The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-29
ATTORNEY KNIGHTS ACTION.
He Thinks the Unfortunate Men
Have Suffered Enough.
RINGLEADERs To BE PUNISHED.
Counsel Montieth Calculates That the
Trial Would Have Lasted
Eighty Years.

After arresting. impris oning and iDdict-
ing $50 of the men who took part in the
great railroad strike Of last summer the
Governments representative, District At
torney Knight. has decided TO prosecute
only the Tingleaders and dismiss the in
dictments of those who played minor parts
In the drama. Mr.. knight wrote 10 Attor-
ney-General Olney yesterday 10 the effect
hat Il would be advisable to dismiss the
indictments found against so per cent Of
the strikers. and there is Do doubt that the
eminent corporation layer who looks
af er the Governments interests will
hearken TO 'the voice of his assistant. 1t
will be remem bered that Olney recently
ordered the ST. Louis strike cases dis
missed on the ground that the defendants
had been sufficiently punished, and Mr..
knight thinks that a majority of the Cali
iornia strikers have atOned for their sins
and ought to be released from custody.
Attorney Mnntietb, who represents the
strikers, takes radically different view of
the case. He thinks tue Government is
anxious to get rid of most of the strike
cases, because it has bitten off more than
it can chew The trial of the strike cases.
if continued at this rate, would last pre-
clsely eighty years, and The Government
has other men TO try besides those who are
srn Pacific.
III so per cent of the cases are dis
missed" said MIR. Montleth, there would
still be fifty cases to Try, which, allowing
four months to case-the present rate
would take sixteen years"
Would not the conviction of one striker
expedite the trial of the others ?" was
asked.
Not at all, because we shall insist upon
every mans guilt being fully established.
and it makes no difference TO US how
many times the Government has TO prove
its case. In other words. ii is not our pur-
pose to facilitate what we believe TO De an
unrigbteOus persecution mn the part of the
administration. at The dictatiOn of the rail-
road.
80 far as Mr.. Knights action is con.
cerned, [ do not believe that it springs
from any desire on the part OF the Govern
ment TO be just to THESE men, but simply
to get rid OF part Of the ODerOus task il
has assumed and gain a little cheap credit
for apparent fairness. If Mr.. Knight
wants 10 exhibit something like fairness in
the prosecution of these men let him fol-
low out his original intention of placing
the railroad officials on the stand. and give
us an opportunity to cross-examine them,
which we believe be dare not do.
Nv hat we ask is that the whole Ques-
ton may be Sifted from top 10 bottom.
Our side of the question is an open book
Our men are all ready, wiling and
anxious to testify and afford Mr.. Knight
the fullest opportunity of cross-examlna-
ton. Ii be VIII meet us on that basis we
will place some confidence in his assertion
of fairness.
$50 far as l can see the proposed action
of Mr.. knight intensifes the fight bv con-
cenirating their efforts upon a smaller
number. We have bitter fight and one
in which these men should receive the
earnest support and Sympathy of every
citizen who believes in fair play and JUS
tica."
When the trial is resumed on January 7
the strikers will ask the court to subpoena
400 witnesses to testify in their behalf.