The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-27
THE GREAT BEEF STRIKE
THROWING 10000 MEN our OF
EMPLOYMENT,
The Work of One Ambitious Man,
Who Sacrificed Their LiTeli'
hood Tor 1000 Votes.

CHICAGO, ILL, November 26.-The
inside hist ry Of the recent elrike 81
the packing houses at the stock yards
when 20 600 men were thrown ont oil
employment. is printed here thit
mornirg. When the packers decided
TO return to tue ten hour working DAY
on October 14th, the woTkmen, sup
posing that they would be backed ~
The knights OF Lab IT, rebelled and all
went out except the beef butchers,
who had a contract with the firms OF
Armour, Swift and Morris requiring
four days notice before opening hos
tilities. Despite this arrangement the
beef butchers OF Armour &. Co., were
ordered out on the following Thurs
day by District Master Workman
Butler, who deliber ately broke the
existing contract. Thos. P. Barry also
arrived upon the scene. He stated to
a newspaper reporter that he bad
been instructed by Powderly to settle
the difficulty, and to members OF the
Knights OF Labor he eald that he had
simply been sent to investigate. AT
the same time Butler bad made his
debut In the town of Lake politics as
q Labor candidate for Sheriff OF Cook
County. Butler had been notified by
Master Workman Gaunt, OF the
Butchers Assembly, of the existing
contract, but, as has been said, he
ignored it. The butchers at Armour
& Co.'S. we're loath to obey
Buffers order, but the presence oil
Barry, who was o member Ct the Gen
eIal Executive Committee OF the
order, treasured them to certain de-
gree. The Executive Board of the To-
cal assembly, however, concluded to
get Mr.. Powderly's views, and it sent
the followir & telegram:
7. v. Powderly, Richmond, Va:
Has Executive Board of District 81
power to repudiste agreement made
by the Executive Board OF local AS
sembly 1902, and in q clause wbict
reads: One day shall be consid
cred sufficient time for calling meet
ing OF both parties of first and secont
parts, and no definite action shall b,
taken inside of three days after sucf
meeting. Have they power to cal
out men governed by this schedule
without complying with this clause
that are working eight hours a day 2
To this question Mr.. Powderly
vouchsi fed no direct reply, but ht
did send an answer to Mr.. Barry, who
asked the Executive Board OF loca
assembly the following day regarding
the existence of the agreement witt
the packers. Barry investigated the
matter and found that Master Work
man Butler bad made mistake
Barry wanted the butchers to return
to work, but the damsge had beer
done. Butler made evssive replies
Nobody was in reality looking aftel
the interests OF the 1880 men who
had been allured into strike. Ii
the meantime the packers were max
ing extensive preparations for lonl
fiSht. Rev. P. M. Flanagan, paste
Of st. AIMS Church, telegraphed
long statement OF all the facts L
PoTderly, declaring that unless tn,
men were ordered to return to worl
incalculable injury and misery would
result. Barry was Immediately tele
graphed to order the men to return Il
work, but did not do 30 until thu
following Sunday. Among the vic
lent opponents to this order was But
Ter, who told Barry that the orde,
would cause him (Butler) to lose twt
thousand votes at the approaching
election. Before leaving Barry di
vested Butler and the Execu
i've: Board OF the district Of
all power TO create another strike, in
shutting q com mittee to have charg,
Of all matters affecting these work
men. Butler, who, 1t Is claimed, saw
he was mating losing political fight
succeeded In having the committee o
five overthrown and q committee o
twenty.fv with himself as chairman
appointed, contrary to the constitu
ton OF the Knights OF Labor. Tn,
cattle butchers Ia returning to worl
had sue ceeded in having their wage
increased from $24 to $27 a week
agreeing to work ten hours. On th,
day before election several drunken
men rushed among the workmen a
Swlf g house, order ng them to qui
work, a d they did 30. This pani
had been carefully planned. On tb'
following day all those on strike vo'et
for Batter. The latter called out Ar
mour's men on the Thursday succeed
ipg the election. Master Workman
Gaunt protested, and he and two fll
lowers were expelled f'om the order
Barry reappeared on the scene, ant
the order ftom Powderly, which WA
suppressed for four days, CAUSED tn