The labor world., 1899-05-13

ccpt for the cause stated. We read lc:-
icrs from employees willing 20 80 10 work.
We urged on Receiver Mandenhall -
cnncedc to the arbitration clause. but he
Informed that il was impossible for
MIN 10 do So as he was under the IT,
s;ructons of the court, which would not
delegate such an authority.
We then urged on Mr.. Mendenhal to
take back all the men that went out last
Tue day, 10 which he refused, for the
reason that some of them, as he claimed.
had injured the cOmpanys property. anu
such he would not take back. However.
after hard persuasion, he finally agreed 70
take back Il of the 50 that went out. h.
claiming that the balance were not de.
sira BILE nor satisfactory 10 the company,
ami in reasoning with him regarding these
men he reluctantly produced evidence
showing that one named Morgan was il-
plcated with the men that cut the cable
Friday night, and so confessed, and copy
OF such evidence was furnished us. He
was arrested and held in Jail to await
the action of the grand jury( and to ap-
pea: as evidence against the men that
were arrested, and on investigation we
found that he had been bailed out by 4
man of the name of William Wallace and
J. W. Nichols. the former an employe
of the street car company.
We also have the evidence Of a police
man, furnished by the mayor, who knew
tEat the men were in the neighborhood
where and when the wire cutting Oc-
Cured, and that he knew that this man
Morgan was one of them, but could not
testify as to the others, as he did not
take the trouble to 80 and find out, but
he asked Morgan who they were. and lie
answered that they were all right, They
were only union boys, and that there
wa: going to be a strike the next day.
Morgan, since he has been baled, has
disappeared, and he could not be Local
ted. We were shown pieces Of the cable
that was cut, which was about half ~
inch in diameter, and the ingenuity dis
played in cutting it. and connecting tn?
Two ends with a non-conductor. SO as
to leave no trace of where the cut had
been made, indicates that it must have
been done by some one that was skilled
to certain degree, at least-in electri-
cal power.
We then again interceded for the men.
asking further leeway for them, and the
company assured us that it had no oh-
lection to the mems union and gave us the
lis; of the Il above referred TO. regardless
oe whether they were union men or not
At this Interview we thought We had
gained a great deal for the men, and re-
quested the mayor to arrange to have
committee of the men meet us that
H. of ~; bai
side of the story, and if possible to ger
them to modify their demands somewhat.
to meet the notifications made by the
street car company, and thus bring mem
together. We at that time were of the
opinion that we were in fair way to
bring about reconciliation.
That evening at o'clock five delegates
n ct us, consisting of Joseph La Chance,
secretary Of the street car union, and IN
ex-empoye of the company; Edward
Kriz, president of the Federated Trades
assembly; C. NJ. johnson, John O'Briea
and A. NJ. Swingle, the last three named
street car employees that went out with
the men. After discussing all phases OF
the question they admitted that the in
formation we had received regarding
rules, etc., was correct; that the question
oe wages was not at all their motive
for going out. as it was a matter princl-
pally Of reinstating the men discharged
during the last three months. except
wherein the company could show just
cause for such discharge.
Al this session with the five representa-
yield in some of their demands to meet
4rsa IL hxr, H. ~fr
company, and after two hours Of persua-
son, three Of the men were anxious to
modify their demands, but the two lead
ers, La Chance and Kriz, would not yield
anything, and at 11:30 that night, they
left us to attend meeting of the trades
assembly which was then in session, and
promised to report to the mayor the fol-
lowing morning.
Al $50 the following morning we met
with the mayor at the First National
Eank building, and the following ultima
tum was handed to us, the same having
been orally given the mayor by one of the
mems representatives:
"Will call off strike if men on list in
good standing last Tuesday are reinstate1
to their former places at once. and that
after that all men unsatisfactory to the
company shall be examinted by a board Of
q, bitra ton: also men discharged and want
to come back shall be reinstated, if board
of arbitration does not find charges true.
agreement to be in writing.
"HENRY TRCELSEN, mayor
After reading the ultimatum we took up
the matter of arbitration with Mr.. Men
deEhall once more, who again advised
us that it was impossible for him to take
any action, as the court would not dele
gate such authority to him, which of
course blocked us in further efforts in this
direction.
In brief, it is the opinion Of this COM
mittee that a large majority Of the men
were willing 10 return to work. if the;"
leaders would so allow. and We feel Ger
tain that at that time the street car COM
rany would have been pleased to rein
state large majority in their employ tn
der conditions that would be mutually
We. as committee. after honest. un.
biased consideration of the rights Of /
street car company TO organize for lis
feel that under the eXisl:l-