The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-04
LIrCHMAN DEFENDS HIMSELF.
The Records of tho knights OF Labor L
clare His Honesty and Integrity. .

HE Records OF the knights OF Labor De.
clare His Honesty and Integrity.
Philadelphia SPECIAL.
General Secretary Charles 81. Litchman, OF
thu Knights of Labor, in answer to the abusive
ssisicism in the Democratic press OF his course
n leaving the Knights aud taking up the cause
OF Harrison and Morton, and especially refer
ring TO Q New York Democratic paper Of to-day
that devotes q column aud . half of abuse to
place him in the light OF . defaulter, said this
afternoon:
.Tke whole thing was as false aud as vile as
the man who wrote ii. Let that paper, or any
other respectable Journal, put the charges In
such a shape that an action will lie in the court,
and / will give them al opportunity to show the
truth Of what they charge. Until they are
manly euough to do that ! must, l suppose. for
the future suffer as / have during the past eight
years, from the malignant SANDERS invented
without q shadow Of foundation. While holding
the position of general secretary / have passed
by these attacks in silence, knowing that /
could successfully meet on the floor of
the General Assembly any representative
who dared attack me, and caring moth
ing for any one else on the outside. l
arm now placed SO that | can speak freely and
fully. This l propose to do whenever occasion
requires. will guarantee to paw $500 to any
man who can show that l have dishonestly used
or appropriated to my own beuehs . single dol
lar of the funds Of any organization, political,
labor or otherwise. in which ! have held q
fduciary position. It Is true ! am q bankrupt
to-day. My fidelity in the labor movement
made me 90, and had | used for the benefit Of
capital but q little Of the brain and ability that
/ have consecrated to the cause Of labor during
the last fourteen years, | would not to-day be q
bankrupt. Every dollar owe' however, will
be paid. II ! live"
"As to the charge that l was denounced BY
the General Assembly of the Knights Of Labor
in Philadelphia, in 1884, IS . defaulter and a
thief, by James E. Quinn, of New York, / will
simply quote from the records OF the General
Assembly:
Representative Litshman. of Massachusetts,. hav.
ing occupied the floor to make q motion, Representa-
tive Quinn, of New York, objected to Representative
Litchman being entitled to the floor. on the ground
of being a defaulter.
.'The Chair decided the objection not in order. as
Representative Litchman had paid to the executive
board the full amount ordered by the last General
Assembly, and he knew of no charge against the
brother.
$50 far as my former services as general sec-
rotary are concerned, snd in reply to any criti-
cism against my honesty or integrity, | give this
verbatim from the records:
Resolved, That the thanks of this General Assem-.
bly, be rendered to Grand Secretary Litchman for the
satisfactory manner in which he mas rendered his &C
count at this session.
ION motion of representative McFadden, Of Penn.
sylvania, the following was also unanimously adopted:
Resolved. that this General Assembly most heartily
expresses its confidence in the ability and honesty OF
the retiring grand secretary, Charles II. Litchnan.'
'These resolutions were adopted at the session
of the General Assembly at Detroit, in 1881,
when my first term as general secretary ended.
During this present campaign l exercise my
right as an American citizen. and / never served
labor so faithfully, 10 my Judgment. as l shall
when / do all In my power to break down the
possibility Of success OF the Democratic party in
its advocacy of the British free-trads system.
Dir. Lischman had before him while no spoke
the records Of the General Assembly for the lasl
ten years and verified bis statements as he wen