Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-28
A LEGAL TANGLE
Now Most Interesting Feature
of Boston Strike.
Four Judicial Bodies Considering or
Ready to Act in Case.
principal Attraction Is Injunction
Hearing in Superior Court.

Boston. Jan. 21.-No less than four
judicial bodies are either acting or
stand ready TO do so in the transfers
strike. The court hearing in the in
junction petition against the Transfers
Union is still unfinished: the State
Board of Arbitration has been appealed
to and asked to give a public hearing
Oh the trouble. an order was introduced
in the Legislature, today. for a similar
hearing by the committee on labor and
Governor Crane waited in vain for half
an hour, this afternoon, to hear the
union side of the trouble. II Is likely.
however, that the statu quo of today
vii! be maintained until a decision is
rendered in the court hearing. The Jam
of men and boys at the court house
and the absence of street disturbances
indicated that the center of the storm
is now in the equity session of the su-
rerior court, Judge Braley presiding.
Unless better progress is made than
was the case, this afternoon il may be
three or four days before the Judge will
be in a position TO dismiss the tempo
rary Injunction or make it permanent
against the members Of Transfers
Union No. Is.
The court was in session about an
hour and n half and four witnesses were
heard. all being called by the attorney
of the Il. S. Brine Co. There are half
n dozen more to be heard and then IL is
expected that not only will the union
counSe! all others to cOntradi the
petitioners evidence but in sur t Of
cross libel which was filed the
union, today. requiring the court FOR
der the Brine Co. not to pursue its
course of the past few days, such as
blocking the streets with big process
sions of teams and using cameras.
The hearing in the court proved
feature. Last week after q short hear
ing Judge Braley granted a temporary
injunction against the Transfers
Union, restraining its members from
interfering with the Brine teams.
throwing missiles or using threats and
intimidating epithets. Today. he was
asked, To make this Injunction perma-
nent.
S. L. Whipple appeared for the Brine
Co.. II. ]. Jaquith and John w. Sher-
man for the. defendants. while Hon.
Nathan Matthews was present in the
interests. OF the Freight Handlers
Union and Oscar +. Cox, its president.
Mr.. Whipple opened for the petitioner
and said that the members OF the union
had interfered with the Brine Co. in
the conduct of its business, had sur
rounded its wagons, cut harnesses and
had used indecent language. The ale
cation was also made that the acts
We're done as n scheme and conspiracy.
The first witness was O. w. Towle,
a foreman of the Brine Co., who told
Of teams being blocked and wagons
driven in front Of them. He claimed
that many Of the drivers Of these teams
wore union buttons. On cross-exami-
nation be admitted that at freight de-
pots the Transfers We're always more
or less delayed.
j. H. Austin, a driver said that while
at the Metropolitan Steamship Cos.
wharf, last week, a shower of sticks
and mud was hurled at him and that
cut the reins. He only saw
one union button. however. and could
not identify any Of his ASSISTANTS. DR..
Strong was called to show that he had
treated some of the drivers Of the
Brine Co. for flesh wounds.
While the last witness, NJ. II. Fitz-
erald, was on the stand the court ad-
journed until tomorrow. 1t was ex-
pected that as soon as the court ad-
journed. a committee of the teamsters
would wait upon the Governor for the
purpose of laying the strikers side Of
the difficulty before him. An appoint
ment had been made in behalf of the
union committee by two senators, but
no one appeared at the hour harmed. 4
o'clock, and after waiting until 40
Gov. Crane left the State House, much
to the chagrln of the two senators.
This morning, the union requested
the State Board of Arbitration to hold
n public hearing and exercise its power
TO send for persons and papers The
request is being considered. The order
in the Legislature was introduced IN
the House by Representative Donahuc
Of Fail River. and is practically the
same as the petition of the union to the
arbitration board, except that it pro-
vides for a hearing by the committee
On labor. At the request of Mr.. Dona-
CONTINUED on page ~