New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-18
STRIFE IN LABOR UNIONS.
THE POLICE BREAK INTO A MEETING.
wE1ssMANN REPLIES TO THE DYNAMITE
CHARGES MADE AGAINST HIN Ely

CHARGES al AGAINST HIN Ely
SOCIALISTS.
Labor unions in many Of the trades in this city
IRE preparing for q general fight. some with each
other and some with those employers who have deter
mined once for all to make II stand against the power
~ the WALKING delegate and conduct their business TO
suit themselves. Among tho latter arc The C!oah'
makers. Cloak-cutters, Presscrs and Tailors' Cnl0ns'
THESE unions have organized a Joint executive board
which will conduct the fight and before long 1t is ex-
p.cted that several thousand men and women en-
ployed IN these trades will be on strike.
Already they ale fighting the firm OF Freedman
prothers. No. 49, Canalst., where 500 men are "out,'
and Benjamin & Caspary, No. 4d5 Droome.st. But III
the latter shop they are already beaten, for n time at
least. Mr.. Benjamin has had much unpleasant ex-
periencc with labor unions before, and only employs a
comparatively few union hands, and has for a time
annulled the power Of the unions.
A committee called on Mr.. Benjamin recently and
asked him TO employ only union mn. lie replied that
he would he glad 10 do so il the unions would guar
antec that they would cause him no trouble. This OF
course, the officers Of the unions would not do, ana
Mr.. benjamin., knowing trouble would follow. made
contracts with his men Individually, agreeing to give
the cutters steady employ ment until December 81,
1898. at the rate of So4 n week. The strike was or
dered last week, but only four men deserted MF'
Benjamin, and now the unions think OF boycotting him.
a nesting of the German Painters Union was held
last night in Clarendon Hall TO eXpel some Anarchists
from the union. Tho Anarchists and their friends
were present In force, and when q motion was made
for Sleir expulsion q free fight was Threatened. The
detectives and police had been excluded from the
meeting, but at the first signs of a disturbance the
police broke in and preserved the peace, which was
an easy thing for them TO do, as the Anarchists were
as meek as lambs when tho police raised their CLUBS.
When Che police entered a curtain was dropped in
front of the officers Of the union to hide them. Paul
v.ioobpaAlv ,ro-idad and tho Anarchists were finally
expelled peaceably.
Then the Socialists In this city are working ener
gctically to bring all forces at their command to bear
on the 4" boilers from Their organization, whom they
call " traitors, " to keep them from forming a new or
ganization and at the same time TO attack samuel
GompeTs, president Of the American Federation Of
Labor. First, because Mr.. Gompers does not believe
trade unions should be run by the Socialist Labor party
and, secondly, because lie has taken an Interest in
and advised the alleged TRAITORS Henry Wesmann
end August Delabar, in regard TO organizing a central
body Of labor unions, antagonistic TO the Socialists.
In an interview with Henry Wcsmann yesterday in
regard TO the charges brought against him by the Book
keepers Federation and the Central Labor Federation,
he said:
"These charges have been made because we were
trying to form a central body free from Socialists.
They charge me with trying to split the Central
Federated Trades. This IS not true. Neither did L
try 10 organize a non-uniOn brewers union. The
charge Of my connection with q dynamite plot is well
known. In 1855 l was president Of the Anti-Coole
League In san Francisco, and advocated an indepcnd-
ent political labor party. ! was approached by a
number Of Democratic leaders who tried To persuade me
to give ii up, but l refused. These leaders then got
hold Of some Anarchists in my organization and per
suaded them that the only way to get rid OF the
Chinese was to blow them up. These men then ma
ten pounds Of dynamite in the headquarters of my
union, and while l was there a raid was made by the
police, the dynamite was found and l was arrested and
sentenced to six months in prison. But l was in
nocent. Tie California unions know me and will
vouch for me-"
There are 100 Russian and Polish Hebrews on strike
on the East Side. who have been having a hard time
Of it lateiy. A month ago The Tribune recorded a
strike Of 400 oatmakers In /" sweat shops east OF the
B3wery. OF those 400 men aud women all but 10
have won their strike and returned 10 work. Those
still out Of work now assert that they are blacklisted
by the contractors who make garments for the big
firms. The present strikes ae against a reduction IT
wages in three shops, those of Iertzberaun d. Mcsko-
vitz, No. 10 Manfattan-st. X. Freed, No. 300 Stanton
st., and S. Kierstein, No. 4 MontgOmery-st.
Officers Of the Coat-Makers' Union said yesterday
that these bosses were trying to organize the non-union
men into a local assembly Of the knights Of Labor.
Tomorrow money which has been given to relieve the
hunger OF these 100 strikers Will be distributed. The
mcA wiz receive $40 each and the glris So each at the
beadouarters of the union. No. lG3 Rdgc-st.
4 tale OF suffering and hardship not often found
among the working men and women OF a thrifty New
England town was told at the headquarters OF District
Assembly No. 40, No. 80 Union Square, yesterday.
The story is that 400 mon and women in the town OF
shelton. Conn, are on the verge of starvation. These
people were employed in the mosquito netting factory
Of Robert Adam, but went out on strike two months
ago. With hardly any money saved. the 400 workers
have had a hard time to keep alive. and could not have
done so without help from the Knights OF Labor ana
their friends and relatives in shelton. where the sym
nathies OF the tOwnspeople are generally WIN the
strikers. The cause Of the strike, IL IS said. was Il re-
duction of as per cent in their already small wages.
The tOwnspeople have raised $500 10 help the strikers
70 leave the town and look for work elsewhere; ana are
now circulating a petition addressed to the town an
thorities. asking them either 10 force Mr.. Adam to re-
onen the mills or to take away his machinery and leave