Waterbury Democrat., 1903-01-29
FARMERS TEAM STRUCK MILLER DESERTS RANK
Former Conductor Goes Back to Company as Inspector Was Expelled from Union
 Under Suspicion for
 Some Time Past.

The first desertion from the trolley men strikers took place last evening The deserter is Frank Miller, who was conductor on the car on which Presi- dent Barrett, one of the discharged men, was motormaR. He will not be missed from the ranks of the strikers, for he was suspected for some time. The men had an inkling yesterday that something like this was going to hap 1 pen, and knowing that their weakest l spot was Miller, suspicion was directed toward him. For some time the men 1 were aware that Manager Sewell was cognizant of all that had taken place at their daily meetings and it was sug- gested that an inquiry be set afoot with the idea of making Miller disclose him. self. But 1t was feared that 1t would work harm to the union and to the strike if the inquiry was failure Certain as the men were that the in former was Miller sey had no posi- tive evidence againS him.
 But not later than yesterday after noon an incident took lplace which showed Miller was not in sympathy with the objects of the strike. He was one of those who witnessed the in- l cident in which it was said that As sistant Superintendent Cockings and l half a dozen non- union men set upon few small boys with switch sticks in the West End because the boys threw l snowballs at them. Miller's version of this affair was entirely different from that of the rest of the witnesses and he was told so without any mincing of words yesterday afternoon. It struck the men as rather strange why Miller's version of the affair should differ so radically from the story told by the rest of the spectators. It only served to further prove the men's suspicious were correct.
 1t is singular coincidence that Mil l Ter was the only man whom Manager
 SeweH ever discharged for offensive personalities. This occurred some time
 ago. Miller got into the habit of call- ing Manager Sewell all the slanderous
 and vile names in the decalogue They
 reached the ears of Manager Sewel1,
 but he paid no attention to them. He
 was man of the world enough to know that he could not please everybody.
 moreover the men who worked at his direction, and he thought that in time
 MiHer,s abuse would cease. But. seem
 lngiy 1t did not and he was discharged.
 Afterwards MT Sewell remarked to the
 Writer of this article: Did he think I
 wouldn hear what he was saying ?
 Well, guess he found himself mis-
 Eaken. Miller since then had great regard for Manager SewelI and no
 doubt 1t was to prove this feeling for the manager that he Informed on his I fellow strikers and finally deserted
 them. He is to he paid his price how.
 ever. Instead of his old position as
 conductor he has been promoted to in.
 spector.
 Miller. last night. was fined $50 and
 his failure to pay it resulted in his
 expulsion. This was the most excit-
 ing incident that happened yesterday Last night it was the talk of the
 town.
 i. But there were several other mis-
 haps and the officials of the company
 spent an anxious evening. Ii has several times been stated by officers ,1 of the company that the non-union
 men are all we'll informed trolley
 men. Last nights incidents went tc show otherwise. A car got stalled on East Main street in the evening and it was thought that something
 serious had happened Investigation showed that the car had stopped ow.
 ing to conflict of the current in the
 overhead wire. The conductor should have known how to get out of this tangle, but he knew not the. first, par ticle of information about 1t and hf was held up until another car went tc his assistance.
 Another car was held by burned out fuse on the Oakville line Tine conductor felt he was out in the woods without any means of sending word for assistance. "A chaser hat to be sent after him to bring hin home.