The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-13
Few Applicants for Places I'm Re-
spOnse to the COmpany's Announce
ment 1t Was Ready to Hire Men.
NO DANGER OF STARVATION
STRIKERS HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY
FOR PRESENT WANTS.
A rclgian WOman's Assault on Ma :.
thew tram-President Kann's
Statement of the Trouble.

Staff Correspondence of the indianapolis Journal.
ALEXANDRIA. Ind, April 12.-The
striking workmen of the American Plate
glass Company were indignant to-day over
the reports sent out from Anderson last
night that there probably would be a SER
ious riot at the glass works this morning.
when, the company had announced, IL would
begin to employ men to open the plant after
its six weeks of idleness. The strikers
asserted that their enemies had been in
strumental in sending out the sensational
riot statement, and they denounced it as
being absolutely foreign to their inclina-
ton. The company had posted notices
around its plant that ii would begin to
employ workmen this morning. Ex-em-
ployes and citizens of Alexandria would be
given preference, the notices read, but if
the quota could not be made up among
these classes the company would go out of
town to procure men. Furthermore, the no
ticeS announced, the company intended TO
raise wages in uniformity with the trust
tie Pttsburg Plate-glass Company-which
had announced that on May it's scale of
wages would be readjusted to the benefit
of it's employees. These statements did not
have the desired effect for at the opening
EOur lnlS morning lnere were out a n3nO-
ful-the strikers claim there was none-of
applicants for jobs. But there was no
trouble and no ugly gathering of the strik-
ers near the works. Thus the condition at
Alexandria has not improved.
The talk of the town to-day was the wom-
ems assault on Matthew Bertram. fore
man in the salesroom. last night. When
the evening whistle blew, the little band of
aronl0yed on ba hiildfnoS Of he nj
marched out and was met by a crowd of
excited women, most of them French or
Belgian. The ''scabs" were jeered, baited
and threatened but they marched on, and,
at that time no trouble occurred. Bertram's
home is on 1.-The Hill," back of the glass
works. He going home alone. The
women caught him and a wrangle began,
which ended with the women falling on
the foreman and beating him. One huge
Belgian woman struck him across the face
with sweep of her broom and broke his
nose. Bertram, however, was not seriously
injured He was about town to-day with
out even so much as a bandage on his
face and he showed only a few slight
marks of the conflict
WANTED PROTECTION.
A man named Lockwood called on an
attorney this morning and asked if he could
get relief. He was a workman at the glass
works, and, he said, he wanted protection
for his life. On his way to and from work,
he said, parties of strikers stopped him,
asked him roughly where he was going and
threatened him.
IF any of them touch you swear out
warrant against him. said the attorney.
How can / tell their names?" retorted
Lockwood. Things have come to a
pretty pass when a man can't go TO his
work without being stopped by a gang of
drunken, crazy fools. with clubs. who ask
him where he is going, like lot of high
waymen. Where's the law in this State?"
Were you in the trouble last night?"
"Yes. One of the women asked me If j
was going 10 keep on working"
What did you tell her?''
why ] told her no, of course. I'm not
going back to work without l can have
protection for my life.'
Judge Mcclure, at Anderson, had issued a
temporary restraining order against the
strikers interfering with the glass works,
trespassing on its property or committing
any breach of law and order. Under this
order the company had warrants issued this
morning against five men. The warrants
were put in the hands of Sheriff Moore Be-
fore the sheriff started for Alexandria one
of his friends, fearful for the sheriff's life,
said: Il wouldn't go up there. if L were
you, for a warranty deed to the whole of
Madison county"
The sheriff did go and took with him only
one deputy. When he arrived he found. in
stead Of bloody riot, peaceful town, with
no signs of trouble. He served his war
rants, had only pleasant words with the
strikers and took his men back TO Anderson
They were released later on bond TO keep
the peace and appear for trial May /. Their
names are: Robert Schrader. Thomas VIII
liams, Lewis Wellinger, CAMEL De Bundy
and John Kempster. When the sheriff left
Alexandria with his deputy the Cnly officers
of the law remaining to guard Alexandria
were the members Of its own police force,
and they were idle.
The story that the strikers were driven to
desperation by starvation is ridicued by the
men themselves. David Carlton, correspond
ing secretary OF the union, and TO whom
the strikers look as one OF the most able of
their leaders, said to-day. with a smile:
I'VE have 5000 in the treasury and are Is
suing orders the grocery stores 10 the
members of the union at the rate of $50 a
day. There is not the least prospect OF our
suffering for want Of food We are deter
mined that We shall not return 10 work until
the company recognizes our union. and We
are well prepared 10 make our fight
DISCIPLINED LIKE AN ARMY.
This seems 10 be the spirit of all the strIk-
ers. The union has 500 members and Is dis
ciplined like an army. 1t has its headquar-
ters in one of the business blocks and the
advisory committee. consisting of fourteen
members. meets several times a day to issue
he
other matters in connection with the daily