The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-30
RAILROAD MEN AT odds.
Trouble in the Supreme
Council Of the Railroad
Mems Union.
CHARGE AND coUNTER-cHARGE.
Editor Chaplin Says Charles Keller
is an Embezzler-Keller
Wakes Denial.
CHARGE AND CODNTER-CHARGE.
Editor Chaplin Says Charles Keller

Considerable trouble Is brewing 10 the
Legislative Board of the Supreme Counl
Gil Of Rail:oadmeu's Union. The two
principals in the difficulty are Benjamin
Z. Chaplin. editor of the Railroad EN-
plOye and President OF the board, and
Charles A. Keller. who was until recsnt-
ly In Chapin's employ on the paper.
Chaplin is timekeepar of engineers on the
Delaware. Lackawanna aud Western
Railroad at Hoboksn. and Keller is a
brakeman on the road, living at No. 204
Garden street, Hoboken. At meeting
Of the Legislative Board at Newa k
Thursaa y. Mr.. Keller, who was secretary
of the order. was denied. admittance be-
cause he had no credentials. Mr.. Keller
WAS arrested the day before on warrant
sworn to by Mr.. Chaplin. charging him
with an embezzlemeut of $6.
MR.. KELLER's STATEMENT.
A reporter OF The JERSEY CITY NEWS
called on Mr.. Keller In relation Co the
emneZzlement aud the aotiou of the
board in excluding him from the meet
ing Thursday.
AS regards the mssting.n said Mr..
Keller. Il have this to say Mr.. Chapiu,
ell OF the State Railroad Meh,s Union.
issued call for the meeting OF yesterday
which sent out. being General Secre-
tarv. Til show you the call"
Mr.. Keller produced the paper. which
had in corner his name printed as
general secretary. Il directed the lodges
to forward to him aoiice of the election
was signed by Chaplin and the signature
Of H. A. Boyd. Secretary of the State
Board, was appended. Fifteen lodge,
responded declaring their iHtentiou Of
sending delegates. The notices were
sent out before Keller severed business
connection with Mr.. Chapin.
when was denied admission Thurs
day" said Mr.. Keller, Il eadsayored 60
get word to my friends. The door
keeper refused me. however, and came
home In complete disgust. Mr.. CHAPLIN
only did that TO square things. I found
there were only thirteen members there
Instead of thirty. Iwlll call nay lodges
attention to this. and try to influence
them to act on 1t as thsy can.
DIDN'T EMBEZzLE.
Nov. as regards the ein0ezzlemsnt.
was employed on the paper OF Mr.. Chap
ms. | wrote several articles for the
sheet, for which l was to receive $l25
column. wrote over twsnty-ssven
columns for the paper, all over my signa-
bukVg &uu uNVcI kOb q IGO CSuG 4QE bu0uls
Mr.. Keller showed the articles to the
reporter.
II was also to receive twenty-five per
cent commission on advertisements I
got tor the paper. / solicited $4720
worth of them. aud paid him $13 that had
been given me for Tor the
paper. OF the amount he owes me.
nearly Sl2. he only paid me $5.75. He
ewes me S33 for writing and over Sc for
the advertisements. / shall bring suit
against Mr.. Chaplin for damages. Hs
naS libelled me aud has caused nv false
Imprisonment. He also committed
perjury in saying | emosz1led the S."
Mr.. CHAPIN's VERSION.
The NEWS. reporter called on Mr..
Chaplin TO ascertain his version of the
affair. He said he had known Mr. Keller
for year or more. He came to me-"
said he, when he was cut of work. He
had been employed bY the Genital Rail-
road OF New Jersey prior To his calling
ou me. He had no money and did ali
In my power to assist him. / secured for
him position on the d. L. & w. Rail-
road. He said he was Secretary of the
Steam Railroad Mems Union and cams
with seemingly good credentials. Since,
have learned aud am convinced that he
is fraud" Mr.. Chaplin produced a
letter which was written by the Sscretlry
OF the HoDokea branch of the Brotherhood
Of Railroad Traiumen. james W. Walsh.
The letter stated that Mr.. Keller had
been representing himself to be metn-
Der OF the Hnboken order aud was soli-
citing patronage Jhreugh the good rspu-
tation of the order The secretary said
that Keller was not IN aay way connected
with the Hoboken order, aud denounced
him and his methods. Ths letter was
dated September 26. MIR. Chaplin showed
the reporter the minutes OF tue mseting
p ga 6nVr III -
Chaplin. WAS entirely "exonerated from,
all blame In having bsen connected with
Mr.. Keller in any way. Mr.. Chaplin
says that Keller has collected So from q
man in MorristowB, whose name he with
held, through an advertising scheme that
Keller talked about. The scheme was
iu the form of programme of the pro-
ceedtngs of the convention held yesterday
at Newark.
Keller being. as Chaplin alleges, short
OF runds.he secured the permission OF the
proper persons in the order to publish
the pamphlet. The pamphlet, however,
did not prove to be as 1t WAS represent by
Keller that it would. and complaints are
coming in to Mr.. Chaplin concerning it.
against them by having the order pass tho
resolution referred to abovs exculpatIng
him from any implication In the scheme.
Iu this way Chaplin cannot in any
sense be held responsible, as President
OF the order, for Kelier's wrongdoings
Chaplin says that Keller told him he was
the Grapd Secretary of the Steam Rail
road Mems Union. and that. il Mr..
Chaplin SO desired, he would exert his
influence to have Chaplin elected Su.
preme President. Chaplin was elected
and afterwards resigned. bscause, a. be
alleges. he learned that the order was the
instrument of Keller by which he
worked The people into his perntcious
schemes. Some spicy developments are
likely To come ont In fsH daYn, rime