The sun., 1895-02-24

the building trades by bringing In the strong
arm Of the District Attorneys office and the
courts against what the journeymen declare 10
be their right to stop work with view Of bet
tering their condition, regardless Of what injury
may result The i've men indicted represent
the four large carpenters orga STATIONS Of the
city The men are: BENJAMIN Hart and Frank
Schultz Of the United brotherhood Of Carpen-
ters and Jo ners Of America, Joseph Rogers OF
the AnAlgannted Society Of Carpenters and
Joinsrs, John s. Oyerneld Of the Progressive
Carpenters, knights Of Labor. and Dennis Kav-
snagh of the United Order OF Carpenters and
Joinera Of America
These four organizations had in their different
unions passed resolutions from time to tins
against the Jumping system" which, owing to
the depression In 1903. began to grow in
strength, to the injury as the men claimed, of
organized labor. The carpenters trade allowed
the system to flourish. Ms the organizations are
not so strong and compact a. in other trades.
because It Ia said by the carpenters that there Is
never more than enough work in the city to
keen more than from half tn two-thiTds of them
busy. Most of the other building trades are not
The men say that tho large and wealthy build
ers of the city have never countcnanced the
Jumping system. These large builders are tor
Association. The men claim that large part
of the lunping-system builders are what are
known ms the bu0pn6teCks OF tno trHUe. lnUer
this system. 1t is claimed. contracts TO furnish
only the labor for the whole or parts OF the car
pointer work are let out to sub.contrac,orsw whose
Offices are usually In their hats and who are not
financially responsible. No complaint Is made
by the jo,rneymen against letting out sub-con-
tracts as long as they are for material as well as
When a Jumping contract is, made for the
carpenter work in a building. the sub-contrnc-
tor docs not need to be under any bond or other
obligation. He agrees to furnish the work for
certain sum. and each week the main contractor
mn Y aany ya I'm n n laa
care shall not exceed the union rate Of wages
for the number OF men who have worked that
Jumper, owing to the number OF carpenters out
OF work, can get deductions from the men who
Jumper usually requires the men To say to the
walking delegates In such cases that they
are are getting Sn snS union io 5stss is
topally fast worker at the full rate of wages on
each branch OF the work For instance, man
putting in door frames Is put with several other
door frame men who are paid less than union
work up TO the rate OF this particular champion.
1t is claimed that the men are thus driven be-
Sre nut e e ths Wa who pr.mnm hn G :. set em
poor work.
Last August these four carpenters organiza-
tionB appointed n general conference committee
OF twelve men who were to have full powers in
connection with suppressing the system. and
Sept. or as soon thereafter as information
about particular Jobs being Jumped was re-
ceiyea t nch IN n. M Tere ordered throqSh the
given up at least for the time being.
% One OF the Jobs was the building AZ SO and 5s
Pine street, of which James q. Wallace who
had previously stood vol with the 1ourneymen,
was the main contractor; It was claimed, how
ing up Of the carpenter work, to one Roderick
Macdonald. who had previously been journey
man. There are five brothers of tho. Macdon-
aids. all carpenters. and most. II not all of them
we're work ing on that JOB.
The, jonrneymen say that they had evidence
Int thai inh ,Han Inv lat M hat llapA and
dered on Sept which drew off all the carpen-
cludlng the Macdonalds, returned to work sub
sequently, and there is n dispute ~ to whether.
ference committee, they thus became non union
men by their own act On. Sent: ali the other
hndinG trades were called Hf the building.
Mr.. Wallace Immediately put the trim" work
in charge Of u foreman approved by the journey
men. and all the trades rcsnnie'i work. That is
the only charge in the indictment, but the Mac.
donalls lost work on other jobs, which, it is
claimed. was part Of a conspiracy OF the organ
;zed carpenters end the building trades.
The complainanis in the indictment are Jour
neyman James Macdonald and Builder Wallace
The inen are charged with the misdemeanors OF
conspiracy and coercion. two counts on each
crime. to the effect that they evented Macdon- |
aid from working and Wallace from employing
him.
So far as can be learned at the District Attor- !
ncy's ofice. there has never been trial in this
strikes. There have been prosecutions for boy |
cotiinG in which the conspiracy laws were in |
FOR inIanetions When USUALLY ~ premise s is' eo. eon
spiracy. Two indictments similar to the present |
were found IN connection with strikes since |
] 1856 hut they do not appear TO have come to |
final trial. Recorder Smyth in ono case over
ruled demurrer interposed on the ground that |
the crimes OF conspiracy and coercion could not |
be set mp in the samo Indictment.
Immunity in these strikes Is claimed in the |
main by the journeymen under section 10 OF |
the Penal Code. which says:
Congregation OF persons employed in any calling, |
trade or hand!crsft for the purpose or obtaining
a or IN ne "a or nf
main tainius such rate. Is not u conspiracy.
The strikes against the building system re- |
suited last fall in the organization OF the Build |
Trades Club. which it is admitted on both sides |
has taken an active interest in the case.