Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1888-07-14
CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY,
Locomotive Engineers Accused Pink
crton Thugs Probably Guilty.

glnecrs last week on a charge of con-
spiracy to destroy the property of
the o. railroad, has been followed
by the arrest of Chairman +. lIoge.
of the Grievance Committee of the
brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers, and Chairman Murphy, of the
Firemen. The Pinkertou detectives
in the service of the railroad COM
pany have produced a letter which
they claim WAS written by Hoge.
The following is a copy of 1t as pub.
llshed in the capitalist papers:
CHICAGO, April IS, 1888.
To Chief Engineer and First assistant
Engineer, Dicision No. -:
The c. b. and Q have only got about
one-half of the men prior to the strike
They want about four hundred to five
hundred more engineers, We have de-
cided to call on you to furnish one or
two men from your division. We will
ask the same of all divisions through
out the country to come and apply for
situations on the 90" under an as.
sumed name, and as soon as they get to
work to correspond with John Sewers,
National Hotel, Chicago, for nstruc-
tions, The object is to disable engines
in every way they can, and OH a given
day to quit work in body on receiving
instructions from us. The company is
on their last last leg, and by this means
we propose to take the other. We don't
want any of them to come here but to
make applications at the following
points Aurora, Galesburg Burlington,
Creston, Plattsmouth, Lincoln and Nc
Cook. BE careful whom you select to
come-men that don't talk too much, or
are in the habit of drinking. Sup
ply them with plenty of sal soda and
emery. Have them get leave of alb
sence for thirty or more days.
p. S.-Please don't let this outside ex-
cept within yourselves and the men you
select to come. Please answer on receipt
of this Yours fraternally
Il. HoGE, Chairman q. &. G., Room
"a, Grand Pacific Hotel, Chicago.
This letter is said to have come
into the hands of a 90" official
from Brotherhood engineer, who
is alleged to have received it from
Hoge A prominent official of the
Brotherhood said that he believed
the alleged circulars advising strik-
ers to get work on the Chicago, Bur-
lington and Quincy and then dis
able the engines was the work of
hired agents of the railroad COM
pany, and that the Brotherhood was
not responsible for it.
The arrests have been made under
the provisions of the notorious Mer-
rit conspiracy law, which was per-
haps the objective point Of the po-
lice conspiracy and massacre of
workingmen at the Haymarket in
Chicago two years ago.
The circumstances of the arrest of
the Chicago engineers has a strik-
ing resemblance to the conditions
prevailing at the time of the sue
cessful police plot to murder 30
called anarchists, and create pub
lie sentiment which would permit
the enactment Of the Merit law.
Pnkerton thugs and police witnes-
ses are in this case, and the arrest of
Hoge's two clerks since his arrest
looks very much as if they were in
tended for discriminating witnesses,
just as certain anarchists were ar
rested in Chicago and frightened
into perjuring themselves to save
their necks from the gallows, with
which the police threatened them
should they refuse to swear to what
ever they were told.
But, just think of it. The gen.
tlemanly, .otall y abstinent, arbitrat-
ing, conservative Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers to be victim
lied in this manner.
CON FESSI0NS,
The reported confessions of IIoge's
clerks seems to be accepted as con-
elusive evidence of his guilt by the
capitalist press. But there were
confessions in the anarchist cases,
and, as appeared later, they were
paid for. If Hoge was really guilty
of attempting the game the alleged
letter referred to, he is more of