The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-25
Two Delegates from Bifming-
ham Pass The Lie and
Begin to Shoot
PRINCIPALS UNINJUREO
AND CROWD ESCAPES
Trouble starts5 Over FIynn's Speech
About Pro1 essional Politicians.
Men Have Not Been On
Good Terms Recently.

President Ed Flynn of the United Mine
Workers of Alabama, with headquarters
In Birmingham. and ]. II. Leath, labor
leader and member of the State Legisla-
ture from Jefferson County, fought duel
with pistols in the meeting hall of the
State Federation of Labor in Selma yes
terday afternoon. Although number OF
shots were fired and the fight occurred
in a crowded room, no one was hurt.
The shooting was done Immediately af-
ter adjournment of the labor meeting and
in the hall, which was crowded with del
egates. During the fusilade of bullets
there was an exciting scramble on the part
of many delegates seeking cover. Some
are said to have jumped from the Win
dows, fourteen feet to the ground, in
their efforts to get out of reach of the
pistols. Flynn fred three times, and
Leath fired as often. It is nothing short
of miraculous that no one was hit.
The Story From selma.
The story from Selma is as follows:
Selma, April 24.-(SpeciaD-Just after
the adjournment of the State Federation
of Labor this afternoon fusilade of
shots rang out in the hall of the pavilion
where the meeting is being held. There
followed Immediately scramble among
delegates seeking safe places, some leap
distance of about IA feet. The shots had
been fired by Ed Flynn and James H.
Leath, and 1t is said, was the result of
an old fued between them dating back
to charges alleged to have been by Flynn
that Leath while In the legislature had
treated the miners unfairly.
Particulars Of the affair have been hard
to ascertain as the delegates have re-
Trained from talking and Flynn left for
Birmingham Immediately after the shoot
ing. Leath. who is still in the city, re-
fuses to make a statement. From the
best information obtainable 1t seems that
a debate on some change in the bylaws
of the federation grew acrimonious be-
tween Flynn and Leath, especially, and
this famed into flame the old i'll feeling.
Said Pull Your Gun.
Just after President williams declared
the meeting adjourned 1t is said Flynn
walked over to Leath and said pull your
gum" at the same time leveling his own
pistol.
Leath was seated and as Flynn pulled
the trigger H. N. Randall knocked the
weapon up and the ball crushed through
a window pane
Leath succeeded in getting his pistol out
and emptied 1t at his antagonist but SEEM
ingly for fear of hitting some of the del
egates he shot wide of his mark.
Flynn fired only three times, neither
bullet taking effect. 1t was an exciting
episode and delegates unanimously ex-
press regret that it should have happened.
But for the old feud the debate during
the session would hardly have resulted
in such an affair. No arrests have been
made.
Flynn Makes Statement.
Upon his arrival here last night Mr.
Flynn was asked for his side Of the story.
He said:,
"At the time the affair was first begun
I was speaking on a resolution to change
the constitution of the federation. We
have a clause in the constitution which
exempts all persons holding political Of
fee from acting as delegates at the meet
ings Last year .Leath was not given a
seat because of this clause. This year no
kick was made and he was allowed to re-
tain his seat. In discussing the question
on the floor of the hall said it was not
the desire of the federation to keep hon.
est working men from the convention
meetings, but to keep out the professional
politicians.
II also said that politicians who were
not real laboring men sometimes accepted
money from ring politicians owing to
their claims to big labor followings. l lid
not mention any names, but while 1 was