Workmen's advocate., 1886-11-28
(ANkEE EVICTION.
PROSECUTING A UNION MAN
 AND KNIGHT OF LABOR.
Connecticut Landlords and Bosses on the Warpath-The Result of Landlordism and Wage.
 Slavery Duly One
 True Remedy.

Michael r. Murphy, of Birming- ham. Conn.,, his wife and children were las, Monday night evicted from their tenement for back rent. His wife had but recently recovered from severe attack of scarlet fever, and is soon to become mother. Murphy is subject to ague, but is q good workman and IS capable, even at the low wages paid in his town, of eern- ing from $l4 to Sl', a week. There was a heavy storm Monday night and all day Tuesday, and his house. hold goods were left standing in the street without protection. He ap- piled on Tuesday to the town off cers for help, and was told they could do nothing for him, but his family could go to the town house. The Selectmen told him he would have to leave the town; he was not wanted there.
 The facts which led up to this state of affairs are these He is member of the Knights of Labor and also the union of his trade knife-making-the Cutters or Grind CTS Union. The union was organ ized some time ago and uniform scale adopted. Some of the men were discharged from the company's works for their connection with 1t, and all struck; but after short time the men were reinstated. The company then set about to make Q victim of Murphy. He was dis charged on the plea of causing trou- bic, and has been out of work some two months. Besides this, he was virtually blacklisted, being unable to get work in the town.
 The whole amount involved does not come to $50, but the attempt to drive him from the town, through factorizing his wages and for non- payment of rent (his bills he was willing to pay, if he only got work at the same rate the other union men were gettng) is now about suc- cessful. A non-union man Is now doing his work. Through other tyrannies the men have lost courage, and show no disposition to help their unfortunate brother and carry out their pledge of knghthood. That he is good workman no one denies, and that he is willing to work is shown by the fact that on some previous winter, when out of work. to support his family he went into the woods and chopped wood for the slender means it would bring him to keep them in the necessities of life.
 Murphy is true Knight and Union man, and was also independ ent enough to vote the straight La- bor ticket at the last election.
 The legal evictions in Connecticut do not appear to cause less suffering here than in Ireland, nor IS there much difference. When a mans goods are put in the street, the law makes no provision for their safety, and they may be damaged beyond repair. To see that the wealthy corporations of the State, backed by the legal power, do not hesitate for few dollars to take the more than "pound of flesh, y should show the workers that the absolute control of the land and the means of produc- tion by individuals will ever produce the same results. That only by in- telligent organization can the work CTS ever secure more than a bare subsistence, and that the only hope for the common people is to obtain control of the State for the benefit of aV, the abolition of the present wage system and the introduction of universal cooperation.