Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-07-25

Crossing the bridge between tala-
tine and Fairmont, he denounced the
Tribune. the paper he is working tor'
in terms that will not be repeated here, J
for its outrageous treatment OF me ana
its infamous policy in violation to the |
cause of labor. This he did doubtless
to enlist my confidence.
In the evening Mr.. Maxwell came !
to my rooms; was not aware that MI. !
McKirdy had accompanied him, nor dld
I know that they were working togetn-
er and sending the same reports to their
respective papers.
ssNIr Maxwell asked me some leading
questions in reference to the strike.
told him frankly that / could not an
nounce them for publication. he salu'
All right. / have always made 1t
rule to deal candidly with newspaper
reporters answering their questions
truthfully, asking them not to puoilsh
what 1 did not desire published and re-
lying on their integrSt" not TO 0etray
me.
''In the twenty-five years have been
connected with organized labor, during
which / have had intimate relations
with hundreds Of reporters, many or
whom gained my confidence at times
when its betrayal would have been OF
great advantage to- them. / have never
once had my confidence betrayed.
"Mr. Maxwell may take TO himself
the credit. or otherwise, OF being the
only exception to the rule | do not
wonder that he found it necessary to
make affidavit TO his statement.
"At the very beginning Of our con-
versatiOn it was understood that 1t was
private. and not for publication. To
this Mr.. Maxwell gave his express as
sent. 1 answered his questions and
expressed my views in perfect candor,
but did so in an entirely pleasant man
ner. Mr. Maxwell, in the interview,
had me tuning and roaring and con-
demning everybody connected with
the strike. This is wholly false. Mr..
Maxwell introduced the subject OF the
MANAGEMENT of the strike and freely
commented on it, and then in the pub
lie interview which he made Of prl-
vate conversation, he made me say
what he wished to have me say TO
serve the purpose Of the Chicago Trl-
I bune. whose implacable hostility to
/ strikes and strikers is too we'll known
/ to require mention here, and incident
ally to advance his own personal In
/ terests.
The published interview was false
I in spirit and the conversation was SO
/ distorted that / failed to recognize 1t.
I When Mr.. Maxwell arose to go l
/ said: Now, you understand that what
1 have said is not for publication and
\ / am not to be quoted for l would not
/ under any circumstances say a word
to injure the strikers. He assured me
that he understood and bade me good
night
"What was really said in that con-
versatiOn was a question OF veraclty
between Mr.. Maxwell and myself. L
can prove that he made me say things
could not have known. He even
made me sneer at my dollar a day
hotel. when he knows l never men
toned the subject and as natUh4d fUrd nI fs
I Wholly made to order, and most of the
( rest is painfully twisted. He has me
I discouraged and disgusted and the
/ papers have been using it ever since.
/ Neither Of these words escaped my lips.
/ pointed out what L believed should
be done to help the strikers and what
l intended to tell President Ratchford
and have since told him, but l did so
calmly and good naturedly, and only
the rape of truth could distOrt a quiet
and what l believed to be friendly
conversation into asfoaming rage, such
as the interview has it.
Il took Mr.. Maxwell at his word. as
/ believed him friend of the strikers.
He had my entire confidence, and we
discussed the strike in that relation.
He gave me his word of honor that l
should not be quoted"
rs the affidavit Of a man whose word
Of honor has no value TO be accepted?
Mr.. Maxwell may answer at his leis-
ure.
'The remarkable statement of Mr.
Maxwell that Mr. McKirdy, who was
on the sidewalk below, heard the con-
versatiOn between Mr.. Maxwell and
myself will not be borne out by Mr.
Mckirdy. That gentleman, like my
self, was the victim of Mr.. Maxwell"
All the talk about McKirdy hearing
the conversation outside is a fake.
Your correspondent and Eugene A.
DOry, the Scripps-McRea League man,
were both at Mr.. Debs' hotel when
Maxwell and McKirdy came, trying to
get an interview. CrOSslet told US that
Debs was asleep, and we decided to get
some copy from a talk with Organizer
H. II. Miller When Maxwell and Nc
Kirby came over, Maxwell went up
stairs. but McKirdy never card the
conversation, as he was talking with
US at the time. When Maxwell came
down stairs he requested a newspaper
correspondent here in town to file re-
ports to the Chicago Tribune each
night, but said: Don't commence to- !
night for 1 have the hottest stuff that /
ever went over the wires"