The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-23
THE BOYCOTT IN INDIANA.
SUIT BROUGHT BY A PAINTER
AGAINST A LABOR UNION.

His offence Against tho Organized Tyranny
Was That He wouldn't Collect Fines for
It from His workmsn-Crinninai Efforts
That Wore Made to Destroy His Business.
INDIANAPOLIS. Aug. 22.-Joseph p. Adams, q
painter OF this city. has filed suit for On In
junction against Painters Union At to prevent
that organization from intimidating his GUS
toners and otherwise interfering with his
business. Tho complaint sets up the fact that
a DOM mittee from the union has threatened to
boycott his patrons. and has circulated false
reports about his ability to perform contracts
which he has or may got. and BY intimidation
and abuse has injured his business. Mr.
Adams was seen at his home. 1880 North
Pennsylvania street. to-day By THE BUN cor
respondent, and asked for statement Of the
facts leading up to his suit for an Injunction.
I'm the first place." said be. 1T ought to be
stated that there In not now. nor has there
ever been any controversy between me and
the union regarding wages or hours OF work,
and am paying maximum wage scale OF
thirty cents an hour and minimum scale OF
twenty five cents and my men work only eight
hours a day. These are union prices and
union hours. Nearly year ago was waited
on by committee which requested mo
to obligate myself to pay any fines
that were assessed by tho union
the plan proposed / was to be notified II the
union fined any OF my men and I would be ex-
pected to retain tho amount OF the fine from
their wages and pay 1t to the treasurer OF the
union. refused to resolve myself into col
Letting agency for tho union. for could not de-
oide upon the Justice OF the fines. and. besides.
had no interest In the matter When 1 con-
suited my employees they said the union had
unfairly assessed fines against some OF the
members. and they fully Endorsed my refusal.
was threatened with the boycott and my men
were ordered to quit my service. They refused
and were expelled from the union.
Then began the system against which I
have appealed to the courts for an injunction.
A committee OF the union went among the
architects and protested against work being
let to me. and visited persons with whom al
ready had CONT acts. threatening to boycott
them II the contracts were not rescinded Mer-
chants were asked not to sell goods to me and
the grocer and the butcher were appealed
to in the same way. When I was paint
ing tho park houses for the city.
the union sent men to do the work and were
about to take it away from me. but had a
contract and the authorities could not set 1t
aside. They did succeed in getting the Park
Theatre Job because my mon were WORKING
on II by the day. have tho contract for paint
ing the Colum bia Club House. and committee
OF the union was there to-day demanding that
II be rescinded
Some people have been frightened by the
committee. and l have lost somo Jobs. but
have received many evidences that the citizens
as a rule are not in sympathy with the unions
methods. and am getting my share OF work.
Every artfce known to the trickster has been
invented to injure me- and have at last deter
mined to appeal to the courts and stop the
off, 20 ipta - bua tn
jure my reputation. The case will be heard
Sept. 4. and have no doubt a restraining Or
der will be issued and made permanent"
Several OF the men employed by Mr. Adams
were seen and all confirmed the statemen mt that
he was paying union wages and for union hours.
Some Of them were more bitter against the
union than was their employer. saying that
they would never identify themselves with q
union again.