The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-24
BAD FOR THE A. R. Z.
TESTIMONY or MASlG ERsr. JOHN,
OF THE ROCK ISLAND ROAD.
The Workrnen Did Not Strike OF Their Own
Accord; but were IutImidated-Cbi-
cage Police Criticised.

CHICAGO. Aug 23.-General Manager
ST. John. Of the Rock Island road. APP
pcared as "A voluntary witness before the
National Labor Commission to-day. Mr..
81. John testified that the Rock Island
road mad 125l7 employees. lie then read
series Of briefs, covering the strike
Oh me Rock Island road from day TO day.
"Our first trouble" said Mr.. ST. John,
occurred June 2yth. At this time meet
ing OF few Rock Island employees and
many outsiders was held on Blue Island.
a motion was passed 10 strike, all partlcl-
IdtinB ln II, whether railroad employees or
NOT. This meeting was addl -sed by
l)ebs. Howard. ana others, and IL was the
beginning Of the strike on our road. No
official notice was ever given To any officer
of the Rock Island road that the employees
intended 10 strike, and no notice was
ever given the road TO discontinue maui
lng Pullman cars
Manager ST. John then read list Of
men. giving their employment, who We're
at the Blue island meeting already re-
ierrcd 10, and who voted for strike
though unemnloved hv amy road ApDnr
these men were tailOrs, plumbers, bar
gully two-thirds of these men were
not employees Of railroads" said Manager
-. john and cited the names Of several
persons present, by whom, he claimed,
he could prove his assertion.
INCIDENTS or THE srRIKr.
He then detailed the incidents Of the
strike, telling how several trains were
stopped, how engines were repeatedly
cut of and switches thrown open by men
alleged 10 be strikers, ana how men who
WiShcd TO work were lutimi dated and
forced TO stop work whether they wish or
not. The witness declared that the local
authorities at Blue Island were in SYM
pathy with the strikers. and interfered
- Iff Of III
on several occasions
He said the police Of Blue Island on
several occasions arrested officers of th.
road ana once tried To arrest Marshal
Deputy United States Marshals." con
tlnIed Mr.. 81. lO 3D.. "as rule render
cd good service at Blue lSiaud tut IL vas
discovered that twenty seven of the mar
shals were striking swift hmen. sworn in
hy the order OF president Of the 4. R.
Manager ST. John gave dates, names
and minute details Of various ALLEGED fn-
Preferences with trains by strikers The
instances We're numerous. lie scored the
chicago police force and declared thsy
often stood IDLY ny and permitted overt
acts lie cited fires by the score and DE-
clared that i'm some cases those who
tried 10 put them out were shot dt New
men were Waylald and beaten by July
18th the trouble began TO anate, and 10y
July 10th everything was quiet.
MANY woHKWyN IvuMmArKD.
"The total number of men who actually
struck WAS 5-2, the rest being inumi-
dated, sald Mr 81 John. me toial
number relnsiditd was a. About b'VV
were out altosether. Ai men have been
It-tNlAD}td against "ipiH lNe4e was 10
charges
"You state I'm your reports" said Chair
man Wright "tAat boo many cases the
iii.l "o'ii- ~. Ii,..S "''c Sl''NV''' Ii'"
uo Du "lo" lHI. H.. l..... l......, ,,.,,. o.,
otf f,il l.l.,a "a ,,..y in
cr.-,...5 ,,'.,o.. ~ itl n,.,I ,,ofion
rtD" i 80
wv" .ai ,'i' ,o mind ANA. co.as9o
..I '.,rn"t ~ his h|l hem done II has
related To- fualri1uais and NOT 10 The em-
i'lio, r.r,r3 ~ Iiacklletiur. AR ST. John
SAID me EocA Island road had no bll,l1-
list beyond deblrriug an employe dis
missed ON one division of the road from
1yor<ine ou another part Of th- same
road. lIe asserted that the Rock Island
road has always treated its employees
with tine greatest consideration, and con-
uuuca: The doors of the ,oihcinls from
tLr pieSiI ~ "."H' "i "'""97 OP'' -
'''e .........
,DN '"''' wa" mn
W men aSh'i anvut tIIt i'I" 'oIa 'MDgn
Che Pullman company ana tne LOON
Island road, MI -. John rendered the
COMMISSION thr contract ""t "rh't ,tl"t
10 be- kept from ih- genera puolc. AIlrr
t'Al'IIlIr tu' ''li l|.l it' +-'t ~ t''NT
80 on these terms. Inc hoch iSidni oIi-
pany owns o. half interest in an us lull-
man cars. ~ ihe cohlI"rt lue LOCK
I~Iahd i7 ohHN't t' 'p'i''e "'Ii''"" '"'''
"iil"e or ne iiH,. H. e.., .,... ,.,.,.. ,e ,,,,,
Mandt,I ~, o. ~. 49, .-'r .'9, ,, W su 1"0
CoihlNHl Hn'u- ',D n'iii.Nc "' r 'rUin -,
O." fi''''
IUttI ~ a., ,,, - ,.
w e. nave many iuie J uIIn'@u SHi S'.se
the crosse "i lur N"iIu j dlI' Sdl' 'ile
witness ana tLlAk uilS was 'Ir case
on ai the iVaIS. c"Hce4 4eht ttS7A'l"h
or car building ensuca. lie theh gave
hsureS 10 snow mat the ROCK lsIaMd
earned but E9HgD during ihe Norld
tair ana sud lpat thls dld not cover
the cost OF the addtuonH equipment
necessary ior w orId5 falr buslne@S.
When asked whether the * OK ana
recognized the a. H. /. or not MT. ~.
John declared the company had never
hHd an appncat9h from that ~. AS
10 deputy ihaIsnais ne ie7uhSn tnat mo.
noid bv tbe I-nifed states rut he did
not think they had yet received their
money for protecting Rock Island prop
ertv
..,.,.,,,.,, az. ,,. D,,r,.c,,
N'""T" VI 'A"' ~
Mr. ST. John was excused uhiH i:$t ana
Fire Marshal joseph J." Kenyon, W no nas
charge Of me dsirict from flI,y-nIlh
street 70 fulniah 'voN hlS J. a.. re lVS
titled that s52 cars haa been burned
In H y I'M