Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-09-20
AN EXPLODED cALUMNY.
/ The True Facts 10 Regard to the Railroad
Strike of iS57-Democratlc Liars
| md GAInrn niAt ora.

1877 declared that the strikers ought to
be shot down, and that Q dollar a day
was enough for them. The Democratic
organs have promptly taken the cue,
and are now ringing the changes upon
the worn out falsehood again with the
desperate design Of injuring Gen. Harri-
son among workincmen.
The circumstances which have led up
to the revival Of this infamous calumny
may be briefly told. They contain in
themselves its complete refutation. At
the outset it may be said that there is
good reason to believe that Balnum and
Brice are at the bottom of it, though
members of the notorious Sim Coy gang
are the ones who pretended to stand as
sponsors. The Indianapolis Journal re-
Gently offered 81, 900 to any person who
would substantiate the charge that Gen.
Harrison made either of the declara-
tons stated above. Deputy Unites States
District Attorney Bailey. a former men,
Der of the gang, urged on by the Demo-
cratic managers, secured alleged state
ments from a dozen or more of the strik-
ers that they heard Gen. Harrison utter
these statements, and they were incorpo-
rated in a general article signed by e.
F. Gould, Secretary of local knights
of Labor assembly, given out to the
Democratic papers, and published fer
and wide. Before paying out the money
the friends OF Gen. Harrison thoroughly
investigated the circumstances under
which the article was prepared and the
character Of those who had signed the
statements. The investigation had not
gone far before several CT the alleged
signers repudiated them altogether, and
Of a .aT ind 1nA IN,
60 before notary and attest the truth
Of his statement Then the calumny
collapsed at once; but not content with
this the friends of General Harrison put
an eifectual quietus upon it by obtaining
the sworn statements of members Of the
Strikers Committee with whom Gen.
Harrison had communicated and who
were in a position to know every word
he had uttered, to the effect that he had
not made one of the remarks attributed
TO him by the Democratic gang who
were eager not only TO injure him but to
get the reward which had been offered.
Among those who voluntarily came for
ward with their sworn affidavits were
John O. Hicks, General Yardmaster of
the Cincinnati, indianapolis, st. Louis 81
Chicago Railroad: Joseph Averill, Cen
eral Yardmaster of the Vandalia Line;
Joseph Sanger, Secretary of the Yard
masters Association; Alexander Il. Nc
Alpine, Superintendent of the Western
Car Company; Augustus ID. Shaw, As
sistant Yardmaster Cleveland, Column
bus, Cincinnati g. indianapolis Road;
David S. Crawford yard conductor Van
dalia Line; John Wethers, switchman
Big Four Road; and William p. Nc
Bride engineer Chicago, st. Louis &
Pittsburg Road. All of these men were
members of the Strikers Committee
and present on the occasion at which
Gen. Harrison was alleged to have ut
tered the Objectionable sentiments.
Their statements confirmed what had
already been publicly stated by Senator
Mcdonald, Senator Voorhees,, Gen. Nc
Cauley, and ex-Mayor Caven, all of them
Democrats and all of them acting with
Gen. Harrison in 1877 and representing
the city and State in their interviews
with the strikers. To clinch the matter,
Henry McPeet, the Chairman Of the
Strikers Committe has published his af-
fidavit, which affirms that Gen. Harri-
son never uttered n word unfricndly to
workingmen on that occasion. On the
other hand, the following extract from
the af1idayits will show Gen Harrison's
real sentiments. The goth of July, at
the head OF his company, he said:
Men, examine your guns to see if any
one is loaded, and, If so. draw the load.
Let MS remember TINT our mission is to
prevent violence, not to do violence 1t
would be IN infinite pityi on the march,
or after we reach the city one Of these
arms should hy accident ever become dis
charge and some innocent person injured.
! am ss.i ut the firm conviction that moth
lng Wu"r tlpU the mere fact OF our MILL
tbry uT-W'z iion VIII be required to Sc
urra t.is n'aec.
or tire carrier stages of the military
preparations The allidavits say:
While these military preparations were
in progress all peGcable means were being
tried TO secure order without q conflict. !
One Of these means WAS the appointment, |
on motion of Franklin Lenders, of q COM
mittee OF ten Of orr most distinguished
and prudent citizens to confer with n
meeting Of the strikers, in the hope OF de-
visiug some basis OF agreement between
the strikers and their employers. Gen |
Harrison was also made n member Of this
committee. The conference with tho
strikers was had, and one OF its chief incl /
dents was speech Of Gen. Harrison, |
which, as shown by the newspaper reports
OF that day and distinctly remembered by
many, was q maSterful review Of the situa- /
ton. He took bold stand in favor OF the
justice Of the cause of the strikers. pledg- !
lag his best efforts as one OF the arbitra- |
ton committee 10 obtain redress at the |
hands of the railroad managers.
1t is further matter Of record that, |
when the rioters were brought to trial it /
was Gen. Harrison who appeared for !
them in court and secured Aeir release, !
after showing that they had been I'M /
Justly treated by the railroad managers. /
The slanderous calumny has been COM |
pletely stamped out, but the lying Wilt |
hcation goes on in the columns of Demo- 1
cratic papers which have been urging |
that the campaign should be a clean one /!
and that vicious personalities should not /
be INDUCED. From the time he was \
nominated to the present Gen Harrison /
mas shown himself a gentleman in every I
reference to the opposing candidates, /
and it was at his personal request that /
no assault was made upon the Admins /
tration of Mr.. Cleveland in the platform 4
of the Republican partvof his own State. I
Would it not be a courteous return for /
the President to call off the liars and /
calumniators who are at work for him .
i'm this lIeraputsg llla f-1oprary