Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-19
THE SECOND R. R. R. LETTER.
HEADQUARTERS
JUNIOR ORDER AMERICAN MECHANICS

COUNCIL NO. 2o4.
DEAR SIR-Your attention is called to the i'm
portance Of the coming election in your ward, as
the future welfare of your children and free public
school system is in danger, should the ticket
headed by James l.. Williams be elected. The
ticket is made up of Catholics and Catholic SYM
pathizers. Now is the time to act. Vote and use
your influence for Thomas McMichael. Yours
truly, e. CROMWELL, Secretary.
"This letter, continued the Chairman, twas
not sent by any friend of McMichael, who
would not stoop so low as to carry religion into
politics. 1t has been proven that there is no
such council in the city, and we believe, though
of course we may be mistaken in this, that the
name of the signer is also fictitious"
A resolution was offered that the Ameri-
can Mechanics present pledge themselves to
have Mr.. Williams, whom they alleged to be
the author of the letter, expelled from the
order of the United American Mechanics if
the suspicion could be substantiated; and
Mr.. McMichaels was then requested to go
before an alderman and make an affidavit
that he repudiated the idea of having con-
sented to or authorized the writing of such a
letter.
By this time the crowd became desirous
for oratory. Mr. John Finn made speech
and, as he was interrupted by an intoxicat-
ed individual, Mr.. Finn belabored him
with his stick and dispatched him down the
tairs with electric celerity.
After this little diversion there appeared
to be another tumult on the stairs, which
was, however, explained by the appearance
of Ajax Jones and about dozen members
of the Sixth Ward Colored Republican
Club.
"Hurrah for Ajax! Hurrah for Mccall
lin II i! Get up on the chair, Ajax, and
make speech!' With such greetings the
renowned Ajax was almost carried to the
front and lifted on a chair, whence he made
the following address:
THE AJAXIAN GRAFTON.
GENTJEMEN-I have already spoken in
about "a meetings tonight, but cannot re-
frain from following the impulse of my most
generous emotions and sa.ing to you that and
my colored brethren have come down from
Mount Pisgah to greet you in your grand and
noble efforts, and tell you that we are with you
in this fight, man for man. Gentlemen, you
are white people, and somehow can't talk to
you as well as to my own folks; but must
urge you that you place glorious memento
within these consecrated walls of
Ruch's Hall, erect pinnacle, and
head it with the emblematic sign: McMichael
for honesty and righteousness. will not keep
YOU here long, There is no time. But go forth
from here and grid your loins for the fray that
calls upon the mind of every honest citizen to
overwhelm the forces of policemen, firemen,
detectives and the rest of the army of the I'm
public Safety and the Public Unsafety!
Now, fellow citizens, l hear that religion is
going to be factor in this political contro-
versy. Let me tell you that my qualifica ations.
as man of sound judgment and vast expert
ence prompt me to urge You to abstain from
such proceedings. Religion has nothing to do
with the matter; it is man against man.
Whether Methodist. Presbyterian, Lutheran
heaven. When, at that time beyond the ever
living present, we have departed from this
earth, and when, at that remote PERIOD
the Angel Gabriel sounds His great
bugle horn, whose notes will re-echo,
resound and reyerberate through all the
valleys of heaven in a million vibrations. then
j say, the angel will not ask you: Are you
Catholic, Presbyterian or Protestant? No! he
will ask you, as citizens of the Sixth ward
Pittsburg, whether on this present occasion
you voted for Williams OF for McMichael!
noble old Thomas, Peter will probably accord
you the blissful distinction of placing you with
in the halls of glory; but, if you tell him you
voted the other MAXWELL he will just tell you
to go also the other way!
Deafening applause followed Ajax Jones
speech, and his audience was evidently well
satisfied that it had "got its money back" in
his free entertainment.