Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-15

by Jack McKenna. according to McKen-
mas own words, and given a few husky
punches about the face and body.
Ball Gets Away.
When the fight had reached its crisis
Ball withdrew a few feet and commanded
the crowd to stand back. saying. as he
placed his hand TO his hip pocket:
Keep back, or I'll shoot"
The injunction had some effect. for the
ssssilsnts halted and gave Ball time to
reach the company's gates, from which he
was accompanied back TO the scene Of tire
fight by a guard. who helped him carry
Caldwell into the yards. The injured man
he'd gone but a short distance inside when
he became limp, and be died within twenty
minutes. Caldwell never spoke, according
to the statements made.
Jack McKenna, the man who admits be-
ing an aggressor In the tragical AFFAIR, has
been COMPOUNDED with Jack McKenna, the
former Union Pacific machinist. who is now
one OF the strikers. The latter was not
near the place where the murder occurred
and had no part whatever in the affair.
The McKenna who takes upon himself the
responsibility for striking Ball has an un-
savory reputation about town and is said
by the police TO have been an occupant
Of the city jail on many occasions.
Were at the Theater.
According to the statement Of Ball. he
and Caldwell had attended a play at Boyd's
theater during the early part OF the night.
After the play they walked north on Six
teenth street and took supper In a res
taursnt with a couple Of friends whom they
met there. Ball denied that either he or
Caldwell had been freely imbibing and de-
clared that both we're entirely free from the
influence Of liquor.
Young Spellman and McKenna had been
drinking somewhat In the McKenna saloon
at Seventeenth and Nicholas streets and
had shared their luxuries with the older
Spellman. One Of the McKenna's. who
own the saloon, stated that the men had
been there during the early night.
John K~errigan. who rs one of the number
under arrest. had a pair Of steel knuckles
upon his person when taken into the police
station, but the police are satisfied that he
did not use them in the fight, and further
more that he was not even present at
the affair, despite the statement OF Ball
that he was positive he could identify
Kerrlgan as one Of the three agressors. Ball
was unacquainted with the men and this
is assigned for his mistake in fixing Kerr
rlgsn in his mind as one Of the principals.
kerriEan NOt at Fight.
Kerrigan seems TO have satihed the po-
lice that he had left the picket line shortly
before the tight occurred for his home to get
his overcoat and did not return until the af-
fair was over. He was met at Sixteenth
and Cass streets by McKenna and young
S~pellman, who broke the news to him OF the
fatal encounter. The three men took a drink
around, they said, and returned to the yards.
Kerrigan IL a member OF the federated board
of the strikers and his duties compelled
him, he says, to be on guard last night.
According to the statement OF Raymond
Chadwick, he. Michael spellman and Ru-
dolph Lindberg had been detailed by the
b!acksmiths' union as its representatives
or the picket line fer Saturday night The
picket forces are made up from men out OF
the various unions in the strike.
Victim of the Tragedy.
Earl Caldwell, the victim Of the tragedy,
lived in Chicago with his mother, Mrs. Mag
gle Caldwell, at 1876 Irving avenue. He car
ried an Identification card in his pocket
which revealed this information. Caldwell
came to Omaha July . to work for the
Union Pacific, but on account Of a lame foot
returned home and did not come back to this
city until September s, when he resumed his
work in the shops. The murdered man was
a hne specimen Of physical manhood, stand
ing over six feet in height and Weighing
upwards OF 40 pounds. He was 25 years OF
age. News OF his untimely death was tele-
graphed to his mother, and Coroner Bradley
received a message last night from the be-
reaved woman requesting that the body OF
her son be sent to her,
A man representing himself as a brother
OF Caldwell, put in an appearance yester-
day afternoon. He said he had received
a telegram In Chicago Of his brothers
murder and took the first train for Omaha.
He made the statement to one OF the
strike leaders that Earl got just what
he deserved. as he never was any good.
The mans story is dlscredited entirely and
he Is believed to be a detective, trying to
probe strikers. 1t would not have been
possible for him to have left Chicago and
reached Omaha in the time he says. as
the murder did not occur until nearly /
o'clock in the morning.
Men In separate Cells.
All the nine men under arrest may be
admitted to bail after the post norton eX-
animation has been held, but not before.
The police expect to land more suspects
by that time. Chief OF Police Donahue re-
fuses to allow any attorney to consult with
any OF the prisoners until the post norton
has been held. The men are detained in
separate cells In the city Jail. They were
brought out one at a time yesterday to
make their statements, which were made
to the police and Edison Rich, attorney for
the Union Pacific. Mr., Rich was the only
outsider allowed to see or communicate
with the prisoners or Ball, the injured
man.
This tragedy forms an epoch in the his
tory Of the Union Pacific strike, It has al
ready had a temporary efect at least upon
the struggle between the company and its
former employees, and II may extend even
further. Chief Donahue yesterday issued
orders prohibiting all strikers from con
gregating at or near the yards, in any ca
pAclty whatever ana specified that the
picket lines should b. removed. Fourteen
patroimen we're detailed for duty at the
yards. The pickets were summarily re-
moved yesterday afternoon. but they dis
pute the right OF the ehief TO take this step,
and will endeavor to regain their positions
through legal process.a
Vice President COnIOn Talks.
We deny the right OF Chief Douahue to
remove our pi Ike . nom the r'ilrrad yards