Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-17
O'SHEA is BEATEN,
A Sensational Speech at the
K. of L. Convention.
i. N. ROSS WAS REELECTED
What Became of the Members Who
Dropped Out.
i. N. ROSS WAS REELECTED
A BIG CONTRACT FOR CARNEGIES.

A BIZ CUNTRACT F0R CARNEGIES,
There was q wild time at the convention
of d. A. No. 8, &. of L., yesterday. Worthy
Foreman John 0'Shea created sensation
by denouncing the administration gener-
ally. His speech was budget of invectives,
antagonistic OF everything that pertains to
the past management of the order in this
district. The speech was delivered after
the nominations for new officers had been
made, and it is said for the purpose of Sc
curing votes for O'Shea, but the latter de-
MED this Ii that was the intention, it
failed, as O'Shea was beaten nearly two to
one.
As stated in yesterdays DISPATCH, there
was a desire among several of O'Shea's
friends to 'do up" Master Workman Ross.
When the convention opened there was con-
siderable hustling done by the O'Shea peo-
pie. When the nominations were closed,
with Ross and O'Shea as the candidates, the
men who were backing the latter smiled at
the picnic they thought they would have
burying Ross remains.
FRIENDS DESERT o'sHEA.
1t was conceded by some delegates that
O'Shea had enough votes to elect him when
the nominations closed. He took the floor
in his own behalf and delivered such an in
cendiary speech that One-half of those who
intended voting for him refused to do so.
They were so utterly surprised that they
turned around and voted for Ross. When
the ballots were counted it was found that
Ross had % votes, 0'Shea 13 and Joseph L.
Evans 3, The latter was not a candidate,
and the three votes were given him as a
compliment.
For Recording and Financial Secretary
there was a slight contest, and for a few
minutes 1t looked as though Miss Laura
Powell, the incumbent, would be defeated.
Her opponent was A. G. Bright, Young
corkworker and an influential member Of
L. A 1868. When the first so ballots were
counted it was a neck-and-neck race and it
was thought Miss Powell would be retired.
She received % votes to her opponents 15.
Miss Powell's small vote was said to be due
to the speech of Mr.. O'Shea against her in
fuence as an officer and member of the
order
For Worthy Foreman there was no oppo-
sition to Joseph L. Evans, the old war horse
OF the district. John D. Hughes was re-
elected Treasurer. The following are the
names of the members of the new Executive
Board:
William Bruce. L. A 1897; William l. Reese,
49l; Joseph Frizzie, 1888; II. F. Leinpsey. I577:
Charles Brothers, 1858, and Joseph stonick-
2l26
The following are the names of the new
trustees:
T. ]. Dicus, 1880; Thomas Wisdom, 1000;
Charles Brothers, 1868.
For Judges of the District Court, Thomas
Wisdom, II. f. Dempsey, of L. A. 1877,
and W. j. McKeever, of 719O, were elected.
Michael Landis, of 1868, was elected Judge
Advocate, and Charles Beck, Of 1888, Clerk
of the Court.
SECRETARY'S SALARY CHANGED.
The salary of the Secretary was changed
to $50 per month for 1000 members and for
every additional thousand an increase of
one-fourth of a cent per member. As there
are but between ], 200 and /, 400 members in
the district now Miss Powell's salary will
continue at $50.
A resolution was adopted from L. A. 1890,
molders, denouncing j. NJ. Kelly and his
attitude against the order. The resolution
was printed in The DISPATCH several days |
ago. The following resolution was then |
presented BY John Flannery:
Resolved That we as District Assembly of |
the knights of Labor, express our contempt |
and disapproval of the quartering in our State |
of the hirelings known as Pinkerton detectives. |
We urge upon Governor Beaver to protect the |
rights of resident citizens Of Punxsutawney |
against the invasion of these hIrelings.
Resolved, That we extend our sympathy and |
fraternal good will to our brothers on strike in |
the low grade coal fields.
Master Workman Ross was seen after the |
meeting, and asked if he had ANYTHING to |
say in regard to O'Shea's attack upon him.
He said: 81 do not think such statements
are worthy of comment The least said
about Mr.. 0'Shea the better. We ought to
be charitable, and allow him to drop out of
sight
An attempt was made to find out the ex-
act number of members in the district: but
this could not be done. 1t was authorita-
tivelv stated by one OF the delegates and an
ex-oficial that the membership would not
exceed !, 400. One of the charges made by
Mr.. O'Shea against Mr.. Ross was that the
latter had the reports "doctored, +" so as to
show more members than there really were
in the district. O'Shea charged the Master
Workman with accounting for local assem-
blies that had lspsed and refused to paw
their taxes.
bIAIlSTlCS On MEMBERSHIP.
Two years ago, when the annual conven-
ton Of the district was held, and John
Doyle was elected Master Workman, there
were close to Il, 900 members in the district.
These were represented in los local assem-
blies. Now there are about 33 locals alto
gether. In speaking of the decrease in his
report Master Workman Ross said:
While there has been a great falling off in
membership, 1t has not been in proportion to |
the decrease in other cities; notably Phila-
delphia, New York and Chicago. In those cities
locals have lapsed, and their members are now
In this city nearly all the mem
bers who dropped out of the Knights of Labor
we're organized il trades unions. A great
citation on account of the tactics adopted by
that organization by refusing to allow men to
retain membership in both societies. Every !
trades union in the two cities has been built up !
with men who went out of d. A. g.
Among the delegates to the convention
was ex-Master Workman John DOYLE, who
his local, 95O4, tube workers.
This is Johns first appearance since his re-
birement year ago
In regard to his expulsion, John NJ Kelly |
said: 81 will be at the funeral of d. A. No.
3, and expect to be the chief mourner. 1
the next man that will be fired
will be O'Shea, on account of his speech
against Ross. O'Shea spoke the truth, and |
anybody that knows anything about D. A.
cannot deny it,
NEARLl HALF A MILLION.