Birmingham age-herald., 1894-08-30
READY FOR REBU7TAL, The National Labor Commission
 Will Conclude
THE STRIKE INVESTIGATION
Today, and Prepare Their Re- port Before Leaving
 Chicago.

CHICAGO, Aug. M.-The national labor comm ission expects to complete it's work by the end of this week. Tomorrow wit nesses for the American Railway union will appear in rebuttal, and the sitting of the commission may come to an end at that date. It is probable, however, that it may last one or two days longer. Chairman Wright said this morning that the com mission had not yet discussed the evidence with view to forming an idea of what it's recommendation would be. The report will be made directly to the president, and will probably be made up before the com missioners leave Chicago.
 The principal business of the commission this morning was the examination of twenty three witnesses, most of whom tes- tified that at the meeting at Blue Island, at which the Rock Island men decided to strike, Vice. President Howard had coun- selled violence and used profane language. The gist of the testimony was that onl ly about one- half of the men who voted to strike were railroad men. Besides this many of the railroad men present were op- posed to striking.
 Robert G. Welsh, assistant to the first vice president of the Santa Fe road, was the first witness called by the labor com mission this morning. He testified that the road he represented was loser, as closely as he could figure, $j05, ,036 by the recent strike. The strike had never been declared eff by the Santa Fe men, he said i, but the road is running without interrup- ton to traffic.
 Twenty-three witnesses were sworn ia a bunch. It was announced that they would give testimony regarding the strike at Blue Island. All were subp0laed.
 w. D. Fuller testified that Vice Presi- dent Howard openly counselled violence and applied vile epithet to George M. Pullman at meeting at Blue Island at which the Rock Island employees voted to strike. President Debs was not so radical in speech.
 G. c. Cruelty corroborated Fuller, and said Howard also abused officers of the Rock Island road. He ascribed to Presi- dent Debs the statement. ''After the strike the scabs will have to walk the plsnk.'
 John Deagan thought there was but one business man of Blue Island pr esent at the meeting of the Rock Island employees.
 Owen O. 'Keefe and D. Braham, two bus mess men of Blue Island, who were named as having been present at the meeting, de- nied they were there. Farmer Fred Brau- beck was present. He did not hear How ard use abusive language. George Davis did not either. Neither of these men heard all of Howard's 8 speech. Alexander Inasso testified that he heard Howard say that he thought Pullman ought to be hanged. J. H. Cody thought nearly all those present were railroad men. J. R. Sanders gave as the substance of one of Towards S admoni- tions to the crowd, "to kill any scab with coupling pin who took the place of a striker. '
 He heard The alleged remarks abo ut Pull man. The other witnesses from Blue Island knew nothing of interest to the commis- sion. Chairman Wright then announced that the commission had heard all the wit nesses suggested by either side of the con troversy and that he was now ready to hear those in rebnttal. As names were filed with the commission for rebuttal Chair man Wright declared the commission ad journed until 10 o'clock tomorrow morn lng.