The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-17
THE AFFAIR IN FULTON.

The strikers received their severest bio"
Wednesday night when the secret service
and the military swooped down upon az,
unlawful assembly In dark aileS anu
raurht members Of tho organization a'u
nome OF the men heretofore empioSeu os
The street car company. and now afnohs
the strikers, in what is alleged was. 'he
.erv act of doing an unlawful thlng'
Eror, The beginning of the troubles that
have been besetting the street car
owners and employees. and as for that
matter, all the people OF Richmond y
WAS proclaimed that the striking cohuuc-
.ors and motormen were not In sympathy
with those OF their misguided frienos VINO
we're showing disposition to antasoh'ze
4he street car people In unlawiui ana
riotous ways. It was said for them 'l!at
thew we're without exception law abiding
,n.ended to remain so. and as law
abiding citizens they asked LOT the
sympathy and encouragement or those
who we're put to great inconvenience py
the strike, and to still greater neon
venience to give the encouragement and
help asked for, by refusing to ride on the
street cars as long as they We're run by
strike breakers.
When lawlessness necessltated the call
Inc out of the military It was still pro-
c,,imed that the strikers themselves were
not to be blamed for the misguided
strenuousness of their friends ana
svmpathizers and the argument was ad-
vanced that it would be an Injustice to
the men to charge up to their account the
rock throwing, the torpedo firing ana
other and more serious acts OF violence
and disorder, when 1t could not be shown
,hat any OF the men on strike were &C
tually engaged in such disorder.
This argument had Its effect on many
people, and kept many a nickel out OF the
cash boxes Of the company, and TO that
extent aided the strikers In their efforts
to their point But Wednesday night a
plot to injure the property OF the street
EAR company. and perhaps to injure. II
not Kill its employees and patrons was
foiled by the officers of the law, and
seven of the alleged plotters arrested. Four
OF the seven men arrested In the act, as
is alleged, Of doing an unlawful deed were
former employees. Of the company and
members OF the union. men who have
seen prominent In the strike.
jury Is to decide upon the guilt or
Innocence OF these men. and we have not
tn, H,,ap Of hot ri al
rs to how far they are involved in this
ugly business. but the very fact of their
arrest at such a place and at such a
Nine, in such company and under such
circumstances. tends to deprive them and
their striking brethren of the public
lympat thy that has ena bed them to carry
On the strike thus far. The loss OF that
Iympathy would mark the beginning OF
the end of the strike. for the people Of
Richmond who are long suffering and
sympathetic, will not tolerate the methods
OF the man in ambush and the midnight
assassin.
For the sake OF the families and friend 8
OF these unfortunate men il may be hoped
that they can prove their innocence be-
fore jury. but It must be said they
were caught too near TO the commission
OF crime for them to count on The
sympathy of the public for their cause
unless they shall succeed In proving ,hc!.
innocence beyond shadow of doubt
for IL guilty, they have done more In on,
night TO break up the strike and I,
bring their cause into disrepute than hal
been accomplished by any or all the ef
forts of the Passenger and Power Com
pany.
Their case Is now in the hands of tn
law, and the law will do them no njus
Z tice, The demand of the hour is that 1
shall do the people no injustice. and tina
the guilty Shall be severely punished