The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-23
The Lake Shore Road Unable to Move Trains
Hints that General Blockade Is Immi-
nent Between Chicago and the East.
Battle Between Policemen and Striking
Employees of Sugar Refneries.
President Cleveland Urges Congress to Provide
for National Arbitration-Gould Before
the House Committee-l.abor Notes.
THE LAKE SHORE swIrcHMEN.


Day of Excitement Closes with the Strik-
ers Considerably In the Lead.
CHICAGO, April 22.-The sole topic of conver-
sation at the yards of the Lake Shore railroad
early this morning. was the probability of at
tempt being made by the company. with the as
sistance of Sheriff Hanchett, to move the freight
which is blocking the yards. The few strikers
who were around at an early hour had not much
to say to reporters, but whispered conversations
among themselves went to show that they appre-
ciated the fact that to day might bring on de-
termined struggle. AS long as no force is brought
to bear but that OF the sheriff, everything
may be conducted peaceably, but the introcuc-
tion Of Pinkerton men, it is claimed, may be the
signal for bloodshed. The men claim to have
an antipathy for this class Of men, owing to the
experience at McCormck's and in other localities
| throughout the country. Shortly before o'clock
the swtchmen on guard at the crossings were
relieved from duty, and from that time the
men began to assemble at Root and at Forty
third streets. The strikers were more taciturn
than ever. and would express no opinion as to
the anticipated events Of the day. AT 1880. how
ever, everything was as quiet as heretofore. and
no reliable information was obtainable as to the
visit of the sheriff and his deputies. 1t is claimed
by the strikers that few Of the imported switch
men will be willing to 60 TO work today The
sheriff had not commenced to muster his men up
to o'clock this forenoon.
Shortly after o'clock this morning force of
twenty-five regular deputy sheriffs assembled
under orders at the sheriffs Office. They were
waiting for the word to march to the scene Of
the trouble at Forty first street. The special
deputies did not show up at the main Office but
were assembled at various detective Offices. A
member of the Switchmens Brotherhood called
at the sheriff's Office this morning and asked to
be sworn in as a deputy. "The men who are
pulling pins and throwing switches at Forty
third street, he said. 'are doing US great deal
of harm and the organization has no sympathy
for them. They are men who have hung around
the place for years. and who are always ready
for a fight with anybody aud everybody. I know
them ali. and think can do the sheriff great
deal of good by going with him and showing
the fighters that the Brotherhood does not rec
oenze them" He will probably be sworn in.
One of the Pinkerton officials this morning de-
clared that none of their men were to join the
sheriff's posse
The Lake Shore Railroad Company filed bill
in the Superior Court, this forenoon. citing that
the company owns certain lands tracks and ter
minal facilities in Cook county, which are now
being trespassed upon by sixty men not now in
it's employ-naming the striking switchmen.
The bill recites that these men are interfering
with the movements of the railroad company,
and are in other ways trespassers, and prays for
an injunction to prevent their further interfer-
ence with the operations of the company. Judge
Garnett issued writs of injunction against the
men this forenoon, and at 1910 p. NJ train
loaded with 200 deputy sher;fs left the Lake
Shore depot for the scene of the strike, to arrest
these men and bring them into court Deputy
Sheriff Morgan received his final instructions
from Mr.. Hanchett, and started for the Lake
Shore yards at Forty-third street. The deputies
have all quietly gone in small squads to the
scene of the trouble. The Pinkerton detective
agency has detailed 100 men in civilian
dress to assist the sheriff, and Mooney
& Boland have furnished about 100 more.
On board the same train carrying
the deputy sheriffs the sixty switchmen
who had been employed to take the places of
the strikers. The deputies were all armed with
hickory clubs, displaying no firearms. The new
swltchmen had also been sworn in as deputies.
In addition to the regular deputies, there were
forty from Pinkertons agency and about
sixty men from three other detective agencies.
squad of twenty-five policemen were taken
from the Twenty second street station and
posted along tine track for some distance north
OF Thirty-ninth street within the city limits.
When the train arrived Forty third street
the officers began at once to serve writs the
committee and the leading men of the strikers.
warning them not to interfere with the COM
panys property This process was gone through
with very quietly The strikers did not seem
surprised, and accepted the papers from the
hands of the deputies without word, and put
them in their pockets. Then the deputies stood
around and watched the crowd
At 1:30 o'clock the crowd at Root street hal
increased to fully five hundred 1t surrounded
the car in which the new switchmen were and
the strikers pleaded with them to leave. One of
the latter responded and left the car He was
greeted with cheers and borne away the
shoulders Of the strikers.
The special train containing the deputy sher-
ifs and new switchmen, bound for the yards at
Forty-third street. made stop at Thirty ninth
street. Here committee of the striking switch
men waited on Superintendent Amsden and
asked him TO allow one of the men to 90 into the
rear car and address them. In accordance with
the request, Tom Collins got the car and
spoke as follows:
"We want you men TO hear our side of this
matter You have heard the companys side,
and you should hear both sides. Come over to
our hall and hear Us, and If you do not want to
60 there, fix any other place. Come out and
and labor, and the time has come that the con-
hict has to take this shape We do not want to
injure the companys property, but we want our
rights"
Collins then left the car, followed by three of
the imported switchmen, and the cars were sur
rounded by the strikers and their friends, who
used every argument they could to persuade the
switchmen TO leave their cars Up to 2 o'clock,
in all. seven men had left some going through
the windows and some out OF tho doors About
two thousand men surrounded the train ut Root
street. The crowd increased momentarily until
fully Ave thousand men were in the yards.
The critical moment was at 230 p. NJ. Engine
No. 45S. with engineer Mid Caddy. came out of
the round house, Changing its bell loudly Ten
deputies guarded 1t In 'front.' rear and sides.