The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1903-04-29
One Man HURT
Collision Between Union and
Non Union Tunnel
Workers Results
Seriously.
ATTACK ON WILLIAM BLESsER
Strikers Hold Him in Special
Adherence as a Jersey
City Deserter.


The first serious open rupture in con-
sequence of the strike Of the Compressed
air workmen of the Hudson River tun-
mel occurred yesterday afternoon, when
William Blesser, thirty-fve years old,
| of No. 262 Erie street, was attacked by
a number of the strikers in Fifteenth
street, and who used a revolver firing
FIVE shots, one of which wounded Will
liam Sweeney, known as sRed" Swee-
ney, of No. 1S1 Eighteenth street, in one
of his thighs.
The strikers have special grudge
against Blesser, as he is one of the very
few Jersey City men who have taken
strikers places. He was on his way to
work yesterday afternoon, when nearly
a dozen of the strikers attempted to
surround him at Henderson street. He
ran. A shower of bricks and stones
| followed him and the strikers soon over
hauled him. Blessed, hotly pursued,
wheeled as the foremost of the pursuing
| strikers We're almost upon his heels
! and drew a revolver. eBfore he could
use it, however, he was struck several
times in the face. Efforts were made
to get the weapon from him. but he
succeeded in firing indiscriminately FIVE
times. 'Red" Sweeney dropped to the
sidewalk with howl of rage and pain.
The rest scattered and endeavored to get
out of range of Blesser's bullets. They
rallied and made a second effort to sur
round Blesser, threatening to kill him.
The latter kept them at bay until several
reserve policemen hove into sight on
run. Someone had telephoned to the
Seventh street station of the troble in
progress.
At the cry ssThe cops are coming" the
strikers took to their heels and the re-
serves found big crow dof sympathiz-
ers with the strikers gathered berating
Blesser for what they termed an attack
on unarmed men.
"Red" Sweeney was taken to the City
Hospital. The hospital surgeons were
unable to find the bullet in his thigh.
He was subsequently taken to the Sew
enth street station and locked up.
The police later rounded up eight more
who were said to have taken part in
the assault on Blesser. They were Tony
Somaski, No. 524 Henderson street, this
city; Frank Durkee, No. 81 Elm street,
West Hoboken; Charles Wechon, Co
roma, L. l.; William Allen, No. 81 Mer-
Ger street; Fred Martin, No. 563h Hem
derson street; James Dollard, No. 635
Henderson street; Neil Brown, No. GOT
Henderson street, and Edward O'Gorry,
No. 750 Jersey avenue. These were
merely hel das disorderly persons. Swee-
ney, who was identified by B1esser as
one who had struck him, was held on a
charge of assault and battery. The strik-
ers insisted that Blesser should be ar
but the police refused to listen to them
They were loud and bitter in their de-
nunciation of Blesser
1t was known that the strikers "had
it in'' for Blesser, and he has been accom-
panied home at nights by policemen. He
was caught near his home after the po-
lice left him Monday night and assaulted.
Police Sergeant Gannon's squad was
strengthened and extra policemen placed
at Fifteenth and Henderson streets last
night to protect workmen on their way
home frome the tunnel.
The First Criminal Court room was
crowded with strikers when the prison
ers were arraigned this morning. All
except Sweeney were discharged. Swee-
ney was held in $500 for the Grand Jury
on the charge Of assault and battery.
Blesser appeared in court with his head
bandaged. In his testimony he said that
when the men first approached him they
asked why he did not come out with
them. He said he had wife and child
to support. He said that they told him
to come with them and they would give
him union wages. When he replied he
did not care to take the chances, he said
they assaulted him with fists and CLUBS.
He held up his left hand in court to show