The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-19
REDFORD CASE
IS in POLITICS
Powerful influences Brought TO Bear
en- Police Magistrate.
LABOR MEN ARE INTERESTED
They arc Potent FACTOR III Piltsburg Pol,
tics and Are Using Their Power
10 Have Redlord
Dismissed.
LABOR MEN ARE INTERESTED
Special Dispatch 10 The Times )


PITTSBURG, PA, Jan. 1S.-Nichoias
c. kedford, OF Richmond. Va. chaIgeu
with shooting Edward GRIMES, negro
porter, twice at the St Charles Hotel
last Wednesday morning. got a private
hearing before AlagistTate Mckenna to-
day, and was he.u 1or court next week.
1hls is all the record of The case nat can
b. found at the Central Police Station.
II was sta,ed Iiere that he IS out on ball.
but tie amount required and l..s bonds
men could not be teamed.
it is believed that an effort is being
mace to keep the injured man from ap.
pearlng against I2ed1ord, WHO is said
to have been a dei> gate to the thirty
sixth Annual 6ricklayers Convon lon.
beng helu IN the city. In the, meantime
the results Of Grimes injuries will be
awaited He is not seriously injured, but
is in tie hospital yet. However, RedforG
IS at liberty, and it remains to be seen
whether he Will have to appear on the
charge. Tke cause OF the trouble be-
tween him and the porter that led to the
shooting at the hotel remains a mystery.
as neither Redford nor the negro Will
talk.
POLITICAL INFLUENCE.
The mystery surrounding Redfords S
case is attributed to the influence OF 10
cal leaders of organized labor, who
brought every effort and influence TO bear
TO have the case against Redlord either
dismissed from the police docket or else
TO close The case by having u light fine
imposed. Labor organizations in Pitts
burg are a potent influence politically
at all times. as every branch of skilled
and unskilled labor is organized here and
The membership OF the local organiza-
tions in the aggregate is very large in
SflppjnnIr and AJiaphpnJ-
county, and a large percentage OF this
membership are voters.
The influence of organized labor vote
in Redford's case commands special value
at this time by reason of a hot political
fig4.1 now on between the Democrats.
/ Cl.Zens' party and the Stalwart or Quay
Republicans on the one side, against the
ring or Finn Republican organizations,
who. now IN force, control municipal af-
4 fairs in Pittsburg and the county.
\ When the local labor leaders cham
nioned Redford's s case and sought the
! influence of the political bosses they ex-
! pected to get what they went after as
| they always Go.
| II is alleged that these labor leaders
] representative from all Of the trades, Sc
cured the ear Of the big police ofhclais
| arid ii was through them that they hopea
/ Redforl's victim could be induced TO re-
! fuse TO prosecute the case anu iSt -
| Police Court magistrate formally dismiss
1 tie prisoner with a light fine. If the ne
no prosccutes him the case will un-
/ Goubtedly go TO the grand jury and a
court trial will follow and the lightest
/ sentence he could be given If the shoot
ing is proven will be six months TO the
] workhousc.
EXPLAINS MYSTERY.
This political influence in the case eH-
plains all the mystery thrown around II
by the police authorities, the prisoner and
his victim Immediately after the shooting
Wednesday morning, this influence went
to work in Redfords behalf and under
! advice of counsel Redford refused to talk
and the same influence closed the ne
sros mouth Immediately after he was
taken to the hospital.
The case has excited Widespread inter
est hero in Republican ring political ana
labor circles, as on its favorable decision
10 Redford thousands Of votes for the
Flinn people depended.
Leaders Of organized labor Will leave
nothing undone, assisted by strong po-
iitical influence, to prevent the case from
coming before the grand jury, and it is
the geueral opinion that the case is end
ed. so far as the police are concerned,
and that the negro. through political In
| fuence and u valuable consideration, will
not prosecute Redford.