The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-11-11
THH CORTHGE DELAYED.
Union and Non-Union DriV-
ers Met at Martin
Ke11y's Funeral.
CAPTAIN M'KAIG INTERFEREs.
After a Halt Of More than An Hour
the Long Line Moved.

The funeral of Martin Kelly yesterday
attended by an immense throng. Aside
from those who attended to testify indi-
vidually their respect for the dead there
were several societies of which the de-
ceased had been member. There were
the Henry Wilson Post, G. A. R.; Court
Lafayette, A. o. o. F.; Pavonia Yacht
Club, Enoch Smith Association and Ex-
mptFiremen' 'sAssociation of all of which
the deceased was an active member
1t had been announced that the funeral
would start from the late residence of Mr..
Kelly at two o'clock, and at that time
both sides of Johnston avenue were lined
with coaches. In all there were forty
seven carriages, about one-half OF which
were driven by non-union men.
UNION OR NoN-UNIoN9
After the coffin had been placed in the
hearse and the mourners were about to
take their seats in the different carriages,
serious trouble began owing to the dis
pute between the Coach Drivers Union
and the undertakers. Two coaches had
drawn up to the door and received their
mourners. They were both driven by
union men and nothing was said.
The third coach was driven by Mr.. Ed
wards. Mr.. Edwards owns livery stable
non-union men. AS his passengers were
about to take their seats In the coach
they were approached by delegate of
the union men. who tried to induce them
not to enter Mr.. Edwards coach They
hesitated for a moment but when ap-
preached by several of the other union
members, declined to 60 into the coach.
Mr.. Edwards pulled his coach out of
line and everything went along smoothly
until another one of Mr.. Edwards coaches
pulled up. The same tactics were used
by the union men and with the same re-
suits. By this time large crowd had as
sembled, attracted by the curses and
threats of the fighting drivers, and it was
feared that serious results might ensue.
The driver of the hearse, who was
union man, declared that he would not
move an inch until Mr.. Edwards and his
coaches were elected from the line. He
was sustained in this by about twenty of
of the coach drivers, who got down from
their seats and refused to touch line.
THE POLICE INTERFERE.
At this juncture Captain McKaig, who
had been notified of the trouble, arrived
with detachment of ten policemen. 1t
was now half-past three O'Clock and the
funeral had not yet started. Approach
ing the driver of the hearse Captain
McKaig said:-"I want every man who
has a coach here today to get up on his
box and get ready to start Anyone who
disobeys shall be instantly arrested and
their places on the box taken by my men,
if it takes every man I've got This is no
time or place to settle your grievances,
and think tits very unchristianlike and
entirely wrong for you to act in this
way"
Captain McKaig's words, together with
the menacing array of blue coats had
subduing influence on the men, and they
mounted their coaches, and the funeral
went on without any further Interrupt
tion.
Vespers were sung at st. Patrick's
Church by Father Hennessey, and the in
terment was in the Catholic Cemetery.
WHAT MR.. EDWARDS SAYS.
In speaking of yesterdays row at the
funeral Mr. Edwards said to me this
morning:-s'I had three coaches at the
funeral They were driven by non-union
men, and hire no man belonging to any
union.
g The trouble started yesterday, when
my coach was about to receive its mourn
ers. A driver named Wilson induced
them not to enter my coach. The nom
union men then refused to bulge an inch
until | was put out of line. do not know
what might have happened if Captain
McKaig had not arrived AS it was, the
funeral was delayed for fully an hour and
a half
''Why the union men should make a
dead set against me / do not know. There
were several other Scab drivers in line
who were not interfered with, and the
same thing has happened at three other
funerals in the city in which had car
riages. j am in the fight to win, however,
and win shall" /"
Richard Downs, who Is president of the
Hudson County Coach Drivers Associa-
tion, was next seen. He said:--'I was
not at the funeral yesterday but from
what learn our men did exactly what
wanted them to do. We intend to win
this fight and will fight it to the bitter
end.n
To my query as to why they did not
submit their grievances to arbitration,
he sald;-'i have made that proposition
men, Speer and Elliott, but they would
not listen to it. We have every under
taker in the county with us, with the ex-
ception of these three, and are willing to
do anything that will stop these scenes at
the funerals"