The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-05-06
The UndertakerS at a Sc
cret Meeting Sign an
Ironclad Agree
ment.
WILL STAND TOGETHER.
Disgraceful Scenes at Funerals Must
Stop o. the Law Will be
Invoked.

The Undertakers' Association met last
night In Roche's Hall and thirty six Of the
forty-eight members were present.
The meeting was secret but it was
learned that the first business taken uD
was the recent outrages at funerals by the
union coach drivers.
A committee, which for the past wee k
has been investigating the desertion at a
funeral conducted by Undertaken Pioget,
made a report aud with it presented the
following agreement for adoption
Whereas. Serious trouble has recently oc-
Cured IN this city by the Noncompliance with
established rules governing the proper conduct
ing of funerals;
agree not to employ any coach or hearze drivers
either directly or Indirectly unless such d ivers
agree TO obey the orders given them BY their
employers or the orders OF stable keeper or
undertaken to whom such coach or hearse
drivers may be sent
We further agree that any driver or drivers
in employ who may disobey orders when
given to him or them by us or shall disregard
the orders OF any stable keeper or undertaken TO
whom they shall be sent, shall be instantly dis
missed from our employment and said driver or
drivers shall not be again employed hy US unless
by the sanction Of majority Of signers hereto.
ALL SIGNED BUT TWO.
Only two undertakes refused to sign
the agreement.
One of the best known undertakers in
this county in speaking on the agreement
said:-''I am in favor OF having this agree
nent 90 into effect May II. These TURKS
(referring to the coach drivers) are lrry-
ing this union business too far. and for
| one, do not propose to humble myself, and
be compelled to submit TO what they want
done. The outrages they have committed
so successfully lately have encouraged
them and il we do not stop them right
away, they will want to run our business.
"Now that we are in this fight / am in
| favor OF carrying IL 20 successful termi-
nation, If we are compelled to hire men
| fromINew York..who will do what they are
paid for.n
This speech evidently expressed the
/ sentiments of all the undertaKers present.
as cheer after cheer was given. Several
| instances were related by the undertakers
where the coach drivers have driven
| private coaches out Of line, aud
| in one case assaulted non-union driver .
| The first case referred to happened
about Two weeks ago. Ex-Freeholder
Andrew Cullen hired coach from n liy-
| eryman in Hoboken TO attend funeral
| on Pavonia avenue. While he was in the
house the union coach drivers ordered
| the non-union driver away, informing the
undertaken in charge that IL the Dou-
union man attempted TO drive in their
line they would not go to the the
1
| THREATENED A NoN-UNIoN MAN.
| About one week ago Undertaken Phil
| lips sent a coach he hired in Hoboken 10 a
| funeral ON Grand street. While coming
| home from the cemetery the union
| drivers discovered the fact that the
| driver from Hoboken was non
union man. -Four OF them held him
| mp on Grand street, abused him and
told him to tell Coroner Parslow, who had
sent tue coaeh to Mr.. Phillips, 10 keep bis
| coaches in Hoboken II he did not want
| them smashed. The driver told them TO
! take trip to warmer regions and tight
was the result. rne driver only escaped
| a beating by whipping up MS horses.
A committee of five was appointed TO
present the adopted agreement 10 the
| coach drivers for their signatures The
| drivers vino refuse to sign it are to be
| dismissed from the employ OF the livery
men who have Joined the undertakers in
| theff fight.
Serious trouble is expected. as it is
| stated on good authority that the coach
drivers will not sign the agreement.