The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-25
NOT MANY FLIES ON HIM.
A REPORTER ATTEMPTS TO "Do" A
BROTHERHOOD SECRET MEETING.
He Hides Himself In the Supports OF q
Chandelier in an Opera House, With
Lunch and Supper. But He is
Found.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo-, July 24.-The joint
meeting OF the locomotive engineers, fire.
men, switchmen and brakcmen to consider
the Burlington strike convened at the
opera-house this morning at 8 o'clock.
About 700 delegates were present, repre-
sentng lodges OF the United States Cana
da and Mexico. Great care has been
taken OF course to keep the proceedings as
quiet as possible. Mr.. Frank Z. Melon
aid, chairman of the grievance committee
Of the local Brotherhood of Engineers,
called the meeting to order. All morning a
committee was at work searching the opera
house for spies with "A lantern. A pair OF
shoes was found on the stairway leading
up into the garnet above the gallery. This
excited suspicion and the stage carpenter,
whose name is Moore, was asked about
the shoes. lie said that they belonged to
him, and was asked to describe them.
He described ~ buckle shoes, but these
were fastened with strings. A search was
made then for the owner OF the shoes who
was found secreted in the chandler sup
ports with no clothes excepting honey
comb undcrshirt and pair OF overalls.
His name is David l.. Septogle, a
short hand writer in the employ OF
Lancaster, Thomas x Dawes, at 1873 Fran
els street. Septoglc was found by MEM
Der of the local brakeman's brotherhood
named Pat McNulty. lie was escorted
down the ladder amid the yclls of the
brotherhood members who believed that
Septogle was Pinkcrton employee
a. ~. A
Spencer, formerly publisher OF the Ernirg
Aeus, but now proprietor OF the Journal "
Commerce, to take the proceedings of the
convention in short hand for his paper
He said that he was TO be paid s2J for the
work, and admitted that the stage carpen-
ter had shown him the hiding place. A
large crowd gathered around him when he
was brought down on the stage, and but
for tho Interference OF cooler heads Sep
toglc would have been roughly handled.
He had taken lunch and bottle OF water
up TO his hiding place and was prepared TO
remain there all day. II was suggested by
ono OF the brotherhood members that he
be photographed and that ii be published
in the POiics Gds,itc and the burlington
scabs' circular" but the opera-house was
too dark 10 have tho photograph taken.
through the streets in his bare feet, where
he is still confined. Charges will be pre-
icrrcd this afternoon. Great excitement
prevailed while Septoglo was being taken
from the opera-house, and cries Of Pink.
crton spy" and "scab' were made by the
delegates. Chairman Mcdonald asked the
men To behave like gentlemen and not
offer any violence 10 the man, saying that
IL there was any legal method for punish.
ment the man would be dealt with accord
ingly. The impression OF the legal profess
sion here is that Septogle cannot be pun.
ished, M there is no statute in Missouri
concerning the methods OF securing news
for the public prints
After the excitement subsidized the con.
vention proceeded 20 business and elected
Frank =. Mcdonald permanent chairman.
The forenoon was spent in speech making
by Frank l.. Sargent, OF Tcrrc llautc,
Ind, grand master OF the Brotherhood
OF Locomotive Fircmcn; II. Powers, mas.
ter OF the local brnkcmen brotherhood,
and Mr.. llutchens, general chairman Of
tho grievance committee OF the Kansas
City, Fort Scott q Gull road. A. NJ. Sal.
vyn, Charles Porter, and X. Morris, all Of
81. Joseph, were elected secretaries. Tho
delegation Of twenty-five appointed at the
Chicago convention last week arrived nj
. O'Clock this morning over the Rock
Island road in special slccpcrs, rendered
them by Mr.. Pullman.
At ll:l5 o'clock pm. the convention
adjourned until o'clock pm. II IL OK.
pccted that the session viii continue four
days