Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-04
Central Labor Union Will Not
 Desert Trolleymen.
UNION MUST NOT SUFFER

For Acts of Individuals Trolley Com pany Said to Be in Quandary Over Bridgeport Trolleymen's Demands Trying to Make Out Initial on Hand kerchief Picked Up on Night of Mendelssohn Murder Strikers Daily Statement Says Cause Is Not Lost
 Yet.
 The Central Labor union held spe- cial meeting last evening and decided unanimously to stand by the strikers and their cause until it is proved be yond doubt that the accused strikers are guilty of the crime charged against them. To withdraw now would De nothing more than to express belier in the mems guilt before they have been given a hearing. No one doubt ed that this would be the action taken by the Central Labor union only those who have been opposed to the cause Of fhe men since it's inception. The strik-. CTS have got along we'll without help from this element and the prospect Is that they will continue to do so until the end.
 The trolley company Is in predica rnent The demands of the Bridge port trolley men are substantially like those which have caused the strike here.
 Reports from Bridgeport are to the effect that the committee of the men has been pleas'antly received by Mama ger Sewell and the other officials of the company. According to the Bridge port Standard the men held special meeting yesterday to receive the report of their committee which last week s had a conference with Manager Sewell. This committee simply reported pro- s gress. The demands are. general Improvement of the conditions exist ing as we'll as an increase in the wage scale, which was precisely what the local men were paid: the establishment of a minimum rate of twenty 1.-two cents ner Iloilr.. which is more than the local tho union.
 The men reported that Manager Sew ell had not the authority to grant their requests. but would present them to tle directors when that body meets on next Thursday, April 9. About the middle Of the month the committee will wait upon AanRger Sewell for the directors answer. Tn a general way the report of the committee shows that Manager Sewell Is disposed fairly tow ard the men.
 Such is the standing Of the trolley company. If the company grants the Bridgeport mems demands how can it consistently refuse to give the same conditions to the local men? The de- mands in both oases are substantially the same. The slight difference in them is in favor of the local men. who have not asked as much. It Is claim cd here by friends of the company that the main obstacle to settlement was the repeated demands for the reinstate- ment of Barrett and Kelly. The only time the men have put themselves on z record in this respect proves that this noint was not insisted upon; neverthe- less, the company refused to admit the justice of the cause.
 This only occasion referred to was when the committee from the strikers. with the Central Labor body, met Col onel Burpee In the aldermen's room in the city hall. Colonel Burpee said that if the reinstatement of Barrett and Kelly was insisted upon there would be no use in discussing the matter as 1t
 
 committee thereupon said to Colonel Burpee:
 Every we'll, then: consider Barrett and Kelly out of it. What will you do ?,'
 "We will take back twenty-five men now, and the others when we find places for them" This was Colonel Burpee's answer, according to what the committee said but Colonel Burpee claims 1t was not his answer How. ever. 1t was substantially 1t. His an. swer may have been wrapped up in le gal verbosity, hemmed in with techni- calities, but as the language on both sides was very plain and those at the conference very we'll acquainted witI It. it Is believed that the sum and sub stance of the colonelS answer was that twenty-five would be taken back and the others when room would bf found for them The men considered this blow at their union and they re fused to accept such conditions
 Therefore there is no reason why tht local men should be ignored in theil demands if the Bridgeport men are glv en theirs, which. as has been said be fore. are practically the same in botl cases. Everybody admits that tht demands of the Bridgeport men art based on good grounds. The sam, conditions that exist in Bridgeport pre- vail on other sections of the company lines and if. as has been said. tn Bridgeport men are successful 1t vii be stepping stone to the men on th other lines making similar demands This is said to be the only reason wh. the company would refuse to gran what the men ask.
 There have been no developments Ii the police end of the strike. It is sait that another handkerchief has beel found by the detectives at the scene O Policeman Mendelssohn's death. Tn first one has an initial i'll q
 after the prevailing fashion some tir1 ago. but what this initial is has pI1z zled many Some say it Is an NJ. oth CTS think it W. It Is certain th fancy of the makers needle had pecul iar turns. Whatever 1t is. it is freak letter. Assuming that it Is al NJ. 1t could have been the property o Policeman Mendelssohn, or if 1t is w it may have been Conductor Well