The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-05-21

STONY OF Ills BRUTAL LIFE AS TOLD BY
Ills WIFE.


road strike on the Gould Southwestern
system was Martin Irons. To those
who know anything of the man this
circumstance proves conclusively that
the strike was not inaugurated at the
request of the best element in the
Knights of Labor of the Southwest,
but at the demand of the worst charact-
ers in the order. Irons is Master Work
man of the assembly at Sedalia. His
election was not procured by the con-
servative element. His predecessors
were comparatively fair-minded men.
They objected to arbitrary measures.
They were in favor of giving the rail
road company chance to settle diff
Guilty before precipitating a strike. This
did not suit the policy of the minority.
1t wanted man of Its own stamp.
was in favor of terrorizing the company.
1t succeeded in cowing the majority,
and finally selected Irons as the head
of the assembly at Sedalia, and the
Secretary of District Assembly No. l0l
A few days before the Knights con-
vention was held at Marshall, Texas,
Irons called at the Missouri Pacific
Railroad Company's office and asked
for return passes for himself and asso-
ciates. His request was granted. 1t
was for neglectiug his business in at
tending this convention and plotting
the visiting Knights about the town,
after the convention had adjourned,
that Foreman Hall was discharged by
the Receivers of the Texas Pacific Rail
road Company.
When Irons determined to begin a
general strike on the Missouri Pacific
Railroad he did not take counsel with
the conservative men of the order.
His cronies were the desperate spirits.
He simply did their bidding. Although
perhaps in the minority the bad element
was in control. Their ferocious threats
deferred those Knights who considered
the strike uncalled for from asserting
their manhood and finally from even
expressing their opinions.
Powderly saw at glance, upon
visiting the section, that the strike
was unjustifiable. He lacked the back
bone to tell Irons and his associates SO,
and contented himself with issuing his
secret circular on his return to Pennsyl-
vania.
The result of the strike is a matter
OF small consequence 10 the men who
ordered it. The Knights of Labor may
have received severe blow many OF
them may have been impoverished
many of them may have been rendered
homeless, but Irons and Coughlin and
Sullivan, the heads of the Joint Ex-
ecutive Committee of District Assem-
blies Nos. l01, 93 and II, have lost
nothing. Many think they are much
richer to-day than they were eight
weeks ago. Sullivan is school teach.
er at East st Louis. He may be q
poor one he looks it, big, burly,
coarse-grained, red-haired and red.
bearded know-nothing, but his job is a
good one and he retained it all through
the strike. Coughlin is an ex-Metho.
dist parson. His head teens with wild
ideas, to which he gives tongue in
ridiculously sensational language. Irons
is an agitator. He calls himself a
machinist. but he never served a full
apprenticeship.
The person who is best qualified to
speak of Irons is his wife. She lives
about FIVE miles southwest of Richmond
Mo-, and is decent body. The fol
Loving interview was held with her 6
few days ago. She said:
81 was born in Kelkeith, Scotland
June 2l, 1882. My maiden name wa,
Mary Brown. was married to Mar
tin Irons in Lexington, Ky, by J. X
Lyle, ID. d., on July 2S, 1852.
"After married Martin Irons W,
resided in Lexington, Ky, about thre,
weeks aud then we started for New
Orleans, stopping at Cincinnati, wher,
my brother and Mr.. Irons went int
the saloon and restaurant business. w,
returned to Lexington in three months
Irons went to work for Mr.. Heminwa,
in the hemp factory, looking afte
machinery under Robert Brown, m,
father, who was foreman. In the fac
tory he lost the second finger of hi
left hand. In the spring of 1858 W,
removed 10 Cincinnati, where my hus
band worked for Robert and Johl
Brown as machinist. Shortly after
ward he went to work in a SEWN.
machine shop. From there we went t
Newport, KY, where we remained seve
raj weeks, Mr. Irons still working il
the sewing machine shops. We wen
from there to jamestown, KY, wher,
he worked in the hemp factory. We
remained there till the fall of 1854
when we returned to Lexington, Ky.
and my husband worked in the machin,
shops. In 1856 we went to Hannibal
Mo. Irons could not get any worl
there, so he went to St. Louis, where,
think, he worked as q machinist. II
the same year he went to work for Nc
Grew d Morrison, in The foundry, al
Lexington, Mo. We left Lexington
for Liberty in 1859. lived at Libert,
Mo-, during the war. In the fall o
1865 we returned to Lexington, Mo
In 1867 we went to Knoxville, Mo.
where Mr.. Irons went to work in
saw iuiil. III lOiO we removed u
where | now live, five miles southwes
OF Richmond, Mo.
FORCED TO LEAyE HIM.
81 separated from my husband il
1876. We were then living at a plac
known IS Lime John Browns, whic
joins the place where ! now live"
'Did you leave Mr.. Irons or did h
leave you?"
81 left him. / haven't seen hir
since we separated, lie has sent m
some money since we separated, bu
not enough to support me and m
family"
'IIave you ever been divorced fror
lrons?'
"No. | received letter from hir
stating that if / wanted a divorce b
would not appear against me. Sine
then have learned that he has marie
again. | do not know the woman /
married
"Was he kind parent and husbands
mo; he was very cruel