The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-15
X. OF L. CONSPIRACY
INSIDE HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT
AGAINST MIR. POwDERLY.
The System of Espionage Established
by General Secretary-Treasurer
Hayes-General Labor News.

PHILADELPHIA. June AT. V. Pow
derby has issued for private circulation
among the Knights of Labor a statement
containing the inside history of the move
ment which compelled his voluntary re-
tirernent- 1t forms a pamphlet of thirty
four pages. In a review Of the circum-
stances leading up to the events of last
fall, which have proved so mornentous TO
the Knights OF Labor, Mr.. Powderly al
ludes TO the candidacy of John O'Keefe in
1892 against Mr.. Hayes for the office of
general secretary-treasurer, which was fol-
lowed by Mr.. O'Keefe's discharge by. Hayes
from his position in the general Office. Mr..
O'Keefes complaint to the general execu-
tive board brought to light complaints from
other general office employees. all members
OF the order, of being watched. logged and
brow-beaten. They asked for redress"
says Powderly. land the general executive
board gave them a hearing in the general
Office. The general secretary-treasurer,
who was present when the clerks and
other employees were called before the gen.
eral executive board, retired and refused
to be present at the hearing. The state
ments made at the hearing were taken
down in shorthand and disclosed a condi-
ton of affairs which gave the members of
the general executive board nc little uneas-
mess Listening at keyholes. picking of
reading of personal letters, and, in fact,
such practices as would not be tolerated
ton in the land were stated to be of daily
occurrence in the general office
When the general secretary,treasurer
system of espionage which prevailed in
the office he denied that any such condition
or am TAR existed ste When When we pressed Ssr him Inn
formation that will damn the whole Of you.
/ can go to the world with the statement
that you are all engaged in stock-jobbing
land specializing and in every way neglect
ing the business of the order for personal
affairs When told that that would not
difference; since a lie is told it will 60. and
l will lie whenever 1 want to score a
Mr.. Powderly then takes up the presen-
tation by Mr.. Hayes of charges against the
general executive board. which he denies
in every detail. ~Recounting the considera-
ton of these charges In the last General
Assembly. Mr.. Powderly's statement says:
When 1 had spoken for four hours and
twenty minutes, all told. and the general
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Hayes) had concluded
his thirteen-hour talk, Hugh Gceenan. of
District Assembly 49, stood up and asked
any truth in his charges, and he said there
was not: Did these men misappropriate
any of the money of the order? Did they
use any of il for their personal ends? Have
they squandered the funds?' were the
words of Greenan as near as / can remem-
z llJHi II OlRNtl vi tlC CAlC ~
retary-treasurer was No to each ques.
ton. When making his speech, the general
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES said. i always wanted
to get rich: / want to be rich, and / viii
get rich If I cam At another time. after
explaining the workings of a gas scheme,
In which he is engaged, he said: / am the
manager. the treasurer and the board OF
directors of the company. j made 5000
on ii this morning and / have the money
in my inside pocket now
"When the st. Louis General Assembly
was in session, James Hughes told me that
the national Democratic committee had
5000 there to defeat me for reelection.
paid no attention to his statement. and TOLD
him Ii could not be true. He said he had
the proofs. At the banquet given by the
St. Louis locals that evening, James r
Sovereign, VINO sat opposite me, wrote or
a card and handed IL TO me. From the
card now before me / quote these words
There are 5000 here from the East to de
feat your reelection. Say nothing. 1t will
fall In conversation, he said, he was pos
tive that the statement was correct anC
that he knew who had the money"
Mr.. Powderly closes with an appeal Il
the members to hold their old
together. but to scrutinize all new one:
and not allow so many paper assemblies
to be organized that the genuine ones vii
be outvoted at the next General Assembly
at New Orleans.