The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-10-28
Next we saw John Gains,

"It's false, 80 far as I know. l never
have been asked to vote one way or an.
other. There never was an attempt by
the firm to change anybody's vote here
to my knowledge"
The next man was Will Dryden His
answer was decidedly emphatic, and if
he didn't use a swear word or two, it
seemed as if he would like to.
"I haven't been approached on pol
itics by Mr.. Hughey. Didn't know he
was Chairman of the Republican Exec
utive Committee, until saw 1t in the
Gazette. The whole article is d. dad
hinged lie. No men on earth have
more political freedom than the EN-.
ployes of the chair factory"
Thos. Hurley, colored employe, was
asked what he knew about it.
He had heard of the reports circulated
by the Democrats, knew that the hands
we're indignant and wanted to deny
them. He said Democrats stood as good
a chance of securing work there as any
body, and could hold their jobs as long
There had been no discrimination on
account of politics Neve, any attempts
to control votes, either by threats or pur
suasion. And Mr.. Hughey did not OF
fer the paper the Gazette speaks of for
signatures 1t was by Mr.. Flynn, who
especially and emph4tically said it was
simply for the employ and they could
sign or not, as they chose He wanted
them to know that they were perfectly
free to do as they pleased, and it would
make no difference whatever in their
standing with the firm.
George Stephens said the reports that
Mr. Hughey had made them promises
last fall were lies He had done no such
thing The members of the firm were
gentlemen and accorded their employees
the most kind, fair and respectful treat
ment. They had done we'll by their
men They have not reduced wages,
and while they made no such promises,
we are getting all the work we can do
now, where we only worked a day or
two week this time last year. The Ga
zette article is dirty lie from beginning
to end. They have never tried to med
die or interfere with our political senti.
ments
Burch Erwin assured us that the firm
never had tried to influence the politics
OF its workmen. On the contrary, they
were given to understand that they were
at perfect liberty to vote as they pleased.
Lieutenant Arthur Jenkins said he
never beer compelled to sign any paper
or asked to vote one way or another
Although Democrat, he could not en-.
dorse the attacks of the Gazette.
Lon. McCafferty, Democrat, like
Lieut.. Jenkins, was one of the men who
signed his name to the paper denying
that any action of the firm controlled
his political course. He said the mem.
bers of the firm never talked politics
with him, and that, with this paper he
was told to sign or not, as he chose, and
it wouldn't make particle of difference.
And he said he knew it wouldn't. For
they never bothered the men about pol.
itics
Leavett Mcmillan said as to the Ga.
zette roorback, that there wasn't thing
in it. There has never been the slight
est effort to intimidate or influence any
of us in our politics."
l. F Boulware said:
"If l was ever bull dosed, they must
have had me chloroformed, for I knew
nothing about it. must have been un.
conscious. l never knew them to both.
er man about politics. There is no
dictation. Every man does absolutely
as he p]eases"
Tom Stephens said:
81 have not been bull dosed or molest.
ed by the firm or any one else. There
has been no attempt at anything of that
kind"
Tom McAdams:
"Was bull dosed? No sir Never!
haven't even been asked how was
going to vote. The proprietors of this
factory are gentlemen and they treat us
as if we we're gentlemen. There has
been no interference with our political
preferences We have plenty of work
now, and all they ask of US is to do that
work"
Lee Favor eaid:
"The lies being circulated about our
having been influenced by promises
from Mr.. Hughey last fall, and about
his having reduced our wages, were so
outrageous that we wanted to deny them.
have been with Mr. Hughey six years,
in the old factory and this. l never
knew him to meddle with the politics of
his men, and in all that time, he has
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