The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-08-01
DBBS OFFERS PEACE.
TERMS TO END THE GREAT
STRIKE SUBMITTED.
The Railroad Managers Asked to
Reinstate All Strikers Not
Charged With Crime, But They
Refused to Treat With Debs-

Charged With Crime, But The!
Refused to Treat With Debs-
Shot Down by Regulars.
The great strike at Chicago and in the
territory tributary to that city OF railway
men in sympathy with the striking working
men at Pullman ended in conditional sur
render OF the strikers. President Debs
OF the American Railway Union, sem
to the Board of General Manager,
through Mayor Hopkins, of Chicago, an
| offer to declare the strike off II the man.
ayers would agree to take back the men
without prejudice, excepting those con.
victed Of violence. The General Managers
returned this letter to the Mayor un.
answered on the ground that they could not
recognize the American Railway Union.
Mr.. Debs said that the rejection of his offer
would cause renewal ofthe fight, and that
all his resources would be devoted to Its
maintenance.
President Debs submitted certain terms to
the Association of Railroad Managers. In
brief they were.
~. That arbitration as proposed By Presi.
dent Cleveland be entered upon.
49, That all the striking employees, except
those who had been guilty Of criminal mis-
conduct shall be restored to their positions
without. prejudice by the railroad COM
panies."
He said that the proposition was inspired
by desire to subserve the public goo ], as
the strike, small and unimportant in its In
ception, had extended until "it now involves
or threatens not only every public interest,
but the peace, security and prosperity OF our
common country"
This proposition was signed by Debs. How
ard and Keliher, the principal officers Of the
American Railway Union. 1t was taken by
them to Mayor Hopkins, who at their request
presented it to Chairman st. John, Of the
General Managers Association. The as.
sociation was not In session, but after tn
individual members had been con.
suited, the paper was returned to Mayor
Hopkins without answer and with the In
formation that no communication wha:ever
from Debs, Howard and Keliher could be
received or considered by the Managers
Association.
This action of the strike leaders was taken.
they assert, not because of impending de-
feat, but in order that they should be IN har-
mony with the suggestion President Cleve-
land made in announcing that he would ap.
point a commission to investigate the strike
troubles.
The refusal OF the General Managers even
TO consider the proposition. the acceptance
OF which would make necessary the dis
missal of all men engaged to fill the strikers
places and would place them again In the
bower of the organization which had
paralyzed their lines for days, was considered
by many decided setback to the union.
Following It came the result OF the two
dars' deliberations of the conference of la.
bor leaders called by Samuel Gonpers, OF
the American Federation OF Labor. The
leaders of all the big organizations out.
side the American Railway Union and
the Knights of Labor decided not to
involve the men they represent in any local
or general strike. They expressed sympathy
with the Pullman employees, but declared
strike at this time Of general business de.
preston an act OF folly.
Strike Manager Egan declared that as fal
as the roads were concerned, the strike was
already at IN end. II the men wished to
stay out OF work. that was mono OF the bush
ness OF the General Managers. All the roads
we're running in nearly as good order as a'
first, and the managers had nothing to
say beyond the fact that they felt
they had been previously injured and that
much OF their property had heen wantonly
DESTROYED, and they did not seq why they
should grant favors to- the people who had
done them all this harm.
Mayor Hopkins made strong plea for a
settlement Of the whole matter. Hepotnted
out that II the General Managers refused to
accept this proposition, the troops must be
kept guarding the city for at least two weeks
more, entailing loss OF many thousands OF
dollars on the State, and that there might
be more rioting and bloodshed..
While these measures to en1 the strlSe
were being taken in Chicago stirring occur.
wit n
killing of four members OF Battery L OF the
Fifth Artillery, United States Army. in the
train wreck at the trestle two miles from
Sacramento, CAL, was in q measure avenged
by regulars belonging TO the same company,
two men, both, however, disclaiminS to be
strikers. being shot. One was mortally
wounded.
Shortly before II o'clock Division superin.
tendent Wright ordered switch engine and
fiat car to clear the track along Front street
contiguous to the headquarters OF the strik'
er5.
Fearing that AN attempt would be made tn
shoot the engineer and fireman, Captain
Roberts and Lieutenant Skerrett OF Battery
l.. with a number Of men, went along on the
fiat car. The men jeered at the soldiers, and
Roberts ordered his men to charge them
with bayonets.
Just then several shots were fired, but
whether from the crowd or from the root OF
the freight sheds, occupied by Il number OF
men, 1t IS not positively known. But this
was lust tho moment the regulars had been
waiting for, and they returned the fire. AS
the reports OF their rifles rang out the crowd
fell back and two men dropped to the
ground.
The news OF the shooting once again
threw the city into great state OF excite
ment, and the streets in the vicinity rapidly
filled with people, who, however, were dis
persed by the troops With little resistance.
United States Marshel Baldwin rode
through the lower portion OF tie city with
thirty cavalrynen late In tho afternoon and
proclaimed martial Law. He ordered all peo.
ple to disperse and return to their homes un-
der penalty OF punishment by the law.
The New York express train on tho Big
Four, westbound, was wrecked at Fontanet,
Ind, q large mining settlement, and the
engineer and fireman were killed and two
postal clerks were injured. No passenger
was hurt. The train was running at
high speed when 1t struck mis-
placed switch. The engine. baggage,
postal and express cars and a coach We're
piled in ditch. All day tEe company met
with serious distractions. The freight
blockade had been lifted and freight trains
made up by new swltchmen and with non.
union fremen wero sent out for tho
first time in a week. Some OF
the miners at Fontanet stopped
the irst OF these trains by Tagging
1t and then drove the f1remen and brakemen
away. Though there was NO evidence thnt
the miners threw the switch causing the
wreck, it was generally believed that They
did.