Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-26
THE STRIKE INQUIRY
Meeting Of the Commission in This
City Today.
ONLY Two WITNESSES EXAMINED
The Public Hearings Are Now De-
.cIared Closed.
PREP AIRING THE REPORT

The commission appointed by President
Cleveland, consisting of Col. Carroll ID.
Wright, United States commissioner of
labor and superintendent of the eleventh
census; Judge Worthington of Illinois and
Commissioner Herman Of New York, to in
vestigate the causes Of the strike Of the
American Railway Union held it's final pub
lie hearing today at the bureau of labor.
The further meetings Of the commission
will be executive for the purpose Of con-
sidering the report which it is to make to
the President in November.
1t had been well advertised that all per-
sons with a personal knowledge of the
causes and conditions leading up to the
great strike would be heard. But two ap-
plicants for this privilege put in an ap-
pearance. One was very old man named
A. l. Amber, who claimed that the patents
of Pullman were an infringement of his
own, and that Pullman had thus swindled
him out of an immense fortune. The other
was Gustav Augerstein, who alleged that
the cause of the great strike was drunken
ness, and that the cure for labor troubles
was prohibition.
Personnel of the COmmission.
Col Wright was about the first arrival
He wore his usual black Prince Albert, and
his kindly and thoughtful gaze beamed from
under his long, shaggy brows. The little
bald spot on the back of his head shone out
from his dark hair. which is just now de-
veloping tendency to turn gray at the
temples.
Commissioner Herman Of New York was
the next arrival. He is solid-looking
man of more than middle age, with a
strongly marked habit of planting his right
hand on his forehead and sweeping 1t down
over his face, stroking off his mustache,
and raising his brows after the operation
as II to rest his eyes. He has white hair,
brushed almost in the middle full mus
n nd avah Of dar rlar hr,o
which are peculiarly well arched in a man,
and which are as heavy at the lower cor
ners OF the eyes as at the nose He has
long nose, somewhat blunt and retrousse,
strong jaw and unusually big ears. His
complexion is f1orid. He wore gray cutaway
clothes and a standing collar.
Judge Worthington came in late, and en-
gagged in an informal chat. He is a rotund
man. sleek, but not flabby. He is clean
shaved, wears spectacles does his hair up
straight from the forehead and keeps II
short.
Called to Order.
1t was II 20 when Commissioner Wright
called the meeting to order. He stated
that the commission had held sessions at
Chicago and had examined a large number
of witnesses and had obtained much vaiua-
lie testimony. 1t had been thought that
perhaps there were others at the national
capital who could throw additional light
on the situation preceding and during the
strike. This was the object of the meet
ing. If there were any present who de-
sired to testify they could come forward.
No one responded. Then Col. Wright went
into the next room and led forth an old
man. bowed ard bent about the shoulders
with the weight of age. He took a seat
near the chairman's table. Col. Wright
directed him to state to the commission
what he expected to show by his testi-
nCny, so that the commission could then
determine whether 1t would be germane.
The stranger. who had long white locks,
cleared his throat and told his story. He
said his name was A. l. Amber and le
lived at 507 9TH street northwest. He
charged that Pullman had infringed his
patents; that his great fortune was FUNDED
on great wrong. Both Commissioners
Herman and Wright explained several
times that power of the commission did not
extend to dealing with these questions,
which properly were questions for the
courts. After considerable talk OF more
or less interest it was determined unani-
mously by the commission that Mr.. Am
bier iced not be sworn as a witness. The
old gentleman was dissatisfied. but stated
that he would inquire further into the
duties and powers of the commission.
League Witness.
The second gentleman was Mr.. Auger-
stein. He was a pecular-looking gentle
man. He had a nervous. restless expression
in his faded eyes which was sort of a COM
promise between an inquiring glance and a
dreamy gaze. His nose was thin and of
abnormal length. His head was small and
the outlines of the skull showed plainly
through his skin. He carried a valise, an
umbrella, and wore silver rings on the sec
ond, third and fourth fingers Of the right
hand which was badly tanned. He wore a
slouch hat. He gave his address as 7OS 11th
street northwest. When asked for his
Cupation he said that he was the agent of
the International Columbian League and
of the Ideal Money League. which was aux
iliary to the former. This was his profess
sion, but he had been farmer, seafaring
man, a professional nurse and had studied
medicine. The society which he represented
was founded on the principles of humani-
tarianism He was at Chicago at the time
of the strike. investigating the troubles be-
tween capital and labor for his society.
He said that he understood all the condi-
lions surrounding the strike. The COM
missioners leaned forward in an anxious
manner to catch the valuable information
which the witness seemed about to pour
FORTH
Drink Caused the Strike.
He began to tell of what the general con-
oeption Of the strike was, but Col. Wright
choked him off with the admonition to tell
only what he knew, and not what he had
heard that people in general knew Mr..
Augerstein said he had investigated affairs
at Pullman and interviewed the men. The
strike of the American Railway Union, he
considered, was not sympathetic strike; it
had a deeper significance. The witness be-
came serious. Yes, sir,'' he said. lit had
a deeper meaning The minds of the men
were disturbed to Inflammation; they were
intoxicated with thoughts of their wrongs.
They thought that the time was ripe to
strike for their altars and their fires, and to
ring out the funeral chimes of capital.
Only the buns were the Instructors of
property. 1t was of deeper meaning, The
real cause of the strike was drink 1t was
intemperance that did the work. Debs and
all his people were drunk, and to my per-
sonal knowledge had been under the influ-
ence Of cursed King Alcohol for many
moons. The Kelley cure, and not federal
bayonets. were what was needed to settle
the strike"
In Secret Session.
There being no further witnesses, Col
Wright, chairman of the commission, then.
In accordance with the public notice given,
declared the public hearing closed and the