The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-15
Sensation At COLUMBUS
District Organizer Mark Wild Makes
Serious Charges Against Mcbride.
A ROLL OF BILLS FURNISHED
Mr.. Wild Was Presented with 5000 and
Advised to Keep His Mouth Shut
Regarding Strike Settlement.
Mcbride Explains.
BY the United Press.

BY the United Press
Columbus, o., Feb. 14.-The biggest
sensation of the miners convention
was sprung at the opening of the ses-
sion this morning when Mark Wild, OF
this city, district organizer of the
American Railway union, was given the
privilege Of the floor. He was chair
man of the American Railway union
grievance committee of the Columbus,
Hooking Valley and Toledo railroad
in labor circles.
He said that about four days after
the settlement of the American Rail-
way union Hooking Valley railway
strike he met John Mcbride in the Of
flee of the United Mine Workers and had
conversation with him.
Mcbride urged him to keep his mouth
shut in regard to the manner in which
the strike was settled and handed him a
package which Mcbride said a certain
operator requested should be given TO
Wild as present.
Mr. Wild says he took the package
and put it in his pocket, and the con-
versation continued for a few minutes,
he was not positive as to the name of
the operator mentioned, but believed 1t
was Ryan. Mr.. Wild said he opened
the package on his arrival at his home
and found it contained a roll of bills
amounting to $500. He concluded 20
keep the money and use it in aiding
President Adams in obtaining evidence
| to convict Mcbride of corruption. He
wanted to show up traitor who sold
out the American Railway union strike
and thought he had collected suf1icient
evidence to accomplish that purpose.
Mr.. Wild's statement caused the
greatest excitement, and message was
also dispatched to notify Mcbride of
what Mr.. villa had said, and invited
him to the convention hall to reply.
McBride's Explanation.
Mr.. Mcbride arrived in due time. His
face was flushed and he was laboring
under great excitement. He admitted
that what Wild said was true and that
| he gave him 5000. This admission,
however, was followed by some explain
atory remarks. He read letter sent
by him to the miners of the Hooking
Valley, advising them not to join the
American Railway union in another
strike against the Columbus, Hooking
Valley and Toledo Railroad company
In that letter Mr.. Mcbride set forth
his connection as an arbitrator be-
tween the railroad men and President
Waite, of the Hooking Valley Railroad
company. Mr.. Mcbride stated in the
letter that Wild had proved himself in
capable of handling the strike. He had
refused to agree to President Waite 5
proposition to submit the grievances OF
the strikers to arbitration after he
MrBride, had got President Waite tC
make the proposition.
A delegate asked Mcbride TO name
the operators who gave the money, but
he declined to make this disclosure in
open convention. He said he would
furnish any information to the com.
mittee should one be appointed for that
purpose.
Wild followed in a general denial OF
the statements made by Mcbride con
cerning his management of the Hook
ing Valley strike. Wild said McBrid,
told him that two or three operators
had made up purse of 5000, which
they considered was equal to a years
salary. The operators feared that Vile
would bring about another strike, ant
they did this to prevent such a thing
They gave the money to Mcbride ant
asked him to give it to Wild.
Mr.. kane's Resolution.
When Mr.. Wild had finished, q seen,
of indescribable confusion ensued
Delegate after delegate tried to get tn,
floor to offer motions bearing on tn,
charges made by Mr.. Wild. Finally
Editor John Kane. of the Mine Work
er's Journal, was recognized and of
fered the following:
Resolved, That committee of one from
each district be appointed and that If tn
committee are satisfied upon hearing al
the evidence that the money, was re
ceived for charitable purposes, they with
hold the names of the donors, but that
the committee be satisfied that IT was 70
purpose of bribery the committee repor
the same to this convention and that tn
convention have the right to say, afte
hearing the report, whether 1t was for pui
poses of bribery or not.
This resolution was opposed by
number of delegates, who said IL ther
was any attempt to withhold all tn
facts from the public they would b
forced to infer there was somethin
wrong with Mr.. McBride's connection
with the transaction, and would so re
port to their constituents when the
went home. Several delegates spoli
in favor of the resolution. During tn
discussion Mr. Mcbride sat silent. Hi
attitude toward the resolution i'm no
|, opposing 1t and demanding an open in
vestigation created bad impression
When the motion to adopt the resu
luton was put, a delegate demande
the call of the roll. which resulted 4
~ votes for and 81 against 1t, and
was declared adopted. A committe
,, was then appointed. President Penn
then demanded vote of the conventio
on the question of his guilt or limo
cence of the charges of corruption mad
against the national officers by Pres
, dent Adams. He said while he be
t leved John Mcbride had done nothin
wrong, he did not want to carry tn
. accusations against Mr.. Mcbride o
/. his shoulders.