Evening journal., 1890-09-03
liz ADVISED AGAINST 1T.
MIR. Powderly Did Not Favor
the Central Strike,
BUT PREDICTED CERTAIN DEFEAT

Interesting secret Correspondence of the
knights of Labor Laid Before the Em-
pire State Board Of ArbltratIon-Test
mony OF Vice President Webb.
NRw YORK, Sept. g. = When the state
board OF arbitration convened, II. Walter
Webb testified on behalf Of the Central
railroad concerning the recent strike He
said that the company had not had any
controversy with its men. On Aug. a
| body Of men left the employ Of the road,
which was now being operated without
them. Seventy-eight men had been dis
charged, seventeen Of whom were Knights
of Labor OF these Engineer Truax had
been discharged because work was slack;
Engineer Lee and employees named Nc
| Carthy, Converse, Molloy and Brown be-
| cause their work was unsatisfactory. Lee,
| Mr.. Webb said, had told Mr. Toucey that
| II he did not get money from the road be
would make trouble for IT, Mr.. Webb
said he had declined to discuss arbitration
with Mr.. Powderly or Mr. Holland.
Ex-Empioyes Testify.
William A. Stevens, an ex-employee OF
the Central, testified that he was dis
charged without written notice or as
signed reason after he had told the assist
ant superintendent he was a Knight OF
Labor Dennis Mccarthy testified that be
| had worked faithfully for the New York
Central railroad for twenty years as freight
brakeman and baggage man He was
working in the latter capacity in July
| when he was discharged without assigned
/ cause. On Aug. / Mr. Toucey told him
he would either have to quit the Knights
| OF Labor or quit the company. Mr. Toucey
said, Suppose there should be trouble,
which would you stick to, the knights of
labor or the companygn
II said would stick to the company If
it was right and to the knights il they
were right. Well, am getting tired Of
this, said Mr.. Toucey. This man Lee is
sucking my hearts blood out of me and
it's got to stop He said that Lee kept
going to him with complaints from vari-
Gus delegations until he was tired OF it.
Then he told me again that I'd have to
| quit the company or the order told him
would do neither and reminded him of my
long and faithful service to the road. He
admitted it,
/
z. j. Lee, district master workman Of
/ the Knights of Labor. who ordered the
strike, was the next witness. He said he
was discharged in July, no reason being
| given As district master workman he had
presented many complaints to Superin-
tendent Toucey on behalf OF the men On
one occasion he presented a complaint
which Mr. Touoey refused to consider, and
upon being asked what report he would
make Lee said:
II shall tell them you have to pay so
much money for dividends on watered
stock that you have none left for the men
who operate the road and earn the money
for YOU He denied ever having threat
ened to make trouble for the road, and in
sisted that he had done all he could to pre-
vent the strike.
Mr.. Webb Did Not Understand Them.
James J. Holland, member Of the
executive committee of the Knights Of
Labor, said he visited Mr.. Webb just be-
fore the strike under instructions from the
executive board to endeavor to adjust the
difficulty Mr.. Webb told him there was
no trouble to discuss. Witness then re-
peated the story of his interview with Mr..
Toueey and his proposition to submit to
Lees discharge provided the others were
reinstated. Witness said that Mr. Toucey
told him he was sorry, but that Mr. Webb
did not understand the temper Of the old
employees as he and Mr.. Depew did
Secret Letters from Mr.. PowderIy.
Gen. Pryor read letter from Mr.. Pow
derly dated Feb s, 1890. in which the
writer commended Mr. Lee aud his asso-
ciates for their course, but warned them
against rashness or precipitate action in
the future He reminded them of the un-
fortunate strike on the Reading road and
its result, and bade them avoid the same
mistakes He also bade them to sacredly
regard the company's rights while en-
deavoring to secure their own. Gen. Pryor
then read Mr.. Lees response dated Feb 10,
written in the same spirit. Then he read
another from Mr.. Powderly on Feb. IA,
acknowledging Mr.. Lees letter. A fourth
letter from Mr. Powderly, dated April IL.
contained the following;
MIR. Powderly's Advice.
BY all means do everything 10 your power TO
prevent strike for ii viii prove a failure and
will be just what the New York Central company
wants the men to do If a strike takes place on
that road the West Shore road win do the work,
and do It effectualy as 10 break the spirits OF
the men on strike. You know that neither the
order nor any other labor organization can AZ
would not be a success on a great railway, owing
TO the strength Of such corporation. l am In.
formed that Mr.. Depew is anxious 70 have the
men strike before the system is organized and
caution your men against such a step.
He Protested to the Very Last.
; Another letter from Mr. Lee to Mr. Pow
derly tells OF Lees discharge, and Mr.. Pow
derly's reply still cautions the men to be
patient and advises them to do nothing
until Mr.. Depew comes back from Europe,
reminding them of Mr. Depew's desire to
become president Of the United States.
This ambition, be urges, will keep him
from refusing reasonable requests Other
letters in the same spirit followed, the
anti-strike series concluding with a very
long letter dated Aug. 6, two days before
the strike, which contains the strongest
protests against the projected strike
On Aug. 6, just on the eve CT the strike
Mr.. Powderly wrote these prophetic words
Brother Lee it is madness for the men OF the
New York Central to think Of striking. They
cannot win, and you know it as well as / do
Only the enthusiastic, who never count the cost
will say that a strike a system OF railways can
4 | succeed ia these days. The New York Central
!. management know that if organization can be
Kept mp among the men until the Worlds fair
they will not be abe TO refuse the men any just
concession. They desire to break your power
before you have succeeded in organizing other
roads, and with defeat now they know that the