Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-25
SOME inside FACTS
CONNECTED WITH TIE RECENT STREET CAR
Strike
Brought Out Last Evening, in a Hearing Before
Justice Arkle-"Whsre the Money Went
as Explained BY One Of the En-
tsr2inmsnt Committee.

Some weeks age q suit was instituted
before Justice Ankle by Col. w. w. Ar
nett, NJ. ID. Post and John A. Howard,
who defended certain Of the members Of
the Street Railway Workers Union In
criminal proceedings, the plaintlns
seeking to recover from the organization
the legal fees for professional services
rendered.
Abont the time the suit was brought,
or even before, allegations were maze
by various parties 10 he uect that tue
financial management OF the Union
wouldn't bear close inspection, n tnat
there was more or less cash which
couldp't be accounted for. These re-
norts did not emanate from the gentle
men bringing the suit. but were hoating
aronnd in a miscellaneous sort OF man
per. and the matter was often a topic OF
conversation among the members OF the
Union and members Of labor organiza-
lions 10 general.
Last evening the suit came up for
trial before Justice Ankle, aud quite a
number of street car workers and 9TH
ers interested were present 70 listen 70
what developments might be made,
The EXAMINATION was commenced oy
calling James Rafferty,, q mem
Der Of the Union and also a
memUer, during The strike, Of the En-
tertainment Committee, having charge
of the benefit at the Grand Opera House.
He was the first and last witness exam
ined, two OF the three attorneys who were
plaintiffs, the third being out OF the
city, refusing to further prosecute the
cause.
In reply to questions by counsel wit
ness said there was q general condl-
ton OF misinformatiOn regarding the
amount Of money accruing as the pro-
ceeds OF the Grand Opera House enter
tainment, and naively added that the
cause had 10 be bOlstered up with rose
colored accounts TO the public through
the press, and that the reporters were
told there was a large sum realized,
when, in fact, there was not. ave said
the profits were $780," said be, "out
everybody knew there couldn't be that
much" Mr.. Rafferty, said the exact
sum realized was about 1912, and &C
counted for IL by saying that SllO had
been spent for one team OF horses,
the SANE amount for another team,
$50 for a third horse, and
some smaller sums for various purposes.
He had $50 remaining In his hands. No
books were kept, and sometimes there
were receipts for money expended, and
--af--. 80 IFanr nf thu hnFQAu had
been sold, two for $40 each, one for
s47. so, aud one for $50, and one was
still on hand, having been attached by
the parties bringing the suit.
Q.-Who do you propose to account
10 for that $50? A.-NO one.
Q.-You propose TO keep II? A
Yes.
Q.-why? A.-To pay for trouble,
expenses, etc.
O.-You think you are entitled to it?
Ayes, and more, too. | paid out Sl4
of il for feed for the horse.
Q-Don't you think that, In justice
TO yourself, you ought TO be able to &C
count for the money-just what you re-
ceived and what you paid out? A
Well, that's about the way everything
went. Everything went on good will.
There were no regular meetings; a
crowd just gathered and a man sat In
the chair. Things went on that way.
Q.-Do you, as one Of that Commit
tee, propose 70 make any report At all?
A.-No.
The witness added that be would be
perfectly willing TO make a report II
the books were all properly audited,
and further said sit would be a good
deal Of light TO the public II the Union
would be compelled 10 come down with
their transactions and make them
known. The witness went or TO say, in
reply to questions, that some days there
would be one secretary and some days
another. Sometimes a sort OF a re-
ceipt would be given, and sometimes
not. We had 70 coneede something TO
bullyragers, or we would be Knocked
out long before we were
Going back TO the current report
that the proceeds Of the entertainment
amounted to $500 or something like
that amount, the witness said:
There were only 1000 tickets print
ed at first, and 1900 Of them were re-
turned the night before the entertain
ment. That left only 500 u Then
they kept on returning them at differ
ent times, and they're not all in yet. l
know OF Sl4-thaJ's t~wenty-eight tick
discharged up as not returned"
VariOas other matters OF information
were extracted from the witness, and
as a final result the plaintiffs present
withdrew the suit so far as they were
concerned, leaving the third plaintiff to
come to a conclusion when he returned
TO town.