Evening star., 1902-03-18
ALLEGES INJUSTICE
MR. QUILL, g. LOCAL PAINTER,
TALKS OF, EXPERIENCE.
He and Fifteen others, He Says, Placed
In False Position by Officers
f,of the Union.

Mr.. ]. P. Quill. a member of the Paint
ers, Decorators and Paperhangers' Union
of this city. known as Assembly No. 1873.
K. Of L., Is making charges Of mistreat-
ment he and fourteen other Washington
painters received al the hands Of local off,
GERS Of the order In reference to the strike
in Pittsburg.
Mr.. Quill, who Is q workman OF good rep
utation and standing in this city. told a
representative of The Star this morning
the story Of the alleged deceit as practiced
on him and his fellow-workmen.
1t Is stated that Assembly No. 1893 was
suspended in 1890 from the central Office of
the 4. of L. OF Washington and has not
been reinstated. The K. of L. for twenty
five years past has controlled the painters
work OF the city, but last year the National
Brotherhood of Painters stepped in and
formed an organization, which the suspend
ed order Joined. That organization now has
controi OF the work OF painters, decorators
and paperhangers in this city.
According to Mr.. Quilts story he and the
fourteen other painters went to Pittsburg
Monday or last week, not to take the place
OF the Plttsburg striking painters, put TO
secure n conference and to run a bluff
He states that the officers of the local as
sembly said the Washington men would be
upheld by the knights of Labor in Pitts
burg; that there would be plenty or work
and that they would be properly taken
care Of 1t was given out that
These fifteen men were to be the advance
shipment of several hundred washington
union men, according to Mr.. Quill, and the
show Of numbers would secure the confer
ence with the Pittsburg Brotherhood which
he says was desired.
No Arrangements Made.
When the Washington men reached Pitts
h1rr co{6 y,crcYV np1fG
been made for their board and lodging by
the officers Of the local union who had
gone before them to arrange with the Pitts
burg unions.
He says the men were assured everything
was all right and were put to work on
large building. and as the Washington OF,
ficer was too busy to meet the trains ana
receive the others supposed to be coming
from this city, he went to perform that ser
vice himself. He says when he went to the
hotel where the Washington representative
was staying he found several numbers OF
Pittsburg unions there and on getting into
the conversation learned that the Pittsburg
officers knew nothing of the washington
workmen being In the city.
Mr. Quill said he began to suspect that
the local representative had not consulted
the labor men, but had conducted negotia-
tions with the boss painters, so he began
to investigate.
When the laborers Of other trades work.
ing on the building discovered that the I'M
portation of painters were Washington
men, they Immediately stopped work and
went on a strike.
1t was then suppose the Washington men
went to Pittsburg to break the strike and
take the place Of the striking painters.
Mr.. Quill said that was untrue They
went there, he said. In good faith to arbi-
trate for a settlement Of the strike and to
secure recognition In that city of the local
assembly, so as to help the order here:
1t was a dangerous situation, said Mr..
Quill, for the fifteen Washington men. and
he said when their representative saw the
turn Of affairs hes became frightened and
locked himself in his room at the hotel. so
that Mr.. Quill was compelled to keep up
the bluff of a conference until he could get
the other members of the party out of the
city.
Pittsburgers Incensed.
The sympathizers In Pittsburg were Of
course greatly ineensed. but Mr.. Quill
states that he got word to the officers here,
and another. representative went to Pitts
burg to take, the place Of the one who had
retired to the safe seclusion of his room In
the hotel. The men were finally brought
away. but it is understood they were not
gently treated by the Pittsburg men. who
misunderstood their position.
Mr.. Quill says he and his companions
were grossly deceived; that in order to
perhaps worse, he was compelled to place
himself in an unfair position. He says he
and the fourteen Washington painters were
innocent Of any chicanery in the matter,
and that they acted in good faith. He
says he intends to bring the matter up be-
fore the proper authorities for a settlement
and have an investigation
Mr.. Quill was very much exercised over
the matter and there is little doubt that
he has been under very severe strain
He is said to be a sober. Industrious work
ingman of good family and possessing the
confidence of business men. He lives at 81
F street northwest