The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-26
STRIKERS BECOME RI0T0US.
FIVE OF THE UNION MEN ARRESTS
ED BY THE POLICE.

Gangs Interfere with Men on the
Way 10 the Observation-Disclosures
Keeps the Men Away TIL the PO-
lice ArrIve-RingLeadcrs Are
Pointed Ont to the Oftcers-Office r
GOdbOId Clubs One of the Men.
First Cotton Laden Vessel Sails.
Strikers Say Poorly Packed Bales
VIII Cause Insurance to Advance.
The most serious difficulty that has yet
resulted from the strike of the longshore-
men, in so far as intimidations and ar
rests were concerned, occurred early yes
terday morning.
A number of the strikers gathered near
tie bridge on the streets leading to the
upper wharves, and threatening the men
who are now working in their places, re-
fused to permit them to go to the vessels.
One of the men who was stopped went to
a near by telephone and called up the po-
lice to notify them of the state of affairs.
The patrol wagon was at once dispatched
to the scene of the trouble, but on its ar
rival the officers who were sent along with
it found that the gang had disappeared.
There was one of the men with whom
the strikers had interfered, however, who
pointed out five of the ring leaders to the
police later, and they were arrested. These
were John Burke. Rufus Woods, Joe Hay
wood, Peter Jackson and James Wilson
All of these men were negroes and mem
bers of the longshoremens' union, 1t is
said. There were some white men in the
crowd with whom they were charged with
having interfered.
When the arrests of the strikers were be-
ing made one of them showed an inclina-
ton to resist. This was John Burke, but
his attempt did not get him anything more
than a broken head. Officer Godbold ar
rested Burke and it was he that dealt
him the blow that demanded the atten-
ton of the doctor after he had been taken
to the police station. When the officer
started to make the arrest the negro
made a movement towards his pocket that
was taken as an indication that he was
after either pistol or knife. The officer
was too quick for him. The club made
an ugly wound on the mans head. A
knife was found in the pocket towards
which Burke was reaching when the club
cut short his purpose, whatever it might
have been.
The case of the strikers, who were charg-
ed on the docket with riotous conduct,
was not heard by the recorder, but was
continued and will be one of those that
will occupy his attention tomorrow. All
H., -,
cured.
It appears that the men on whom the
strikers practiced their intimidation were
not those employed in their stead by the
ship agents One of the agents stated
last night that the men We're at first
thought to have been those in their en-
ploy, but it developed later that they were
a part of the force of the Ocean Steam
ship Company. There was no trouble at
all experienced by the men it is supposed
the strikers have the greatest i'll will
for. 1t is thought they made the mis-
take of supposing the men of the steam
ship company to be those who have taken
their places on the wharves.
A report was heard that the strikers
intended to assault the men when they
were up at the office of the stevedore dur
ing the afternoon to receive their pay
for their weeks work. If there was any
| truth in this it did not develop. There
were two or three officers in the vicinity
and this may have been known. None
of the strikers put in an appearance and
the men received their wages without any
/ molestation.
The first vessel with full cargo of cot.
| ton cleared during the day for Hamburg
/ and Bremen. This was the British steam,
/ ship Murcia. There were $3.50 bales
| aboard. The agents say that the cotton
was very well packed, considering the
! fact that the labor by which it had beer
stored in the vessel was entirely greer
! and inexperienced in the work 1t is sale
/ that there was very nearly the vessels
! full capacity for cotton taken up in hel
| loading.
1t is admitted freely that the new mer
| are not fully as competent yet to jam the
! bales into the hold as are those accus
toned to the work. The cargoes, in some
| instances, are smaller than they woult
| be were the vessels loaded by experienced
! labor, but the agents consider that it is
| better to lose something in this way thar
| to attempt what they cannot afford, az
would be the case, il is said, were they
to try to pay the strikers the wages de
manded.
1t is held by the lea 1ers of the union thai
! their keeping aloof from the work ant
| causing it to be done by less experienced
labor will have the effect of raising the in
surance rates On the vessels cargoes They
! think that the fact of the cotton beins
/ packed less tightly than they say they al
ways jam it will increase the possibility o
fire breaking out in the holds of the yes
sells. An insurance man was asked abou
this, but he said he did not think that this
would cause an increase in rates.
The first vessel of the Georgia Expor
and Import Company, the Wos
ley Hall, arrived in port dur
ing the day and is now mooreC
at the Central press wharf Work will b,
commenced in a few days in loading he
with cotton for Bremen. II is said that tn,
men employed on the Ocean STEAMSHIP
Company's wharves will stow the cotton il
| the vessel.
A WGnan's Store.