The times., 1897-03-16
CHARGES AGAINST HAYES
The X. Of L. Secretary-Treasurer
Said to Have Been Suspended.
Neither Master Workman Sovereign
Nor Mr. Hayes VIII Affirm or
Deny the Rumor.

The rumor set afloat yesterday that John
w. Hayes, general secretary reasurer of the
order of Knights of Labor of America. had
been suspended by Master Workman James
Z. Sovereign created quite a sensation in
local labor circles.
Whether ar not the report Is true is not
known, as no one OF those who were will
ing to talk about it would affirm 1t posi-
lively. On the Other hand, those in u
position Co know all about it failed to deny
it, This lack of Willingness, or possibly
ability to deny the ruilor gives it u SEM
blance of truth which nothing less than
the facts in the case can remove. Another
thing which gives credence to the report
is that Master Workman Sovereign ap-
peared upon the scene sunday evening aud
is awaiting the arrival of other members
of the general executive board, which has
been called to meet at X of L, headquarters
tomorrow.
The nature of the charges against Mr..
Hayes, IL any have been preferred, could
not be learned. 1t was rumored, how
ever, that they were made 10y District
Assembly, No. sc, on account of the ex
ecution of some order passed by the last
general assembly, which met at Rochester,
n. Y. Again it was stated that the
charges had a political significa nee il
being intimated that since the last election
Secretary Hayes had gold plated An
other version OF the matter is that those
mentioned above viii cut no figure what
ever in the investigation. as the charges
preferred were made by members of the
general executive board. and concerned
matters coming strictly within their juris-
diction.
The fact that several members of the
executive board OF District assembly No.
Sc held long conference with Master
Workman Sovereign last night lends color
to the assertion that the charges are at
the instance of the local assembly,
If this were true, however, it would be
a great surprise, for it has been the gen.
eral opinion in local labor circles that the
new administration of District Assembly
No. 66 and Secretary Hayes were on the
best Of terms, ever since the settlen ent
of the ''SimmoD case"
Master Workman Sovereign was called
on last night and asked for statement
il reference to the reported suspension
of Mr.. Hayes. He, however, was nom
committai and would neither affirm nor
deny the rumor. He said. however, that
there would be 4 meeting of the general
executive board tomorrow and the matter
would be considered that is, if there is
anything to consider. Two other members
of the executive board were seen, and they
differed materially as to the stories. One
OF them claimed entire ignorance OF any
charges having been preferred against Mr
Hayes, and further stated that he was in a
position to know if such was the case
The other acknowledged that there was
something in the wind, and that the local
district assembly was at the bottom of t.
He. however, did not think the blow"
would materialiZe into a cyclone, and
would pass over without doing any DANA ge.
General Secretary Hayes was also seen.
He did not view the situation seriously a t
all, and when asked what he thought Of
it, said it was 1.-The hest joke he ever
heard" He, too, however, refused to
say anything about the nature of the
charges, and added that il any were pre-
ferred. he would answer them in plain.
open statement
Like the others interested Mr.. Hayes
refused to either deny or affirm the re-
port, and declined to say anything about
il until after the meeting of the executive
board