this entire trouble by dlsCharglng
me on the allegation that was absent
three days without leave, although l can
prove by good men that l had Orosble's
permission to be gone one, two or three
days, as circumstances would require.
GIVEN LEAyR OF ABSENCE.
l told Mr.. Crosble further that II there
was any objection to my being absent l
would not 20, and he said, "Thaes all
right" II was direct answer To my ques-
tion and was the only kind Of permission
anybody received for leave OF absence
verbal consent. No one received written
permission and my absence was onlyeao
attend a meeting In my own town, verbal
permission was all that | deemed neces.
sary. had been of a dozen times and
that was the only form Of permission l had
ever received. After my discharge the
knights Of Labor did all they could
to have me reinstated by Mr..
Crosbie, but without avail. The
higher officials were appealed TO and they
would do nothing. They refused TO recog.
niEe the Knights Of Labor as an organiza-
tion that had right TO try to secure the
Just treatment of It's members. Alter the
Knights had existed all possible efforts at
arbitration the strike came. No one re-
grets Il moro than do because OF the loss
and trotible the men who are out have
sustained, and the inConveniences the
business public have experienced. But
the strike was right aud founded In justice
and on the broadest Of principles.
WANTED A nuLLDo7ER
After Crosbie had positively refused any
concessions in the premises be and l met
and referring to the matter he remarked
The men in the shop are not afraid ol
you and want q man. who they will
be afraid OF. To which replied; No,
thank God they are not afraid Of me, and
hope you'll have to hunt long while be.
fore you find a man whom they will fear.
This was my last talk with Mr.. Crosbie."
Personally Mr.. Hall has many sympa.
thizsrs In Texas. He is not pestiterous
agitator aud was only helpless instru.
tnent In bringing to 0 head tile questions
attributed between the Knights and the
railroad companies. The knights here
assert that the discharge Of Hall was only
an incident in the studied policy Of the
railroads 10 crush oil BemblanCe Of organi.
SAtion among the employees, but that mat
ters had reached such pass that nothing
more than an incident like this was need.
ed TO produce rupture,
A MISUNDERSTANDING.