Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-03-26
Machinists' Union of Rutland
Trying to Thwart Court in
Its Investigation.
WITNESSES VERY TAClTURN
Will Not Answer until Threatened with
Punishment for Contempt Of Court
DO Not Disclose the Names OF
Their Understanding Tes-
timony.

Rutland, March 20.--,rhe mysterious dis
appearance from locked desk, forcibly
opened, of the records OF the machinists
union when they were wanted in court,
the threatening of more than one taciturn
witness with contempt proceedings unless
answers were promptly forthcoming and
the assertion that unless the missing
books were produced in quick order seri-
Gus consequences would follow, were
among the sensational developments in
the trial of the $4,000 damage suit OF T..
r. Patch Manufacturing Co. VS.. Protec-
ton Lodge, International Association OF
Machinsts in county court to-day.
Testimony that the strikers had declared
that sCab workmen at Patchs plant
fought to have their heads blown off and
be taken to the hospital on n stretcher,'
was also submitted. Hardly question
was asked all day that ~as not objected
to by the defense, centered on the futile
efforts Of the plaintiffs to secure the lodge
records. Time and again the crowded court
room was startled by the explosive Il OBJ
ject" of the defendants counsel when
questions touching on the secret work
ings of the union were put and practically
no progress was made. That things are
at a crisis, however, and that the tension
must soon cease was apparent Wnen the
session closed for the day.
Secretary TAFT, of the union, who had
been ordered in subpoena to produce the
charter, record books, and all minutes OF
the lod re, when called to the stand had
no books and gave as an excuse that ne
did not understand they were wanted
then. lie was sent for them and halt
an hour later appeared and declared no
could not find the documents, which were
gone from the lodge loom drawer where
| no locked them up two weeks ago. lie
was the only one that had the key to the
drawer, but to-day he found 1t partly
| open and bare of records.
This is a pretty state OF aitairs.
! stormcd Col. Baker of the plaintiff 5 coun-
sci, II shall have issued a peremptory
| order for the defendants to produce those
papers in court or stand the conse-
uuenccs.'
How much time did you take to look
for them" Judge Haselton asked the wit
| ness.
| Il Just looked in the drawer, l knew OF
nowhere else to look
| The court admonished the defendants
| that their officers or agents must produce
! the books. Later Mr. Baker said: The
defendants seem to be using illegal means
! to defeat the ends of justice and II tney
do not bring forward these papers should
suffer contempt"
The court replied: 1--WE have alroa
ordered them to produce the papers. The
question of how the matter stands II
| they are not produced has been taken
| under consideration
! During Tat's examination which was
roaa,d;nc tho union's internal workings.
| he was asked for the lodge officers names.
lie refused to state them.
| You won't tell?' asked Mr.. Baker.
| mo"
"yes
| ..rbon ir ,.ou do state who thev are -
was tho courts order,
,rbe witnnss could remember onlv three
un,nnortont ones Uo was further oues-
tionnb nhamt tho ,,rgon mil tho court said
Tho rccords ordered would tell all and the
,IointiTs desisted
Alnx,ndar Snachoeri a non-union ma
chiniet who struck with the others said he
y,os promised 81 a week and hoard. hut
never GOT hut "a cents He told of a strik.
80, ,n,Ein. tho ren,ark about hlowinp the
.n,i,s, boeds orr and sold when he snok,
~ raturn,n, to worl, ,nless nancy wa
for,bcominr one strilxor said. ..Yor
wonIdn't iike IN II, taken IN the hosnitaI
nn a stretcbar uouId van The wines.
unaIIv wont Ia pIattshurrh n v and
later IN Montreal Court recessed TO-DAY
Imntil % m to-morrow
MACHINISTS' UNION AT RUTLAND
| DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE
COURTS ORDERS.
p,,,,a,,a Moroh -, rbo ,rost irnort
az t,''t :, ,hn triaI If the patch sIo on
l,Inn,on. s,,it o,,ipet +bo Local ,nachinists
,,'in, -, ,'a,,,,t7 ,I,,r, vostordov was tbn,
ua',w,i u, ~, o,r,,s orIo ~ d.,
$500 ,ha ahar,nr ond rocord hnnLs -,
,ra ,re ,,.Ina W., uo,,,ood rbo 'ia;,,
,i -" ,o, o,iiod e. ,no.,o ranords ~.
&c. ,bi,.. ,h'' dafandon,,, co,nsaI ra
'". .', ne. n I,i1 si,'i, d,i'.o ,hni
oi,e .N 49, ~ III ,i,' 49,
4, ',1 " ,,a,,' - ''"N' N0''e
Iud,a t1aSa,tn, tho,, said chat :, ~,
,a,nnS 80 100 nrod,,oah ~, o,,as,,n,
o,id oo,,,, ~: w. ~, 10 dafa'h
,,,'. ;,,na,, p' s,,n,,,.nssi,n a,,,,onoI =,
80, e. ~ 800 IL ..a,a =
''. 1870, ~ ~" W t.. -
IT, ,,,n l., ',,,nnosoh +, ,', 1,
,'rl,,rb, o,,, VOL, -, ~ tha s,'r,,.o.
,'e ~. IT." 49, 49, w 0pp. 81"
. a,r,a,,., ~ o,,;da,o@ It'll, ,,ai',. ,oe 49,
49,, ~, ui,h 80 ,,,,Iarstani,n,, that To-
T. no io"nantaa With 10 daranoamt 80,
r1 ha shnn,n 70 hn,,o hao,, a''thari,od y,
,ho da,onIant IIa so',,,n,,,, ,,,nn,'-5 ~,
I'fo,jantea no',nsa, IA ~ dasirad ~"
or1, ,,,,st ha ,erad,,oa,, Wv NV
,rba rnystor;aus disonnoararoo - ono .
tho Ioad;pr st,iIors a,'i ~. aod,,n,,o' ~,
nressnd hw tho n,airtif,'s nnunso, 80, ~
ahsonca ccnnI.d Nth tbot 80 ~ 49, a.
records created n stir in tho court 80,
Y 1he missing man John ranaIass no.
$ been the s,hiect of much adrarsa .on,t
G monv Amor, other ,hiras crad;,ad =
h him hoinc The remarL ,ho1 .,an soah
A worl,inc ot tho patch shons o,oh, 90 80,
= thoir heads hIoun on and hn nar,ioa =.
y tho boenjt.I on -, strotcho,n A s,,hnoo,,,
vas iesuod for Cano,es, Trid,, ~, -
no ,p,e caIlod to 10 stond ,,os,,rIa -.