The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-25
The Railroad Strikers Char
aCterized as Public
Enemies.
THE INSCRIPTION TO STAND
Citizens Who Attended the Metro
politan Hall Gathering Sc
Verely Scored.

his answer to Chairman Ferguson OF the
mass-meeting of Saturday evening, August
II, in reference to the removal OF the
Murdered by Strikers" inscription. Far
from complying with the demands con-
tanned in the resolutions General Graham
has gone to the extent of characterizing
them as reasonable and the strikers as
public enemies, while those who partici-
pated in the mass-meeting are "men who
have publicly put themselves outside of
the law and of the respect of honest. law
abiding citizens"
Chairman Fergusson's letter inclosing
the resolutions to General Graham was
written and mailed on the 22d inst and
reads as follows:
General William, NJ. Graham, Presidio-DEAR
SIR: I herewith transmit to you copy of the
resolutions adopted at a mass-meeting OF citi-
zers, held at Metropolitan Hall on Saturday
evening, the 18th inst.
Any communication you may desire to make
to me concerning them will be esteemed
favor. Yours very truly,
NJ ]. FERGUSON Chairman.
The resolutions referred to were as fol-
lows:
WHEREAS, General W. NJ. Graham, the officer
toned at the Preside, has caused to be placed
on monument erected to the soldiers who
were killed in the wreck of the train near
sacramento, July IL, 1894, IN inscription
charging the members of the American Rail
way Union with having murdered them; be 1T
RESOLVED, That we regard the action of the
said Graham as libelous and cowardly attack
upon the good names and regulations of inno-
cent men, and that we look with horror and re-
proach upon the use of q sepulture of the dead
as means of venting hatred, spleen or malice
and that in the placing of this ehoulish libel
upon the monument General Graham we'll
merits the severest condemnation of all lovers
of justice and fair play; and
Resolved, That we demand of General
Graham the immediate removal of the inscrip-
tion Murdered by Strikers" considering its
presence public insult and disgrace; and
RESOLVED, That in event of the failure of said
General Graham to remove that inscription at
once, the chairman of this meeting be re-
quested to at once forward copies of these
resolutions to the Secretary of War and to our
Senators and members of Congress with the
request that the proper action be had to cause
the removal of the said inscription.
No time was lost by General Graham in
preparing and dispatching his answer,
which was delivered to Rev. Mr.. Ferguson
by a soldier from the Preside. Its text is
as follows:
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH U. 8. ARTILLERY,
August 20, 1855
NJ. J. FERGUSON, chairman, $40 Twentieth street,
San Francisco, CdL-SIR: l have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the
21st inst, transmitting to me a copy of resolu-
tions reported adopted at a meeting held at
Metropolitan Hall ON Saturday, the 18th
inst.
These resolutions demand of me the imme-
diate removal of the inscription Murdered by
Strikers" placed on monument erected last
winter in the National Cemetery at this post to
soldiers who had belonged to my regiment who
lost their lives in the execution OF their duty.
am competent judge of how these soldiers
met their deaths. and the words Murdered by
Strikers" exactly and justly express my judg-
ment on that point.
For this reason respectfully decline to COM
ply with the reasonable demands of men who
nave publicly put themselves outside of the
law and OF the respect of honest, law-abiding
citizens by adopting resolutions of sympathy
with public enemies and condoning the crime
obedient servant, WIN. NJ GRAHAM,
Colonel Fifth Artillery, Brevet Brigadier-Gen-
eral, U. s. A.
Chairman ferguson declined to express
any opinion of the reply sent by General
Graham when seen last night, and said
that the matter was not personal one;
that in forwarding the resolutions to
formal manner. in accordance with the
duty that devolved upon him as chairman
OF the mass-meeting. He added that he
had not yet made up his mind whether or
not he would reply to General Graham.
One thing, however, would be done, he
said, and that was to carry the matter to
higher authority for action, as provided in
the resolutions. By the end of this week
the resolutions, the correspondence be-
tween Chairman Ferguson and General
Graham and the newspaper reports and
comments on the incidents leading up to
the present situation will be forwarded to
the Secretary of War for his consideration
and action. What further course would be
pursued should the Secretary of War fail
to comply with the demands embodied in
the resolutions Mr.. FERGUSON was not
prepared to say.