Evening journal., 1891-11-17
POWDERLY AND TURNER
They Indulge in Charges and
Countercharges.
DID rHEEx- TREASURER DEFAULT2

W h@A Accused OF Being &l4sVVu SNORT
in His Accounts he Retorts by Accns-
Ing Prominent Knights of Improper
Use of the Orders Funds.
TOLEDO, Nov. 1.-THE qnterview with
ex-Treasurer Turner in Philadelphia, as
published IN many papers, has created a
great deal OF indignation among the gen
eral officers of the Knights OF Labor. The
matter came up in the session and Mr..
Turner's charges were vigorously denied.
1t will be remembered that Turner was
accused of being short $4,000 in his &C
counts by the convention Friday. He re
torted by denying that his accounts were
wrong IA any particular and that Ex-
pert Sinnexon, employed by the order,
had sworn that his accounts we're all right
at the end of the convention Of 1888.
He had left ali his accounts in the treas
ure~'s Office, but had retained all the can.
eeled checks for his own protection. He
claimod that General Master Workman /
Powderly wanted TO build house in 1885, |
bat did not have the money, and got /,
majority of the executive-Messrs Hayes |
Bailey and himself (powderly} ITO secretly |
loan the general master workm an ~, 500 |
Of the orders money. II was agreed that
the money should be returned, and also
thai Powderly should not be compelled to
60 down into his own pocket TO do it.
Thsy Raised Hls Salary.
Turner claims that this scheme was
carried ont Powderly salary at that time
was 81 800 year IL was arranged that ms
soon as the convention met in the fall his
salary should be increased TO 5000, which |
would enable him to pay with the orders
hof hn hnd fat .pt nft th4a
ders treasury. At the Richmond conven-
tion, IN October, 1886 this plan was car
ried cut. 10 proof Of his statement Turner
exhibited checks showing that on June %,
1885,, 81 eco were drawn from the orders
funds at the Corn Exchange National bank
by 4 v. Powderly, followed by the drawing
OF an additional 81 500 on Aug. % Turner
also showed letters from powderly that he
alleged were OF compromising character,
anG that were said to show that Powderly
was getting money from the treasury by
means that be did not wish known.
Charges Against Hayes Too.
Turner also claimed to have a voucher
for 3 ilgty-flye dollar piece OF furniture
bought by Treasurer Hayes charged 20 the
order and then sent to Hayes house. Tur
ner also said that cigars and drinks for
their friends, laundry for themselves and
families, clothes and furniture formed
striking parts of the curiously itemiaed ac-
counts Of the general officers.
Hayes Denies One Story.
Secretary Treasurer Hayes was inter
viewed here to-day about the Turner
charges He said II have never had a |
house to furnish, not even rented one |
Since ] have been in Office have never |
had any time TO live anywhere. have a |
wife. and we board in Philadelphia |
hayen't stick Of furniture Of any kind. |
George Murray Talks
George Murray, Of New York, who has |
attended almost every general convention /
for ten years, said: There is no truth |
whatever in the statements Turner Is now
making In my opinion, and for this rea-
son: the matters about which he ia now
talking occurred in 1886, and were all
known to him then, as he was both treas
urer OF the general order and a member OF
its executive board What was done then
met with his hearty approval and was
concurred in by him Believing him 70
have been honest then, believe that there
was nothing dishonest done then. be-
lieve him to be dishonest now because he
is trying 60 tear down men who are high
in our order whom we trust and know
why we trust and because / see him pur
suing this dishonest course now l look
upon any statement he may make as a
dishonest one "
What Powderly Says.
Mr. powderly said: "Mr Turner goes
into the newspapers 70 say he is about 70
tell the public things heretofore known
only 20 him and kept secret, and then he
goes on TO rehash lot Of old stories that
he told 70 the representatives at lndiRnap
oils, in and out Of the convention, that
vere then and there refuted. that he has
told every one who would listen 20 him
ever since, that never had any foundation
in fact, and have been refuted over and
over again All my acts as an officer Of
the Knights Of Labor are open to inspec-
tion and court II, My house was built and
paid for by my own money. II what Turner
states were true. il would brand him as
positively dishonest not to have revealed
such matter TO the general convention Of
1896 and 1887. ] opposed him at lndianap-
oils ia 1895 because he was incompetent,
and be then circulated the same stories he
now relterates Turner was himself a
member Of the general executive board
At the time be speaks Of He was treas
urer Of the order also, and when be states
that the delegates at the Richmond con
veution IN 1856 Increased my salary to
5000 to enable me TO pay back = loan
he lies. The convention increased my
salary 70 sbo0o against my protest.
General Foreman Cavanaugh, Of Gin
cinnasi, chairman OF the finance commit
tee that examined Turner'S accounts az
indianapolis, said that not even well
conducted local assembly OF the organiza
tion would have tolerated such loos,
way Of conducting business as Mr. Turn
er's system permitted.