Evening star., 1895-06-01
JUDGE GRESHAM'S COURAGE
How He Broke the Backbone of Railroad
Strike
He First Reasoned With the Mel
and Then Took Out
Train Himself.

Gresham's bravery is well known. He
| was ever courting danger as soldier. and
| in times of need was always to be depend
ed on for his GOODNESS and good Judgment
| In the heat of battle
One noteworthy incident in his career is
| related by Judge John N. Scott, brother-in-
law of ex-Presdent Harrison, who was a
warm admirer and staunch friend of the
dead soldier. jurist and statesman.
1t was in the 70s when labor strikes fol-
lowed in the wake OF bad times ard armed
mobs took the law into their own hands
until brought to terms by state and federal
troops.
There was a big strike inausurated by
the railroad men, and Indiana polls was the
storm center Switchmen, trainmen, brake
men, engineers and even conductors had
joined the movement, and with every
hours delay came fresh recruits to swell
the ranks of the strikers and Increased the
confidence and effrontery of the strikers.
New men were sent for to take the places
Of the strikers, who, upon their arrival,
either out Of sympathy or thorough fear
| refused to take out train.
Declaration of the Strikers.
The attitude of he strikers was belliger-
ent in the extreme. They openly declared
| their intention to ditch the first train taken
out by any other than union men, and even
went to the limit of intimidating the travel
ing public by the statement that all pas
sengers on such trains would be regarded
as enemies of the strikers and fired upon
But SO far the strikers had confined
themselves to threats, and pending any
unlawful act the governor was unwilling to
call out the troops. At the close of the sec
ond day it became evident to every one
that so strained a condition Of affairs could
rot last much longer: that the crisis was at
hand. Already the mob Of strikers, with
tnn " 1lo fsv,,1 %l,x;,,
| much alcohol in their stomachs had de-
| monstrated their utter lack of self-restraint
and complete contempt for any or all Or
ders issued by their leaders. The latter
had>unchained the dog and too late realized
their inability to control him.
Something had to be done, and that
quickly. To call out the troops at this
time, with the strikers In the mood they
were, was almost certain to result in loss
Of property and bloodshed. Mr.. Gresham,
at this trial, was on the state bench. He
locked over the situation carefully, found
the strikers desperate, but dsorganized,
and determined to act accordingly The
strikers had declared that no train should
leave indianapolis until the railroads
no man had been found with the courage
| to face the sullen, determined mob that
held full possession of yards, stations and
rolling stock
Greshnm's First Act.
Gresham. as far as is known, consulted
| with no one. At any rate, the first k1owi-
edge that came to Judge Scott was
through an extra edition of the evening
papers, Gresham had gone to the railroad
station and reasoned and argued long and
earnestly with them. He. reminded them
that he had always been their friend, but
told them their cause must fail because
IT was not Just cause. But his evident
sincerity and eloauence were unavailing.
Finding he could not reason them out of
the unfortunate position in which they had
placed themselves he said: "Then, If you
will not listen to reason nor heed the ad-
vice of tried friend the consequences be
upon you and you alone, for tomorrow a
train leaves this station and will take it,
so help me God" Then he turned and
left. The strike leaders We're taken com
pletely BY surprise. They were dunn
founded.
The news spread like wildfire, the extra
editions Of the papers serving only for the