The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-05-03
WHO Spoiled THE WALL
Bricklayers Indignantly
Deny all knowledge
Of the Crime.
CONTRACTOR KELLEHER's STORY.
The Police Are Working on the Case
and say That They Have
Strong Evidence.

The story concerning the tearing down
of portion Of the recently constructed
walls Of No. q School, IN Virginia ave
nue. published in Yesterdays issues Of
THE JERSEY CRY NEWS. created wild ex-
citement among the strikers
Indignant deniais and protests were
heard upon every side of the arena IN
which the combats between the crippled
champions of organized bricklayers and
the boss masons Of Hudson county have
been wagIng war during the past three
weeks.
The police are at work upon the case,
and, from clues thus far obtained, are OF
opinion that the crime was committed By
union strikers. At any rate the police
believe they know who committed the
crime
It could not have been the work Of boys.
because experts say it was the work OF
men thoroughly acquainted with the use
OF the trowel and the mortar board
President Somers of the Street and
Water Board said to SUNDAY MORNING
NEWS reporter last night that the work
had evidently been correctly performed.
Il had passed the inspection of Architect
Broorne and Inspector Kelly, both of
WaOA1 dgc sftt blTeSeHt On tHelf DHSB H1ell
MRS. KELLEHER's STATEMENT.
Contractor Michael KelIeher was found
at his home on Grove street, near FIT
teenth street, by a SUNDAY MORNING
NEWS reporter last night He said:-
The damage done the walls was not
quite so heavy as was reported; but the
meanness of the trick Is what worries
me Il was rot done By boys. | would
not like to say the local union Is resDon-
sible, but LIDO believe certain members
Of the union are at least accessories.
The two men whom Mrs Cornelius
Nreeland saw pass her house 10 the dircc-.
tinn Of the school house just before she
heard the tnumDing Of bricks on the tool
shed tallies with the description OF GER
tain men believed to be implicated.
The damage do not think will foot
up more than 81 500. The walls were
reared up about four feet above ground
aud were ready for the laying of the first
tier of beams The window and door
frames were set yesterday. OF course
the mortar was not thoroughly dried and
il was an easy matter to tear them from
their stations. The best material was
used IN the making of the mortar.
A portion Of the brown stone trimmings
was also torn away. The wall most dam
aged was that of the front OF the west
gable, six by four feet in length and four
feet high. 1t was twenty-inch wall
Il had about thirty men employed alto
gether. Seventeen OF them were union
masons and bricklayers. laid the foun-
dations. ! had but three of the local
union men working with me on this
building since the strike was ordered At
that time the foundation alone was laid
/ then shifted the men over to Hohok en-,
for 1t seems the union allowed them 10
work for me on a job had in that city for
the old prices
WOULDN'T WORK WE'LL.
But when RECOMMENDED work on
No. "a School, Monday last, three Of my
old hands consented TO work within the
limits of Jersey City"
81 hired other competent workmen, Of
other societies. men with whom worked
as journeymsn number of years ago.
They are good men. l was progressing
finely when the trick was served upon me
last night. Seven of the non-union men
were laid off Thursday. until the first
tier of beams could be laid.
Several boss masons were sought tasr
night Tor expressions Of opinion, but
could not be found by the reporter Work
had already been commenced in replacing
the wall
The citizens of West Bergen are re-
ported as greatly exercised over the out
rage. An indignation meeting was said
to be somewhere Ia progress, but THE
SUNDAY MORNING NEWS reporter was I'M
able TO run across the meeting. 1t was
said the Citizens Association would offer
a reward for the miscreanus.
GENERAL DENIAL.
Members OF Bricklayers' Unions Nos. 9
and are emphatic IN their Reputation OF
this lawless act.
1T Is nonsense to suppose that such
foolish piece Of business would be d one
by any one of US" said leading mem
Der Of the Hill union. "Most OF the men
f.tt II, Lid
residents here. and none of them are out
of work today. 1t would be suicidal for
any of US to ruin our regulations in
community in which we have lived for
years for the sake OF venting spleen on q
contractor"
No. ! union is down town and the
members Of that organization yesterday
professed entire Ignorance OF the out
rage.