The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-17
THE ST. LOUIS STRIKE.
WARRANTS FOR The ARREST OF
THE STRIKERS.
HOxie's Letter 10 the Chairman of
the Citizens Committee
Labor Meeting.

ST. LOUIS, Mo, April 16.-Bench
warrsnts were issued this afternoon by
the Criminal Court for the arrest Of
Martin Irons, chairman Of the Execu-
tive Committee of District Assembly
l01; A. @. Coughlin, chairman of the
Executive Committee OF District As
sembly SO; George NJ. jackson, for
merly a prominent local Greenhack
politician, and S. u. Nichols, telegraph
operator, on the charge of felony for
interfering with telegraph wires, in
connection with the wire tapping al
legged to have been done two weeks
ago for the purpose of intercepting dis
patches passing between Jay Gould
and Vice-Presioent Hoxie.
HoXIE's LETTER TO THE CITIZENS COM
MITTEE.
The following letter is self-explaDa-
tory:
The Missouri PACIFIC RAILWAY CO.,)
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMESr,
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, April 10, 1886.
DR.. Thomas 0'Reilly, Chairman, etc., st.
Louis:
DEAR SIR am in receipt Of your
letter OF the 10Th instant, inclosing a
copy Of the preamble and resolution
adopted at q citizens meeting, held at
the court. house in this city on the
18th instant, and requesting me Ito
appoint or cause the proper authority
to appoint committee OF three OF
the resident directors OF the South
western railroad system in conformity
with said resolution, and cause the
names OF the zane to be Immediately
reported to DR.. Thomas O'Reilly, pres
ident OF said m Getting.
Mr.. Hoxie then quotes the reaolu-
ton adopted by the meeting which
provides for the appointment of nine
persons to represent the three inter
ests involved, the railways, the citi-
zsns and unemployed railr3ad mep,
and then proceeds as follows:
The premise upon which the propo-
sition for the appointment Of such
committee rest is the statement in
the preamble to the resolution that
"the trade aud commerce of the city
of st. Louis, and the interstate com.
msrce through st. Louis to and from
all Of the trade points Of the Missouri
Pacific, and OF the st. Louis, Iron
Mountain and Southern rail-
ways, has been for over a
month, and is still obstructed,
with no immed ate sign OF said roads
complying with or being able TO CON-
ply with their duty TO the pubic az
common cgrriers." | must respect
fully call your attention, and, through
you, the attention OF the citizens par
tiCipating in the meeting of the 18Th
inst, Ct which you were Chairman, to
the fact that the railways constituting
the Southwestern System are now in
full operation, and we're in fact at the
time the resolution was presented by
the managers Of that meeting for the
approval OF the citizens there present.
The fact can be attested by any
desiring to travel o; forward
freight, express matter or mail
over these railways. So far, then, as
either the public or this company are
concerned, the need of a resumption
Of traffic cannot be urged as a reason
for the appointment of the committee
suggested. The action of such COM
mittee would necessarily relate entire
ly TO the methods by which the ex-
employees might be restored to the
places they have voluntarily aban-
doned. After the serious interruption
which the business OF st. Louis has
already suffered, and at time when,
through the protection OF the civil au.
thorities aud through extraordinary ex-
eitions in procuring suitable labor, this
company has reopened it's lines and
fully established It's traffic, it is to me
a matter of since regret that any por-
ton of its citiz ens should seud broad
cast over the land, to the detriment of
the city, a statement in regard to the
obstruction of traffic over two of its
principal roads, which am satisfied
the great body of the business men OF
this city would decline to indorse.
Whatever may have been the difficult
ties for solution last mouth in relation
to the resumption of traffic, they do not
exist to-day. The railroad companies
as one party are expanding their time,
energies and money to keep open the
the avenues of commerce for the pub
lie benefit, are succeeding in go doing,
aud are solvent citizens, smenable as
such through the courts to the State
and to individuals. Another party
to be affected by tie proposed con-
ference is avowedly expanding its
time, energy and money for
the purpose OF blockading the
avenues of commerce, and is
not a legally constituted solvent
citizen and cannot be reached. In
conclusion, desire to call your atten-
ton to the reply of the president of
this company to the communication
of Mr.. Powderly, published since the
date of your meeting, which fully
sets forth the position Of this COM
pany and which no words Of mine
could render more explicit. Very Ie.
specially,