Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-06-14
CONSPIRACY.
Pipes of Norfolk Refrigerating
Storage Company DISTRACTED.
Tagging, Blue Clay and Other Things Used
TO Rondcr the Pipes Useless in an At
tempt to Stop Operattons-A Confession
duplicates Parties Now Wanted by tho
Police.

The discovery has Just been made of
an effort on the part of a person or per-
soUs In the employ of the Norfolk Re
irserating Storage Company to ma
terially injure the cnmpanys plant.
Obstruction was placed in n flve-inch
water main. which is being laid to sup
ply the machines with water, and it is
reported further that wire was wrap
ped around the screw threads at the
JOINTS of many OF the pipes. in order
to destroy their usefulness.
The whole affair has the aspect of an
outrageous and criminal conspiracy.
and 1t is to be sincerely hoped that the
perpetrators of the deed will be speedily
detected and dealt with in accordance
with the laws necessary to protect
property.
Up to the time of going to press the
suspected parties had not been arrested.
Mr.. Richard Il. Fentress, the presi-
dent or the company, was seen by n
Sirglnlan-Phot reporter last night, and
ne gave the following account of the
whole matter:
MIR. FENTRESS' ACCOUNT,
THE Central Labor Union not long
ago requested me to lay OFF certain nom
union men that had brought here from
New Jersey and Massachusetts to work
on the rcfrigeratinS plant. These were
Inen accustomed to this kind of work.
and whose places could not he well fill
cd by local men. Some of them belong
to the Central Union, but not to the
iocal organization. L was asked to re-
place these cnen with mesl belonging TO
the local union.
L told the representatives of the
union That L would employ a few COM
petent men If they could send me such.
4ht TINS time had local union men In
my employ. and of course still have.
have nothing against the union. The
only difference has been that my men
work 9ia hours Instead of hours. and
the local union men refused to work
with non -union men.
obstruction was placed in n flve-inch
water main which was being laid to the
for the purpose of supplying the
machines with water for cooling pur-
poses. From the proof SO far obtained,
tne principal i'll the obstruction OF the
pipe was a man who had applied to the
union FOR admission, and through whom
the union had sent several committees
10 walt On me. with the purpose of Sc
curing position for him."
Il mad promised him a place at SO a
day. and told him TO go to work. but
he ana not show up. Last Thursday
morning ! was informed that At was
probabld an obstruction had been placcd
In the watcr-pipe I spoke Of AS soon
as l was aware OF the fact set to work
10 make an investigation, which re-
suited In finding the pipe INSTRUCTED
with bagging. blue clay. etc. 1t took
ZoV pounds direct pressure to clear the
pipe.
Il at once began to make Inquiries.
n IN
Gated several men. This morning ]
was met by members OF the Central
Labor Union. having with them a man
who had made confession to them OF
his knowledge of the matter He was
brought before me to impart his infor-
nation. He stated that he knew the
man who did the obstructing. and gave
his name. He was apparently trying
TO assist me in locating the Euilty
party; but upon investigation I found
that lie was the same man who had
borrowed money from one of my Iner
to get his friend, the man he was now
duplicating. out OF town in order tC
prevent his arrest.
This was apparently sartling news
to the members of the union present
and they at once agreed to do every
thing In their power toward bringing
the criminal to justice. ! gave one o.
them money to go ont of town to as
s!st in locating and Identifying the plin
cipal guilty man.
Il will spare no effort or expense II
endeavoring to bring to justice the par.
ties connected with the crime. If tina
water-pipe line had been completed &
would have been impossible to appl,
sufficient pressure to clear 1t, and Sc
rious damage would have resulted
for. of course. shutting off the water
from n cold storage plant stops every
movement. For instance. had the othcl
water connection been broken. and ar
attempt been made to use this line, 4
might have cost the company n cons!d
cradle sum of money, or n loss hard t
calculate. owing TO the quantity of per
ishable goods In storage.
II can sec no reason why such out