The sun., 1892-08-18

He says the Companies Had Their Cnrs
Set on Fire 10 Gain Public Sympathy.

GRAND MASTER SWEENEY'S NOTION
He says the Companies Had Their Cars
Set Fire 10 Gain Public Sympathy.
BUFFALO. Aug. 17.-Grand Master SWITCH
man Michael Sweeney prctends to believe
that the strikers are not responsible for the
incendiary fires tho other night. He WAS in
terviewed to-day and advanced the idea that
tho companies had the fires set for the pur-
pose Of hurting the strikers with the public
and OF getting sympathy for themselves. At
the beginning o! his interview Mr.. sweeney
denounced the calling out Of the troops. He
declared that tho keeping Of the militia on
gunrd was n useless expense and an outrage
on the taxpayers. There Is positively no
danger of violence or depreciation Of any kind
being committed by the strikers or their
friends ho asserted. and having delivered
himself thus he went on:
"You may say that the switchmen are not
only not to blame for the acts OF disorder that
have been committed. but that they have not
sanctioned them In any way. The best proof
OF this is that mono OF them has been ARRESTED
on any such charges. Tho only arrest made
that have heard OF was that Of two switch
mon for lighting. How long do you suppose
our men would be out OF Jail II they had been
concerned in these deeds? And how long do
you suppose it would take the railroad detec-
tives who swarm In these yards to gobble
them in2 Not an hour. All our men are
well-known citizens In their part OF tho
town. and nothing would moro delight the
railroads than to see them arrested for acts OF
violence. That would help the roads wonder
fully. and bear out the impression they have
been artfully trying to produce in the public
mind that the swtchmen are pack Of roughs
and being generally iawiess; and this they
1 n ~ ~ - n "a n n Inv
great deal under the surfsce e' in this mater
aware that tho Reading and and Erie systems a and md
their dependencies are highly unpopular in
the Tany End Others be-
nsaciasses because q ither treatment tS tot Of
unpopular. the Erie or the Reading. The old
henigh Lei & ROAD used to treat ITS people well.
aa Thsn ssd It pased o%n
hours Increased. and unreasonable exactions
made They hey treated theI, men Ike dogs and
SSeh to to
4S4 e. nafs .s s,Gsn ss nj
ii sired =. 1sdrssssd, , il was not e Be- re%edisd I
word: Ne XondsE their road il hated by rail;
this .trEe @ came Il bsceme necessary % W somehoW is W
or other to divert public sympathy from the
s tess Rs
t6is eity "s and vieinitz.s Rsiread aTysrs and nd
vised means bs Which thsy got the sympathy
end put the strikers In the hole, The strikers
did not set those cars on fire on Sunday
Do YOU mean to insinuste that these roads
had the GO cars set on are-burned their own
have heard Just that rumor going about,
nothing less. It is well known that the cars
ls sidnSs chest
towaes and left there to rot The Poles have
been taking them to piece. and nd. using them
ton being made by the company; and
thsss The &arned sst on sun .
zens against the switchmen. who had
most profitable bonilres | ever heard OF. and
county is foolish enough to nay for them. We
can furnish evidence that they were aban-
did put tho torch to. these cars they, would
have heard that all the separate companies Of
this brigade baso have been ordered out and are
What is the attitude Of your, organization.
and and Its Buffalo members toward the militia"
"FTisnds" replied the Maste, r, Workman
no destruction. We have done no destruction;
we have planned no destruction: We shall
aid the militia In any way their officers may
suggest. We are not thugs. but we'll disposed
people. who want to gain their ends by peace
able and not riotous means. Tho Buffalo
members are too we'll known to do any
overt act and not he immed lately appre.
hended. The Central strike Is not part
OF our movement Tho Central road is mainly
2 on.union road. since tho last strike there
have been no union men ON ployed knowingly
by the company. The non union men on this
road are pulling out because the Central was
trying to do Just what the Heading and the
West Shore were trying-to increase the hours
and decrease the nay. A committee OF the men
went to, see the autorities. and this man Ieos:
them ,Ho said: II you are union men
e 80 am and get your pay. and get, out;
tend to-, to to act ihe part Of union men
was about six weoks ago. So you see the Cen
long aso that they might expect trouble. and
down you expect to look out lively for him
people were doing when they asked for official
road. They knew what to expect But very
the swltchmen's association as they are nom
union men,"
THE MUTATION At sAYRE, "a.