The evening world., 1894-07-23
The A. R. U. ANSWERS.
Denies Being in Contempt Of the
United States Court.
Says II Ordered No Strikes and
Condoned No Violence.
Its Members Quit of Their Own
Choice, Deciding Ly Majority Vote.
(By Associated Press,)


CHICAGO, July Gan answer was
filed to-day by the attorneys for the
officers of the American Hallway
Union in the contempt proceedings In
the United States Court. growing out
of the alleged violation OF the Federal
injunction against interference with the
mails and interstate commerce.
After acknowledging the service OF the
Injunction and reeervins any advantage
that may accrue from the claim that the
writ Is insufficient and void, the de-
PENDANTS proceed as follows:
They deny that It was at any time the pur-
or Of the Officers or directors thereof. OF these
defendant. or either or ANY OF theh' 10 con
centrate the power and jurisdiction of said Amer
lean Railway Inion under one oncihl manage
ment and direction. with power to order strikes
or discontnuancc of the service OF sach en-
the American Railway Union should elect TO do
so. as alleged in said information or otherwise
and they allese tina, 10y the orssniAs'lon OF .9e
be declared or discontinued by the vote oil tne
majority Of the members OF such American Eaii-
way Union emplo, ces. in the service affected by
any such strike and that the only power author,
ity Office Of the said ofhcors or directors OF said
American Railway Union, or OF these defendants.
or either of them in respect to said matter was
TO notify the members of said American RAILWAY
Union in the service concerned in such strike
of action taken by such majority.
They deny that Oh the 2Gth or eth day OF
June last past. or at any other time. the Ameri.
can Railway Union its Board OF Directors or
other officers, or theee defendants or either OF
them. had directed and ordered the members OF
said American Railway Union; engaged In the
to leave tho service OF said Company, or alleged
in said information or otherwise. or that at any
time any orders were issued to the employees OF
the railroads mentioned IN the complaint, or any
of them. to leave the service OF such Company,
but they allcxo that on or about said time a
m ort NJ n ms n American
way Union, employed upon said Illinois Central
Railroad and upon said other companies referred
to in said information did for themselves with
out any order, direction or control OF the said
American Railway Union or of Its Officers or
| them. voluntarily determine by their votes that
they would strike or leave the service OF said
railway companies and that. in pursuance OF
vote. said employees did on or about said time
leave the service Of said railway companies freely
and voluntarily OF their own accord. Upon
Information and belief the defendants deny that
said employees SO leaving the service OF said rail-
way companies as Aforesaid did so for the purpose
of hinderng preventing and delaying said rail-
way companies in the opera ton Of trains engaged
in the transportation OF the United states malls
| and interstate commerce over the respective roads
of said companies.
The came Senials are made as to A.
II. U. organiza tons in the Northwest
Then the answer says:
The defendants deny that any one OF the tele-
grams set forth In said information was sent or
caused to be sent by them or any of them. or that
they authorized or approved the same or any
one thereof. except a certain telegram dated
July 6. 1894 in the words and figures following;
"wc have assurance that within forty-eieht
will come to our rescue The night Is on. and
our men are acQutting themselves liko heroes
Here and there one weaksns but our cause is
strengthened by a dozen going out in his place.
Every true must quit now and remain
out. until the nsht is won. There can he no
half way ground Men must be for us or against
| us. Our cause is gaining ground daily and our
success is only a question Of few days, Don
your manhood Labor must win now or never.
Our victory VIII be positive and complete
| mors and newspaper reports"
The defendants admit that upon some
| of said lines of railway there was exercised upon
| the part OF some persons to the defendants un-
known, violence against persons and property.
They deny that they or any Of them have any
knowledge or Information sufficient to form a
belief to the commission of the specific acts
of violence In said Information set forth or any
thereof and upon information and belief they
deny that any member of said American Railway
Union in any manner participated in said acts
OF violence or sny Of them
court they daily and continuously, or at all. is
sued any orders or directions for the employees
of said railway companies, or any of them. to
leave such service in a body. as alleged in said
Information or otherwise. They deny that at said
tine or at any time they knew that violence and
unlawful conduct necessarily followed from strikes
OF the kind mentioned in said information. and
deny that such is the fact: but, on the contrary.
allege that far said American Railway
| Union or the memhers thereof arc concerned
said strike, and all strikes OF a similar charac-
ter contempat, nothing more than the quiet.
peaceable and lawful cessation Of work by such
members when and for such periods az they shall
for themselves determine. Defendants al
lege that they did at all times counsel and advise
| all members OF the said American Railway Union
with whom they were in communication to at all
times abstain from violence threats and intimida-
| tinn and to at all times respect the law and the
officers thereof
They deny that the Poard of Directors OF said
American Railway Union, or its ofncers or these
| defendants. or either Of them. at any time as
sumed tho authority and power. or have now
or ever have had any authority or mower what
| sosyer to order strikes and boycotts or to dis
continue the same.