The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-11
POLLY NGRAIL'S PLUCK.
PATERSON HoMAN'S VICTORY OYER
RIOTOUs UNION STRIKERS.

At Fret She was Escorted Home from tho
Mil with Tin Horns and at Night Her
Door Was Plhcnrded-she Haa Six of
Her Annoyers Arrested and Now She
Goes ssreneiy to and from Her Work.
Ifanybody wants to know how to success.
fully combat rotous strikers. he should con-
suit Polly McGrail OF Paterson, N. J. She has
learned how to do II in Just little over two
weeks. during which time she has devoted
several hours OF each day and several more OF
each night. Sundays included to the careful
study OF the problem. Ifshe were to form ulats
a general rule. designed to apply to anybody
and any condition. II would probably read
something, like this:
"Attsndto your business until it's intsrfered
with. Then invoke the law. II that isn't en-
tirely successful and you and your goods and
chattels continue to be made objects OF attack.
buy frearm OF some kind learn to use It, |
you don't know already. and then shoot and
shoot TO hurt somebody"
That's the rule Polly has followed. except
that tho occasion to shoot hasn't arisen yet.
with the result that she has utterly confounded
her enemies and has easily become the most
talked Of woman in all Paterson.
On. and for a year and half before Sept. %.
Polly McGral was known for nothing more
than fair amount OF good looks and for being
mother OF an eleven m onth- old baby. to whom
she was as devoted mother as she was to her
husband devoted wife. II her husbands
lungs had not become 30 weak that he was no
longer able to work. Polly might still have
been known as plain Mrs. Edward n sampson
and the non -union silk wsavsrs OF Paterson
wouldn't have their Polly NoGraih as the
patriot soldiers at Monmouth had their Molly
Pitcher When Simpsons health failed.
some member OF the family had to become .
bread winner 10 keep the little Huron street
cottage going The baby couldn't be counted
on and so 1t was up to Mrs. sampson. Before
her marriage. when she was Polly MoGrail ishe
was christened Nary she had been a silk
weaver. having learned the trade whom she
was very young. 1t was tho only work she
knew OF which she could make a living for her
usband and her baby. aud SO she sought a Job.
The broad silk department OF John Hand Il
Son mill. al Gould and Railroad avenues. was
Just starting up. after strike among the
wsavers which began several months ago aud
10 still on. The Silk Weavers' Union su omitted
wage schedule to the firm. which
the nrm refused to accept. strike followed
and the broad silk branch OF the mill shut
down. Two weeks ago. Hand & Son had re-
oeivsd enough non-union weavers to enable
them to start UP and the looms wore set in
hiring weavers. applied for work and got it.
He never belonged to q union and didn't know
ANYTHING about such things. All she wanted
was chance to earn money enough to keep a
roof over her head to provide provisions for
the arder milk for the baby and medicine for
her husband.
She began work on Sept. %. She had been
born and brought up in Paterson and knew
almost every weaver. male and fem ale. In tho
town The news that she had gone to work
for Hand & Son quickly reached the striking
wsavsrs. OF whom there were about forty men
and thirty -nvs women.
One OF the strikers Esther Hobson. had
been a sehoolmats OF Poly's, and she volun-
teered to explain TO her friend the snormty OF
her offence and call her out. Esther told Polly
all about the grievances OF the strikers and
then said:
Come on Pol. Get out OF that and Join u.s."
You may be able to live without work. but
can't" was Polly's reply. I've got sick man
and baby and they've got to be taken care Of.
I'm the only one 10 do it. SO I'm going to stick
to my Job. now I've got one"
No amount OF threats or argument could
pursuade Polly to leave the mill. and Esther
reported to the rest Of tho strikers. 1t was
decided that. II the airing one couldn t be per-
suadsd TO strike. . way would be found to
prevail upon her to do SO. Tho weavers
quit work at 30 O'Clock every night and that
evening a crowd gathered at the mill entrance.
As the non-unon weavers came out. they were
greeted rs non union laborsrs som etimes are.
but the hostile demonstration was mild until
Polly appeared. Then the strikers first
showed what they could do II they tried.
There's that Polly McGrailr" shouted the
women. Look at her! She's a fine one for o
scab. her as We was brought up with. Shame
Dali pnllw ha ~ DNll tha
These and similar cries were raised and the
strikers closed In about and behind the young
woman. Suddenly some one produced a tin
horn and footed once or twice. This was evil
IDENTIFY signal for in = moment every male
and female striker In the crowd produced a
horn and blew it in the girls ears.
alternating the toots with cries OF "scab"
Polly was forced to submit to the attentions OF
this escort all the way to her homo. which 10
about half a mile north Of the mill
That night the strikers gathered in front OF
her house for another demonstration. Not
content with bowling outside. they tried TO
smash in her front door and would have sue
ceedsd. had not the police come up just in
time. The next morning whom she started for
| work she found her front door plaaarded. the
| placards bearing such legends as these:
Polly McGrail 10 a scab !""Polly McCirail 10
| a damned scabl" Polly MsGrail. you get out
OF town quick. or wen find way to put you
| out"
| Polly tore the placards from the door. think
| ing to keep the knowledge that they had been
| put there from her husband. He saw her taking
| them of. however. and wanted to know what
they were Then Polly broke down and told him.
Mr. Sampson declared that she should
never return to the mill. but the declaration
| brought on ft OF coughing. from which he
seemed an unusually long time in recovering.
| That settled 1t. Polly led her husband back
into tho house. and them whlle her eyes
snapped she said:
Il will 90 to the mill. and I'll go to- morrow
and the next day SRd the next and the next.
Just to show that rabble that they can't
Brighten Polly MsGrail. II they can other folks"
Leaving the baby with her mother on the
| way to the mill. she went to work. That night
| whom the mill shut down. it was arranged that
Polly should 90 homo by street car.
As she boarded the car. the strikers made
a rush for it, They reached it up
| ahead OF her and altar ioStlinR her