Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-05-08
W. H. Hamilton Arrested.

W. IL. Hamilton, organizer Of the
United Brotherhood of Paper Makers,
who has been one of the promoters of
the strikes which have occurred in
the paper mills on the Wisconsin river
IN this state, was arrested this past
week at Eau Claire, on a warrant
charging conspiracy to compel The
Dells Paper & Pulp Co. of Eau Claire
to close down its mill every Saturday
night, and to cause strike and other
wise injure the business of that COM
pany.
The warrant also calls for the arrest
OF j. t. Alderman and Charles Hess
as c0-cOnSpiratorS. Part Of the
evidence IS a tWelVe-page letter said
TO nave been written by Hamilton
and taken from him before he had fin
lShed 1t. Hamilton was placed in Jail.
The letter was written by J. P
| Ackerman. Hamilton was engaged
IN writing the letter, and was called
to the telephone, and upon his return
from the telephone to his writing desk
he was placed under arrest.
| The following excerpts are made
from the letter:
Il have been in communication
this morning over the phone with
Brother Sullivan and Brother Waters,
president of the Point lodge. |
learned from Brother Sullivan that
some have returned ID work at Grand
Rapids, but that be expects to pull
them out again soon. Some have left
Grand Rapids and gone to scabberS-
| vile (BrOkaw) to work. They were
afraid to 'Scab' in the clearing and
have sought the protection Of the
trees.
II am going to stop advocating
peaceful methods Of fighting our bat
ties. l am beginning to believe that
If we would make an object lesson of
some of these men by putting them
| by for repairs we would have less
trouble with them and they would
not stay SO long when they come
| After they are here a few days and
they see that no one will modest them
they get too sassy, and | am Begin
ming to think that wOrkingmen have
a moral right to protect their inter
eStS against them and cut Threats,
even though it may cost few of US
our liberty to starve or submit. [
am beginning to think that union
men have too much respect for the
strong arm of the law that is ever
lastingly uplifted against them and in
protection of thugs and cut-throatS
who are simply hired for the time
being to take the bread out of the
mouths of union mems families.
TENDERS ASK FOR MONEY.
well, | have to start on a different
subject all of a sudden A couple of
machine tenders have just called me
up from Stevens Point and demanded
me to return there at once. They are
bowling for money and are going to
declare the strike off if it's not forth
coming. | tried 10 put them off until
the day after tomorrow, as | expected
to return then anyway, but it was no
use, that would be too late. | don't
know what to do, as [ gave them all
the money | could afford to give last
week.
The thing that has caused this
whole trouble about money is the
brag and blow about the A T. of L.
and what it could and would do if
called upon to help financially. When
McCIain was here he pumped hot air
into them that the A. F. of L. could
raise them $4,000 d week and not
miss or feel it. Of course. they be-
lieved it and they have been bowling
for support ever since. [ am rid of
the whole works, and if they make
unreasonable demands and are bound
to break the strike by SO doing | will
have to let them go it, [ am sorry to
have things fall through just now,
but [ done my best to hold"
The arrest of Hamilton interrupted
the letter at this point.
Mr.. Hamilton is we'll known in this
city, Nekoosa and Biron where he has
spent most Of the winter. While here
he conducted himself in such way as
to keep the good will and confidence
of the paper makers and was success
fu' in bringing on the strike. From
the above letter it now appears that
the promised funds to be paid to the
paper makers is not forthcoming as
promised. This is unfortunate for
the boys.