Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-05-06
TAKING TESTIMONY.
Witnesses Examined Yesterday by the
Sub.Congresslonal Committee
at Denison.
Another Sub Committee SPENDS tho Day
IN Hearing the Grievances Of Kan
saa City Merchants
Special 10 the Gazette.

DKNisoN, Tx, May 5.--The congress
sional committee arrived in the city yes
terday afternoon at o'clock on a specia
train on the Missouri, Kansas Texas
railway, and commenced the investiea
tion a. o'clock this morning In the odd
Fellows hall.
The fifst witness examined was Thoma,
Fitzpatrick, general roadmaster Of Pales
tine. lie said the men were allowed
day aud a half for Sunday work and goot
time for night work, what was thought
right. lie knew Of no c6set
where the men had not beer
allowed extra time, and II Il was moi
done II WAS not the fault Of the company
but II possibly might have occurred
without my knowledge. was at Parsons
on March 6 and found everything al. q
standstill. the strikers in charge pre-.
vented all trains from moving except
those carrying mail. The strikers block
aded the trucks 30 that trains could
not 90 through without running
over them. The company employed
new men and the strikers intimidated
them, asked them not 10 work.. made
threats, etc. The Knights Of Labor did
this. About nine-tenths Of the men ere
Knights Of Labor. All went out. Some
were willing to work, but were afraid on
account Of violence. The strikers didn't
seem TO know the cause Of the strike
Some said IL was on account Of the dis.
charge Of q man named Hall In Texas
Two men appeared for work at Parsons
We took one back and not the other, be.
cause he WAS not good man. / know OF
no order not TO take men back because
Fk.t.. - -. 4 l.
application Of the section men for an In
crease OF wages. The wages are 81 10 TO
$l.i0per day, board from $40 TO sl5 per
month.
George Wright, Palestine merchant,
said that the strike parolyzcd business
for thirty days out Of from 20 to 40 per
cent. OF trade. The strikers and Knights
OF Labor said they did not know the
cause Of the strike. Later II was told
that II was on account OF the discharge
OF man named Hall
The next witness was g. W. Burkett,
railway conductor OF Palestine, He said
from ten to one hundred men would get
on an engine, blow the steam
OF and kill IL. The engines and
trains were left about the yard
and the railroad seemed 10
have no control over the yards. under
stand the men were strikers The
sherif's posse consisted Of from seventy
ilveto 100 citizens with arms, no militia.
The strikers did not show any arms.
The strikers assembled in large crowds
and the company could not move trains.
They called on the citizens to assist them
In moving trains, The engineers and
flremen went to work and took out trains
The blockade lasted twenty days. The
engines We're killed In the presence OF
the deputies. The strikers gave way to
the sheriff and citizens posse. have
800 men in my employ went to the
head men OF tho Knights Of Labor to
get mules and wagons which were
on the way. They said they
did not want TO Interfere with nv
work, The strikers struck on account OF
orders To do so, without knowing the
cause, | saw Mr. lIerrln. He said the
men went out without saying word TO
HIN, He knew Of no cause for the
strike. The knights Of Labor told me to
unlond my wagons. | got my freight by
INC s'rlkers' permission. | found the
kmghs OF Labor IN charge OF the
rSrs 4 the company. Guards were
poWcn duty. day was appointed to
have all the freight unloaded, aud they
delivered the freight TO tho merchants,
The strikers were In charge and the rail-
road officers had nothing 10 do with any.
thing. Tho strikers had train put on
one track when the yardmastur
wanted II ON another. Several
arrests were made during the strike,
after the citizens assisted In moving
trains, The Knights Of Labor claimed in
taking charge that they did II TO protect
the company's property, A coach was
held In the yard AS their headquarters. /
understood they were Knights Of Labor.
Pete Hughes acts as deputy sheriff and
Is n grocer at Palestine. He gets sup
plies from Kansas City and Sc. Louis. Il
ran out OF provisions, and business
was paralyzed about four weeks | with
other citizens was on duty. We were or
dcrod 20 avoid conflict, but II was i'm.
possible. There were from 200 To 400
men In the yard, They generally met
trains on the hill Az soon as the train
arrived IN the yard they killed the engine
Fifteen TO twenty engines were killed In |
the yard at one time. The strikers gave
no cause for the strike. They said il waa |
about man named Hall.
Frank Tanning, yard-master OF pales. |
tine, said look after all the trains, | |
saw boycott notices tackled on the Texas
X Pacific cars. | was told had permis. /
sion to SGT of Texas & Pacific ears ON |
the side-tracks, They said IL was |
done on account Of the discharge
OF Hall and had to set the Texas & PA. /
citlc cars out, The men went TO the
Office and demanded to see way.biua
hunting for Texas & Pacific freight. They
placed 10 the store yards tlity cars. some
OF the cars were Missouri Pacific. They
got on three engines and killed them, and
10 kill engines. | asked per.
TO Ok the trains, aud IN case of
nro the cars could be moved promptly,
which was allowed. Fox told me | had
to do as he said. lie taking charge
Of yard said he was boss. | told my
men 10 have no trouble. ! always had 10
20 70 Fox for permission 20 place a train,
le said I'll you attempt TO run a train
through TO Longview Chat was expected)
win dutch y, repeat, II you attempt
o run a train through, hy God nj ditch
IT, On the sth they Killed switch
'nglne They also killed one pas.
opger engine Some OF The
men were arrested tor tpespassnr
nut Fox was not arrested, He went nsh,
ny Oillcers were called for TO arrest
nen interfering with the moving oil =
rains. The strikers demanded coaches
on their use. don't know why the OF.
GERS did not arrest the men ordered
. outgoing passenger train at y, IN. the
4ih 10 move some cars, when 200 men
tartcd for the yard The sheriff al.
ampted 70 drive Them back They took
be- fireman on the engine one
might OF Labor changed the switch
b ditch the engine II he did moi
Top. Two knights OF Labor seized me.
hey tnld me they would ditch the en-
he, ! sahi thai was what they wanted