The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-18
DISPUTE OF THE K. OF |.
The Assembly Called by l. D. Cham
berlin Will Meet Today.
Action on the Removal of Hayes
John n. Parsons Declares the Com
vcntion Is Illegnl-He VIII Not APP
penr Before II For Trinl-A Gather
Ing of Authority ON June 20.

Ing of Authority ON June 2G
The fate of the order of the knights o
Labor is trembling in the balance. TIL,
each striving for the mastery, and neither
willing to concede anything to the 20 Their
The leaders of the separate factions have
issued calls for general assemblies of the
order to be held in this city during The
next ten days, and upon the result OF the
| deliberations of these bodies depends the
| future of the order.
The trouble which has resulted in the
calling of two conventions of the represen-
| tatives of the order is of long standing
and more than once have the civil courts
| been appealed to as an arbitrator Of tho
| differences between the opposing factions
| About a month ago John N. Parsons, Gen.
eral Master Workman, and other members
of the executive board of the order, APP
piled to the local courts for an order t.
restrain John w. Hayes, General Secre-
tary-Treasurer. from interfering with or
seals, and private papers of the organiza-
ton at 43 B Street northwest. After hear
iLg argument of counsel on the matter the
court refused to grant the order In the
mean time, however, a meeting of the ex-
ecutive board was held and Hayes removed
from the Office of secretary treasurer.
Hayes, it was said, was tried before the
board for neglect Of duty, failing to
make weekly financial returns, and for
failing to give bond for the performance Of
his duties. He was not present at the
meeting at which he was removed from Of
fee. ~
During the fight before the local courts
the prominent members Of the order
throughout the country took sides with
one party or the other. Among those
who sided with Hayes is 1. d. Chamberlin,
Worthy Foreman Of the order, next in
authority to John N. Parsons. Chamber
lin, after considering the situation, con-
tended that according to the laws of the
order, Parsons, by appealing to the civil
courts to settle a matter which should
have been adjudicated within the order,
had disqualified himself for the position
to which he had been elected. AS worthy
foreman, and next in authority, Chamber
lin, on May 30, issued call for general
assembly of the order to be held in this
city today, June IS.
The convention will be held at Knights
OF Labor headquarters, 43 Street,
and, 1t is said, will be attended by dele
gates from over two-thirds of the district
assemblies from all parts of this coustry
and Canada. Within a few days after
the call for a general assembly had been
issued by Chamberlin, at the request OF
five district assemblies. Parsons also called
a special meeting of the general assembly
of the order, to be held in Washington
on June rs. next.
In speaking of the matter yesterday, Mr.
Parsons said: The dispute between the
officers of the knights of Labor. which
has attracted SO much attention lately is
about to be settled. The Hayes faction
has called special session of the general
assembly. through l. d. Chamberlin, Wor-
thy Foreman of the order, which will meet
pected that all the delegates who respond
to the call will take par; in the proceed
ings. This special session will be COM
posed Of delegates who attended the last
regular annual session of the order, held
in Boston in November, 1899, as none
others under the laws of the order are
eligible to serve. Hayes says a majority
Of the delegates who attended the Boston
will be here tomorrow, and |
that the call has been endorsed by a ma
jority CT the District Assemblies cumpos-
ing the order. So. according to Hayes, |
is done at the special session |
which will begin tomorrow will be final |
and binding upon every member of the |
order. |
This special session was called by I. |
d. Chamberiin at the request of FIVE dis
trict assemblies for the purpose of hearing
charges against Bostock, Conner, and +
o'keefe, members of the executive board,
and myself, and also against Joseph Arm
strong and Thomas E. links, members of
Assembly No. 300. Glassworkers, of Pitts
burg. The charges have been prepared
by the executive board of Assembly No.
800 for the purpose Of protecting Hayes"
Continuing, Mr.. Parsons said: 1.-The as
sembly. called to meet tomorrow, is not
legal, because ChamberliD had no gu
thority, under the constitution, to act
Is master workman. except in case of the
death, resignation, or removal of his SUI
perior officer Neither of these condi-
lions exists, and consequently Chamberlin
had no power to call a meeting of the
general assembly of the order"
Referring to the special assembly of the
knights of Labor which will be held on
June 26, in this city, Parsons said the
particular business will be to elect suc-
lessor to John W. Hayes, who, lie says.
las been removed from the office, Of gen.
raj secretary-treasurer of the order.
The most damaging feature of the con-
'ention which will begin today, Mr..
PARSONS states. lies in the fact that only
hose whom Hayes could depend upon
we're informed OF the meeting and in
,ited to be present. No notice of the
Mr.. Parsons states, was sent
o representatives of many important dis
riot assemblies. He, the chief officer of
he order, who has not been disqualified
" any provision of the constitution, he
tates, has not been asked if he liz tended
o be present.
When asked II he intended to appear
or trial before the convention today
ir. Parsons said: why should appear
efore any body of men for trial whose
light to try me is in quest on? l am
'illing to submit the whole matter in dis
ute to a vote of the rank and file of the
rder, and abide the result He also
tated that he did not know a single dele
ate who would treat him unjuetly. His
he convention today. but against the
ian entitled as a delegate to be present at
he convention tomorrow, but against the
verriding of the constitution and laws OF