River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-07-26
DEBS IN COURT.
A. r. u. Leaders Answer to the
Charge of Contempt.
Another Riot-The Two-DoIIar Dividend
The Public Urged TO support the Boy
colt ny Refusing to Ride In
Pullman Cars.
AReuMENTs ARE nEARn.

OF the american halfway union. Oy
their attorneys, w. W. Erwin, s. ).
Gregory and John +. Geeting, filed
their answer to the contempt rule is
sued by the court against them last
week. The case was heard by Judges
! Grosscup and Wood. Mr.. Gregory of
fered a motion to quash the writ be-
cause of insufficient supplemental in.
! formation. The motion was laid over.
Attorney Gregory's suggestion that
the hearing be postponed until after
this trial under the indictments pend
/ ing against them vas not entertained
by the court. The court then heard
arguments on Mr.. Gregorys motion to
dismiss the bill and discharge the de-
PENDANTS. Mr.. Milchrist read the in
formation filed by the government re-
citing the kilograms sent by Debs to
other officials of the American Rail-
way union after the writ of injunction
was issued.
Attorney Erwin then read the answer OF the
/ defendants. The answer denied that the de-
/ PENDANTS ordered the employees OF any road to
| leave their work. by the laws OF the union
strike can be ordered only by a vote OF its
members. The defendants denied that the or
ganizattOn OF u4llons was carried on other than
/ by generally advising employees to become
members of unions and receiving to member
ship persons so applying therefor. They ex-
/ \ -ssly denied that the organization OF such
ions conferred upon its officers or directors
! aI GRITTY TO order strikes as alleged in the in
1 formation.
Sent But One Telegram.
The defendants deny that after the service
/ Of the injunction they or either of them
/ carried on the work of organization other
/ than by generally advising railroad en-
! ployes to become members OF such union
and receiving TO membership persons so
4 applying therefor as aforesaid. They deny
I that orders to strike we're at any time or In
4 any manner communicated by said American
Railway union TO said local unions as alleged
in said information.
1 The defendants deny that any one of the tel
I egrams set forth in said information sent
/ or caused to be sent by them or any Of them.
/ or that they authorized approved the same
I or any one thereof except a certain telegram
dated July g. 1894, as follows
We have assurance that within forty-eight
hours every la yor organization In this country
I will come TO our rescue. The fight is on, and
I our men are aequitting themselves like heroes.
/ Here and there one weakens, but our cause is
strengthened by dozen going out in his place
| Every true man must quit now and re-
main out until the fight is There
can be no halfway ground. Men must
/ be for us against US.
This telegram, defendants admit. was
caused TO be sent by defendant Debs. as al
I legged, but save as hereinbefore admitted de-
PENDANTS allege that they had no knowledge or
notice whatever of the sending of said tele-
grams OF of the contents thereof until the FL
ing OF the information
ALWAYS Counseled Peace.
The defendants admit that upon some OF said
! lines Of railway there vas exercised upon the
part of some persons to the defendants I'M
known, violence against persons and property
/ Upon information and belief they deny that
any member of said American Railway union
in any manner participated in said acts OF vio-
/ lence or any of them
They allege that they did all said 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 intimidation. and to all
times respect the law and the officers thereof
The answer makes OTHER sweeping and more
specific denial OF the charges and concludes by
declaring that all of their actions after the
service upon them of said injunction we're
taken under advice of competent counsel. and
the defendants. each for himself, denies that
he intended In any way to violate the injunc-
tion OF this court or to act in defiance or con-
tempt of its authority in any respect.
Attorney Walker then arose and
made a short, crisp speech for the
prosecution. lie first reviewed the
facts set forth in the information and
then took up one by one the charges of
the bill. lie said:
I'VE claim that the transmission of those
letters and kilograms was willful violation
OF the injunction. Does this answer, although
IL be verified. purge the contempt and can the
defendants go out OF court free mem We
ought to have the right to bring witnesses 20
challenge the truthfulness OF The allegations
OF such answer although we do not charge
that the answer Is not true.
Our position Is this: The strike and boy
colt emanaied from the officers OF the Amer
lean Railway IN on and these defendants
were TO blame for IL. They are responsible for
every act OF violen every murder. every as
sault which followed the issuance of their
orders They say they did not issue the or
ders-5e desire to probe their source. one
thing we know-they admit the violence and
Laundresses In Peril.
CHICAGO, July 21.-The first attempt
10 resume operations at Pullman re-
suited in riot that threatened blood
shed and Wholesale destruction of
property When the whistles sounded
at s o'clock a. IN. about eighty persons
walked into the laundry and started
TO work.
The Mob Gathers.
No trouble was made at the laundry
until 1890 o'clock, when mob com
posed mainly of women and children
surrounded the place and began to
show their displeasure at the fact that
the laundry had started up by hootine
and jeering at the operatives within
For a time they were content with
this method of procedure, but
soon noise became too tame
for them and they began to throw
mud and small stones. This at length
palled on the crowd and rocks were
called into use.
Chased Girl.
Suddenly tn. attack upon the build
ing ceased. The mob caught sight of
a woman attempting to make her way
past the crowd. She was instantly
| recognized as a non-union operative.
The mob charged upon her with stones
and chased her to Market hall. where
she found refuge just in time to escape
serious injury.
The Militia Appears.
In the meantime the militia had
been notified of the disturbance and a
detachment under Maj. Sanborn and
Lieut.. Horton came up on the
double quick. The mob lost no time
in scattering in all directions but
not until a man wearing a white
ribbon and who had been active in i'm
citing the women and children was
captured. He was placed under arrest
and taken to Hotel Florence.
Declared Two-DoIIar Dividend
The Pullman Palace Car company
on Friday issued notice to its stock
holders that on August Is it would pay
a quarterly dividend of two dollars on
each share of stock. Shareholders of
record at the close of business August
l will receive the allotment. The div
idend is declared from the met earn
ings" of the company, the circular
saws.
Switcbmen Disband.
At the regular daily meeting of the
strikers at Uhlich's hail Friday morn
ing there we've speeches by members
of the organization all advising the
men to remain firm and under
no circumstances to return to
their places. A committeeman
from Pullman told the audi
ence that no one need have any
fear that any of the members of the
organization there would go back un-
til ordered to do so. He said. 1T was
not true that the old men were seeking
their places.