Evening star., 1901-09-04
BREAK IN THE RANKS
Four Hundred Men Return to Work
in McKeesport,
SHERIFF WILL PRESERVE ORDER
Mayor Black Superseded by the
County Authorities.
WILL PRESERVE ORDER
STRIKERS DIS CO Z r A ED
pecial From 4 Staff Correspondent.

Special From Staff Correspondent.
PITTSBURG, Pa, September 4.-The
strikers at McKeesport were very much
discouraged today when they learned that
400 men had gone to work this morning
in the National Tube Works. 1t was cur
rently reported on the streets of McKees-
port today that a thousand men would be
back in the tube works by next Monday.
The sheriff of Allegheny county has gone
to McKeesport with a squad of deputies
to take charge of the Demmler Tin Plate
Mill that is to be started up. He will SUI
pcrsede the authority of Mayor Black in
the premises and will see to it that COM
plete protection is given all workmen
The steel trust has made bold move in
this case that may have far-reaching ef-
feet upon the strike. The agents of the
trust have been sounding the former oper-
atives of the mill for several days, and
claim that two-thirds of the old employees
are willing to go back into the mill. if they
can be protected against violence at the
hands of their fellows. They are unwilling,
however, to trust themselves to Mayor
Black and his city policemen.
Law as to Sheriffs.
The mill managers thereupon proceeded
to take advantage of the law of the state,
which requires the sheriff Of county,
when appealed to for protection to proper
ly render it. failure to do so makes the
county liable for damages and the sheriff
subject to Impeachment and prosecution.
Formal notice was served upon Sheriff Nc
Kinley by the superintendent of the Tin
Plate Mill of his intention to start the mill
and demanding protection. The sheriff ac-
quiesced in this request and left Pttsburg
at noon with his deputies.
Nayor Rlacl< last night issued a Drnc1a-
nation to the strikers counseling peace.
This was not sufficient for the tin plate
men, however, nor to the workers who
want to go back. What they demanded
was some muscular officers, with billies and
revolvers, for they knew the temper of
the Mckeesport strikers too well to trust
to calm words and conservative advice as a
shield for broken heads.
The mills are expected to start up tonight
or tomorrow morning, soon as the depu-
ties get fairly into their work and the op-
eratives are reassured- The Importance OF
the move depends upon the success of the
company in getting its old men back to
work. If the number claimed by the man.
ayers, two-thirds of the original force, go
Into the mill it will be a heavy blow to the
strike. These men members of the
Amalgamated Association, and If their re-
ported disaffection is true it may be the
signal for general resumption of work in
the tin plate mills.
Feeling of Unrest Spreading.
AS indicated yesterday, the feeling Of un-
rest is spreading to the sheet steel and steel
hoop mills in Ohio and there are indica-
tions of a general movement toward re-
turning to work in Youngstown, Warren,
Niles and other cities.
1t would take but little to turn the scale
either way at this stage. If there should
be riot somewhere and Amalgamated men
should be killed the consequent resentment
would but serve to strengthen the strike.
The successful starting of prominent
mill, however, would probably set in mo-
tion the suspended movement toward re-
sumption of work
The steel trust, therefore, is moving very
cautiously. not risking anything by des-
perate measures. The object of the trust
is to get the men back into the mills with
out Shaffer's aid, so that when he comes to
negotiate hereafter they can tell him he had
nothing to do with starting the mills up
and can treat him as recalcitrant
The assumption of control at the Demmler
plant by the sheriff of Allegheny county
puts the mantle or the states authority
about the place. If there should be dis
order that the sheriff could not suppress the
next move would be to get in the militia.
mayor Black is out Of 1t so far as the
Demmler mill is concerned, and his men
stand no higher In the estimation of the
sherin than any one else in the community.
Sheriff Selects Deputies.
Sheriff Mckinley spent the entire fore
noon picking out his deputies for the Nc
heesport service. choosing experienced and
nerYy men, as the duty is considered
important. The full complement will
amount TO about fifty men, They will be
under the direct command of s. Har-
Vey Lowrey, formerly sheriff of the county,
and who has record for bravery and de-
termination in dealing with labor troubles
one OF two interesting events of the day
was the PRONUNCIATION of notice by the
steer trust that the immense steel works
at Newcastle will be started next week
The same wages and hours of service which
prevailed before the strike will be in CT
feet
significant feature of the announce
ment Is the statement that all EMPLOYEES
who return will be retained i'm their places
regardless of the final settlement This
means that the great mill In the future
Is TO be on open mill and no longer un-
der control OF the Amalgamated Associa-
ton
Samuel Gompers, president of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor has wired Pres-
dent Shaffer denying the report from Buff
falo that the Federation was investigating
the charges of John Hickey.
N. o. NJ
PEACE CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK.
President Schwab and Others Discus
sing the Strike.
NEW YORK, September A conference,
at which conditions of peace in the great
steel strike being discussed, is In pro-
gress at the Office of the United States
Steel Corporation. The participants in the