The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-18
"I AM T. j. ROBERTS,"
How a Law and Order Meeting Was
COMPOUNDED.

SOhAOdhASA'
:. At the instance of Mayor Pardee a mass
meeting of leading men of Oakland was
held at the City Hall last night to consider
means for the suppression OF lawlessnesS
and outrages in that city in connection
with tie railroad strike. Nearly 800 invl-
. tations had been sent out, ana it is safe to
say that almost every man invited came.
: Councilman Towle presided, being urged
as ruling officer bv Councilman Barstow.
Immediately upon taking the chair Mr..
.TOwle called for an expression OF opinion.
John Z. Irish was the first to respond He
said the strike had gone far enough and
something should be done to stop 1t. Acts
Of violence and lawlessness seemed to be
ON the incre ase, and the police of Oakland
appeared in his opinion entirely incapable
Of protecting life and property.
Rev. I. ). Chapman followed and said IL
was high time that the law and order ele-
ment of this city should come into the as
tendency.
Harold Bolce said there were two dicta-
tors in this country move. L. Hunting
ton and Eugene Debs-and 1t was hard TO
say which Of them was the more dangerous.
e Ex-Mayor a. c. Henry thought the
meeting came little late In the day. The
depTedauons of the strikers had been
and action or the part of the authorities
had been strangely postponed.
Mayor Pardee, Just returned from an
enforced sojOurn at Castle Crag, took the
floor. He said the impression prevailed
that here at Oakland people were winking
at the high-handedneSs Of the a. r. L.
His object i'll calling this meeting had been
10 find out whether such is the case, and.
if not, what action might be taken.
Ex-Chief OF Police W. r. Thomas, in a
fiery speech, said that the first step should
be the arrest of President Roberts and
then of every man who advocates killing
engines and inteTruptlng The business OF
the railroad.
Major Bromley asked that the Mayor, by
special proclamation, direct all citizens to
keep away from the scenes OF disturbance
and remain al home, but Colonel Irish
offered the following resolutions as SUBJ
siitute:
WHEREAS, The obstacles to overland trans
pOTtallOn 10 and from tins city TO other parts
of tie State and the rest OF tue country exist
only by persistent and organized violation OF
lie law; therefore,
Res0lued, That we offer ourselves in any
capacity most effective To put down the law
lessness and disorder instigaLed by the a. X. U.
aud its sympathlZerS.
Resolved, Thai we demand that the PrOsecut.
ing Attorney and the Sheriff and Chief of Police
shall promptly arrest ana arraign any who
prevent peaceful labOTers on their way 10 daily
Toll, drag them from engines, cut aIrbraKeS,
pipes, use dynamite on TRACES and in other IL
legal and murder0us ways interrupt travel and
transportation.
RESOLVED, That we request the Mayor to at
once appoint committee 10 draft a condensed
expression IN accordance with the foregoing
and invite thereto signatures or all laW-aDlding
citizens VINO Will Cooperate in Its enforcement.
The resolutions were unanimously
ado ted.
Captain Thomas again took the floor,
and having moved that 1t be the sense of
oh
everybody voted aye. shouting tremen-
douSly.
Then little man pushed through the
crowded lobby, walked uU % the front and
said very quietly, Il am Z. j. Roberts and
wish to give myself up" A profound
silence followed this simple confession.
The little man took advantage of the op-
portunity to make a few remarks.
He said: Il have lived in Oakland
twenty-nine years. L was raised and
educated here, and l have not broken
law or committed crime. My counsel to
the union has at all times been TO avoid
lawlessness and the destruction OF prop
erty. If you had wished TO arrest me you
could have found me any day at my mouse.
[ await your pleasure" All this was said
quietly and without The least attempt at
posing
The impression was profound, and when
Chief Sch after stepped out TO arrest the
Itue striker everybody Snouteu Lot nun
alone" Ii was further voted that he
should not be put under arrest.
Then they asked him questions. he
stood out in front, and queries were thrown
at him from all parts Oh the building. be
answered them all in order. and the con-
duct OF the a. r. U. was freely ven
illated. He insisted throughout that
the union was not responsible for
the acts Ot violence that had been
committed; that such acts had not boon
done by tne members of the A. X. L.
When the men present became excited
and the meeting began to grow tumultu-
Gus Rev. Mr. Chapman asked MR. Roberts a
nun Der Of questions He wanted to know
if lie approved of Debs order directing all
mem ers not to interfere with any en-
ployes of railroads or do them any harm. |
Mr. Roberts said he did.
Twill you use all OF your influence to
have that order enfOrced?"
Il will"
do you consider those who interfere
with the running Of trains violators of the !
law9'
lido"
Tue Mayor then announced the follow |
ing men as the committee formed in re- |
Spouse to the resolution: j. L. Bromley. |
j. P. Irish. w. r. Thomas, a. c. Henry. |
Pliny Bartlett, 6. w. McNear, A. KIP. Har. |