Evening star., 1898-06-06
An Important Case THAT Will Prob
ably Deoide4ha Question.
4 VoLUMlNQDa DOCUMENT
Details of the 7Cnminal Charges
Against Local knights Of Labor.
AN EARLY TRIAL EXPECTED

| " lay, Charles A. MatdenS, John L. Neeb,
| Hugh Digney. Michael A. Cuff and Aionzo
| M. Lawson for conspiracy to injure the
| business OF Charles c. Walter. were
| brought into Criminal Court No. by Dep
uty Marshal P. F. Cusick this morning and
| admitted to bail in the sum of $500 each
by Justice Bradley. The sureties were
| Messrs. VIM. E. Carr and ]. D. O'Meara.
The Importance of the case is regarded as
being SO great that efforts will be made to
have 1t brought to early trial. The whole
question of the legality Of the system of
boycott will be brought up for settlement,
as the indictment has been drawn with that
view and the final adjudication of the case
Will doubtless settle-the momentous con-
troversy that has been waged all over the
country during the past few years.
A voluminous Document.
The Indictment under which the parties
| named will be tried is yoluminous one
| comprising twenty typewriter pages It
recites that Charles c. Walter had been
engaged in this city in the business of deal
ing in and repairing wagons and carriages
|, for the past five years under the name Of
William Walters Son, and that his entire
means, amounting to over $25, 600, were in
vested therein. 1t declares that for three
years preceding the time Of the commission
| by the parties indicted of the offenses al
legged in the Indictment Walter enjoyed
large patronage from the public and en-
| ployed from twenty to twenty-five work.
men, but that since the commission of the
alleged ofense and by reason of the
| threats. acts and interference of the in
dlcted parties many persons. firms and cor
porations doing business in this city,
among them Abraham Lisner Charles
Jacobsen, James E. Berry, Benjamin f.
ShaW, w. M. Calf & Co., Lansburgh & Bro
the washington Brewery Co., the Chr. Heu-
{Ocr ~
Brewing Co. and the Christian Moerlein
Brewing Co., who were regular customers
and patrons of the said Walter in his said
trade and business" says the indictment,
as well as many other persons, firms and
corporations to the grand jurors aforesaid
unknown, have refrained and ceased pur-
chaslng from employing or dealing in any
manner with the said Walter. In his ga id
trade and business, being deferred there
from by the fear ofsinjurious consequences
to themselves in their6 respective business
pursuits and occupations, If they continued
as before, and Notwithstanding the said Of
tense. threats. acts and interference of the
said Fenton and his said associates to pur-
chase from. employ and deal with the said
Walter in his said trade and business: and
that by reason of the premises last afore-
said, the said trade and business of him.
the said Walter has been greatly re-
stricted, embarrassed, )obstructed, injured
and diminished and the profits thereof
greatly reduced"
The indictment then goes on to recite the
existence throughout the United States Of
an organization known as the knights of
Labor, comprising 100000 members, of
whom 10000 were residents of the District
Of Colufnbia,i who are pledged to the sup
port Of the principles Of the organization
set forth in the articles and rules published
and printed by the authority of the order,
under the title of Constitution of the Cen
eral Assembly and for State National
Trade. District and Local Assemblies of the
knights of Labor" in which it is set forth
that the order was formed "for the pur-
pose of organizing, educating and direct
ing the power of the industrial Masses
Reclung that local assemblies. have been
grouped together with reference to the re-
spectfve occupations and trades of their
members the indictment states that among
such local assemblies in the District of
Columbia is one called Local Assembly No
34o6, composed of workmen pursuing the
several branches of wagon and carriage
making and repairing, and that there is
also another branch of the X. of L. in the
District known as District Assembly No.
65, K. of L., composed CT delegates from
each of the local assemblies in the District
Walter Had an Agreement
For three years previous to the alleged
oHerse Of Fenton and his associates the
indictment declares that Walter, in pur-
SsAAASS "i'h Oil tASi SSiSHl entered INTO De-
tween him and the two assemblies men
toned. had employed no other than a mem
Der of Local Assembly No S456 in the
manufacturing and repairing part of his
business and has executed in the District all
work ordered to be built to order by his
patrons, and has in all other respects COM
piled in good faith with his agreement.
Authority Assumed Over Trndesmen
Proceeding the indictment recites that
tafn Of tlo nj
bly, and local assemblies, one called a court
and the other an executive board "claim
and exercise the right on behalf of the
members Of said order, among other things,
to denominate the persons, firms and cor
porations for whom only the members Of
said order shall work in the said District of
Columbia, and to regulate and determine
on behalf Of said order the rate of wages
to be paid to such last mentioned members
who should be permitted to work, and to de-
cree accordingly and to enforce compliance
with any such decree on the part of such
last mentioned members under penalty of
fine, suspension or expulsion from said or
der; and also claim and exercise the right
on benalf of said order to limit and re-
strict the business dealings of persons,
firms and corporations trading in the Dis
trict of Columbia by demanding and re-
quiring that their purchases of stock, ma
terial and supplies shall be made of such
others only, in and out of the said District
OF Columbia, they. the said last men
toned assemblies and executive boards or
committees, should approve, and to declare
particular employers of workmen in the
District of Columbia, irrespective of ari
against even the opinions; wishes and de-
sires of such workunen in the premises 20
be unfair and 'unfaiE to organized labor
and the keepers Off unfair shops in case
of any noncompliance by such employers
last aforesaid with demands and require
ments, whether reasonable and lawful,
or unreasonable andmnlawful, made by the
said District Assembly, the said last men
toned local assemblies and the said execu-
tive boards or committees upon such en-
ployers aforesaid"
The indictment declares that the mean
ing and intention of declaring employers
unfair Is to threaten them with the ILL
will and hostility Of iall the members of the
order in the District of Columbia and with
the use of all of the power and influence of
the order and its members within and with
out the District against such employers in
their respective pursuits and occupations.
The Contract for Wagons.
The indictment then recites that a con-
tract was entered into by Walter and
Frederick Springman by which Walter
was to furnish Springman five newspaper
delivery wagons constructed by the Key