The Philipsburg mail., 1897-03-12
4 FORCIBLE ANSWER
James G. Duffy Talks of the Recent
Combination Difficulty.
HE REPLIES TO MR.. FITZGERALD
Shows That the Members of the Gran
ite Miners Union Acted in An
Upright and Honorable Man
her in the Affair
Granite, Mont. March 9, 1897.
Editor Philipsburg Mail,
l.

LultOr IulllpSuuTt. MAIL,
Philipsburg. Montana.
Sir In an article which has ap-
peared in the Citizens Call of the Sd
inst, under the beading. statements
by Mr. Fitzlerald, | find that the
said FITZGERALD. through the columns
of the aforesaid newspaper, makes u
pretention of giving what he terms "a
statement of facts to his brother
miners and the public in regard to II
suit brought against him by the Gran
ite Miners Union, for the recovery Of
certain property belonging to the said
Granite Miners Union. viz. One
fire proof safe, one cabinet desk, and
one fat-top desk, placed at IA total value
of 500.
Mr.. Editor, inasmuch as the gen
tleman has SO far forgotten himself as
to prevaricate and substitute the facts
by maliciously and wilfully lying aud
slandering those whose duty deovlved
on them the action taken in the fore
going case, l, as one Of the individuals
mentioned in the communication, deem
it my duty to give to the public and
Mr.. Fitzgerald "a statement Of facts. -
Mr.. Fitzgerald, in attempting to vindi-
cate his action in this matter, advances
three reasons i'll support OF his po-
sition
The first of these was, that he was
not the Black Pine Miners Union. 1t
may be very interesting for the public
in general to know that officious M.
; Fitzgerald was not the heart and soul
of this organization but, Mr.. Editor,
there are times when actions belle the
man.
His second reason is, that he col
| Io 70, bo
purchase Of said property, from the
Miners. Now, Mr.. Fitzgerald. with
all the immaculate gall of which YOU
seem to be possessed. raise that labor
toughened arm of yours, scratch that
carbuncle which rests between your
shoulders, and rest assured you will
convince yourself that the second state
ment of yours is falsehood pure and
simple.
His third reason is, that he was i'll
structed by the Black Pine Miners
Union to turn this property over to the
Western Federation of Miners. Now,
as "a matter of fact, VIM. M. Robert
son, financial secretary of the Granite
! Miners Union in February. 1895, paiC
to Con Peoples, out Of the funds Of the
Granite union, the sum of $65 for thu
safe which Mr.. Fitzgerald would turn
over to. and not steal for the Western
Federation of Miners. AS for the larg
desk, it is a we'll known fact that i
. has been the property Of the Granit
\ Miners Union since IT'S organization
while the other desk in question be
; came their property at more recen
date when it was purchased, by consen
, of the mother union. by the subordin
ate branch at Black Pine.
Did not your union extend a vote O
: thanks to the Granite union in June o
July last for being allowed the use @
4 the articles referred to? Did you no
make the statement to me at Blac
4 Pine in the presence of VIM. nj. Rob
4 ertson that if put on tho stand 20
2 would be compelled to swear that thes
= articles were the property Of the Grant
D the label, "This is the property of tn
D Western Federation of Miners upo
! said article? You stated to us that
s we wished to recover the property W
. would have to communicate with tn
= executive board OF an organizatiO
which has no standing in courts an
plead with them that we might recOve
4 property which is ours. Mr.. Fit
gerald. I presume that you have foun
. out the plea which we made.
= If our recovering the property in
D lawful manner was treacherOus, as MI
\ Fitzgerald asserts, his restraining Us
: the representatives of the Granite Mil
s ers' Union. from taking possession c
: said property was direct affront
8 the organization for whom we wei
8 acting.
Not content with the fimsv argr
z ment in support of his position in re
Q gard to the articles in question, it bt
= came necessary for Mr.. Fitzgerald
D accuse his betters Of professional uniol
q ism. Now, Mr.. Fitzgerald became, b
4 initiation on the 18th of February
d 1895, member of the subordinat
q branch Of the Granite Miners Unio
< at Black Pine. Mr.. Fitzgerald, if 80
= were so great a union man, or had IL
= cause, so much at heart, why We're so
= not affiliated with some organization {
y this kind prior to your departure frol
. the low-wage state from whence 20
x canpP We're if NOT. Mr. EitZupra l(