The Washington times., 1901-07-11
EIGHT,H0UR LAW INVOKED.
Central Labor Union Again Seeks
Its Enforcement.
Previous Attempt Was Unsuccess-
full Through n Technical Excuse-
Evidence Sufficient to Convict
Now Relieved to He Available.

\ Previous Attempt Was Uusuccess-
full Through n Technical Excuse-
Evidence Sufficient to Convict
Now Relieved to He Available.
! warrant was sworn out yesterday in
| the United States branch of the Police
| Court by a member of local organized
| labor, charging Dewitt Wood. of the firm
| of Tippett & Wood. contractors. of Phil
| lipsburg, n. j., with violation of the
| eight-hour law. rhe~work in connection
with which the law is alleged to have been
violated is being done on Rock Creek
near Twenty-sixth Street northwest
where a number of standpipCs are being
erected as part of the District water
works system. The work of erecting the
| standpipes was begun in May last by a
gang of hands under the supervision of
Herman Santee, foreman for Wood.
Three of the men employed in erecting
the standpiDes have been summoned as
witnesses on behalf of the Government.
in the prosecution of the work it is al
| legged that the men in the employment of
Wood were compelled to labor ten hours
each day instead of eight hours, the time
fixed by law to constitute a days labor
on all Government work.
The matter was brought to the atten-
tion of the Central Labor Union some ten
days ago. ard committee was appointed
to secure the required evidence. Two men
were sent to the vicinity where the men
are al work on Rock Creek. and secured
sufficient evidence to justify the issuance
of warrant. The warrant has been
placed in the hands of the United States
marshal for the Phillipsburg district. and
it is expected that it will be served to-
morrow
Ever since the enactment Of the eight
hour law some years ago the labor or
CARNATIONS of the District have made re-
peated efforts to secure a conviction. but
in most cases nothing came of their eff
forts on account of lack of evidence. In
the present case the officers of the body
believe they have sufficient evidence TO
secure a conviction.
An effort was made about seven years
ago to secure a conviction under the
eight-hour law by the legislative COM
mittee of the local central labor
body which was in existence at that
time. A warrant was sworn out
against the contractor in charge of
the iron work being done in connection
with the erection of the annex to the
Government Printing Office The contrac-
tor was placed on trial in the Police Court
before Judge Kimball and it is said he
escaped conviction on the plea that it
was necessary for him to compel his
workmen to labor more than eight hours
because of the unsafe condition of the
old building.
This excuse was based upon a clause in
the eight-hour law which permits contrac-
tors engaged upon Government work to
exact more than eight hours labor in
cases of emergency. 1t has been ad-
vanced- again in the present case by the
contractor in charge of the iron work at
the Government Printing Office annex,
when charged with violation of the
spirit and letter of the law. In the pre-
vious instance the emergency work was
claimed to be necessary because of cer-
tain underpinning under the old, or orig
inal. Government Printing Office building
The case will undoubtedly attract con-
siderable attention not only in local labor
circles, but throughout the entire coun-
try as we'll w. f. Kennedy of the Cen
tral Labor Enion, who has been instru-
mental in having the case brought to the
attention OF the authorities, said to
Times reporter last night
Il am confident that we h&f-e sufficient
evidence to convict this firm of contrac-
tors. | have talked with the men en-
ployed by them and they have admitted
to me in the presence of witnesses that
ing on an average of ten and half hours
a day. with the exception of Saturdays,
when they. have quit at L O'Clock. These
men have been subpoenaed, and If they
make the statements on the witness stand
that they have made to myself and others,
We are sure of a conviction. At any rate,
we are going to make determined ef-
fort"
Milford SpOhn. formerly president OF the
Central Labor Union. has also taken. a
lively interest in preparing for trial the
case against Contractor Wood. and is of
the opinion that sufficient evidence viii
be presented to ensure a conviction. He
visited the District Attorneys office on
Monday and had conference with Assist
ant District Attorney Hugh 7. Taggart
and Peyton Gordon. and as a result the
warrant charging Wood with a violation
of the law was issued yesterday out of
the Police Court.
Every effort Will be made TO bring the
matter to hearing as soon as is practi-
cable. At the last meeting of the Central
Labor Union ii was decided to use all
influence 60 secure a conviction OF every
person who is found violating the law in
either spirit or letter.