The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-21
They Publicly Announce Their WILL
fngness to Refer Their Dispute to
a Board Of Arbitration.
CLOSE OF THE ARGUMENTS
INJUNCTION CASE TAKEN UNDER AD-
VISEMENT BY JUDGE ADAMS.
His Decision Expected I'm n Week or
with Arbitration Proposal.

ST. LOUIS, March 20.-Arguments in the
Wabash injunction case were concluded at
o'clock this afternoon and the case was
taken under advisement by Judge Adams.
He gave no intimation of how much time
he might require to prepare his opinion, but
the attorneys declared after the adjourn
ment of court that they would look for a
decision in about one week or ten days.
Attached to one of the affidavits made by
President Ramsey, Of the Wabash road.
and submitted to the court, was a steno-
graphic report Of a meeting between Pres
ident Ramsey and the grievance committee
representing the two brotherhoods. In this
report J. r. Courtney, of the committee, is
quoted as having said to President Ramsey
that the men would be willing to arbitrate
but would not allow the railroad company
to select any of the arbitrators.
This afternoon Judge Priest, who made
the final argument for the company, al
luded to the reported statements of Mr..
Courtney and declared that the railway
company had been willing to arbitrate.
Grand Master Hannahan, for the fremen.
who was seated behind F. N. Judson, chief
counsel for the defendants, leaned quickly
forward and spoke few words to the at
torney, who at once interrupted Judge
Priests argument.
Are you willing to settle this thing in
that manner?" Mr.. Judson asked.
II am here to answer to the argument
made by the gentleman" said Judge Priest.
II have no authority to speak either for
Mr.. Ramsey the Wabash road upon such
question"
Instantly Mr.. Judson was on his feet,
ca Wi RI hot FOR
the trainmen and the firemen, that we are
willing to accept the arbitration of a tri-
bunal provided for under the acts Of Con-
gress."
THE gentleman's afterthought is better
than his forethought," retorted Judge
Priest, and he resumed his argument
Grand Master Morrissey, of the trainmen,
was not in court this afternoon, but Grand
Master Hannahan, of the firemen, said:
I'VE are willing to do as Mr.; Judson said.
In fact, told him TO say 1t. Mr.. Morrssey
agrees with my position on this matter
President Ramsey is now in New York,
but Colonel Blodgett. chief counsel for the
Wabash, said: II hardly think President
Ramsey would care to say anything. The
men fatty refused arbitration when he Of
fered it."
Attorney Judson. speaking for the fire.
ment and trainmen, gave attention this
morning to the claims advanced by the rail-
road that the grievances in the case origi-
mated with the defendants in the case and
not with employees of the railroad. He read
a circular issued by President Ramsey, of
the Wabash last November, which in
formed the men that he was considering the
question of advancing wages. This was,
he said, an admission that grievances ex-
listed on the road before the grievance COM
mittee presented its demands to Mr.. Ram
sew He then took up the right of the men
to take advice upon their course of con-
duct After reading decisions by Judge
Taft and Judge Grosscup, which recognized
the right of laboring men to associate and
combine. he argued that the right to COM
bine carried with it the right to take adj
vice from those with whom they are united.
Mr. Judson claimed that the assertion of
the railroad that If the men struck il
would be in violation of contrac, was nor
tenable, inasmuch as there were no con-
prevent the discharge of any man at any
time, the conditions and duration of en-
ployment were fixed by the rules of the
road which were established by the rail-
road officials. 1t was utterly inconsistent,
he declared, to cOnstrue such condition
of affairs as contract In summing up
the evidence given in the case Mr.. Judson
declared that the sole jurisdiction pos
sessed by the court came through VIOLA
tions of the interstate-commerce law. These
violations must be illegal in the means
used to attain an end, or illegal in the
ends sought and there had been nothing
shown, he declared, to indicate that either
tain it were against the law, and therefore
the entire case fell TO the ground and he
therefore prayed the dissolution of the in
junction.
Judge Priest, special counsel for the Wa
bash, who made the third argument for
summary of the evidence. he claiming
that there was such ample proof of con-
spiracy to justify Judge Adams in the con-
tinuance Of the injunction.