The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-27
AID COMES TO OPERATIVES.
AUGUSTA STRIKERS FURNISHED
MONEY FROM ATLANTA.

Socialist Labor Delegate to Hold a
Meeting There-WiII Endeavor to
Organize "a Socialist Labor Party.
strikers Feel Much More Hopeful.
Many Meetings HeId-A. f.. wilcox
Seriously Shot.
Augusta, Dec 26.-(SpeciaD.-There was
three large meetings of the striking mill
operatives today at 10. and 1880 o'clock.
Samuel NJ. White, organizer of the So
cialist Labor party for Georgia, arrived
from Atlanta to-day, bringing money
contribution TO the strikers from labor or
CARNATIONS in Atlanta, and promising
more.
He proposes to organize a Socialist La
Dor party here tomorrow night, and a
monster procession is planned 10 start
from the monument on Broad street and
march to Hicks hall, where the meeting
and organization will take place.
The strikers feel greatly encouraged by
the coming of Mr.. White and the promises
he gives of substantial aid from labor or
CARNATIONS elsewhere.
When the cut was made, the operatives
in the Augusta and Enterprise factories
accepted 1t and continued at work. En-
ployes in the King and Sibey mills, and
Langley mills, across the river, refused 70
work for the reduced wages and went
out.
AS the mill men showed their wages
were above the wages of mills in Carolina,
and offered 10 make them per cent. high
err, they had a strong case against the
strikers, the public sentiment being that
the strikers were pursuing a suicidal pol
icy.
MiIImen Made a Threat.
About two weeks ago it was
announced by the mill presidents
that unless the strikers came back to
work, all the mills would be shut down
until the operatives resumed work. This
threat went into effect on Dec. a. and
though the opera tives in the Augusta and
Enterprise factories accepted the cut from
the first they now find themselves shut
out for the purpose of coercing all to come
back
In the opinion of many people who have
heretofore been on the side of the mills,
this is an unwarranted step on the part
of the presidents. They announced their
cut and these operatives accepted 1t. In
all fairness, it is claimed. they should be
allowed to work at the reduced scale.
This action of the mills has given the OPP
eratves a grievance and placed the strik-
ers, according to their view, on more len
able ground
This new aspect of the case, and the
coming of White with assurances of aid,
has made the strikers more positive and
much more hopeful. The indications are
that it viii be a longer fight than was
anticipated.
Serious Shooting ARRAY.
A shooting ARRAY occurred to-day In
which A. Il. Wilcox was shot seriously,
though not necessarily dangerously, in the
right breast. The story is that Mr.. Lang
ley. who runs a small grocery store and
bar. sent a negro, Josh Johnson, to tell
the policeman on the beat that Muck
Murphy. Denny Council, Tim Mulqueen
and A. E. Wilcox were creating disturb
anoe in his place The policeman and sub
stitute. WIN Rankin, were walking the
beat together and started towards Lang
ley's place on receiving the message.
Ii is said before reaching the place, he
saw Muck Murphy with a shotgun, which
he fired off in the street Policeman Col
Inns came up and took the gun away from
Murphy. Cornell asked the policeman to
let him take the gun and he would see
| that here was no more trouble. The gun
was turned over 10 Council, who broke
| the breech for the purpose of throwing OUT
| the exploded shell, he claims, but Police
man Collins thought it was to load the
| gun again.
Collins seized the gun and was attempt
ing to take it away from Connen, when
| the latter called for help. A. f. Wilcox
| ran to his assistance and, so the story
| goes seized Policeman Collins club and
| struck him heavy blow on the head, and
| then deaf Substitute Rankin a blow,
! knocking both of the officers down. 1t is
! claimed he was about to deal Collins an
| other blow with the club when the po-
! hceman drew his pistol and fired at short
/ range wounding Wilcox in the right
! breast, and ending the difficulty Wilcox
/ was carried to the city hospital, and the
two policemen had their scalp wounds at
| tended to. The parties We're arrested and
| il is likely the case viii be fully investi-
! gated by the courts.