Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-03-12
UNIONS MAKE A
GENERAL DENIAL
they Tell Judge Adams They
Meant No Harm to the
Wabash Road.
RECOUNT THE TROUBLES
Repeated Efforts to Induce the Com
pany to Consider Grievances of the
Men Have Utterly Failed
Injunction Argument.


FOR dissolution, and AN answer to the
| injunction secured last Tuesday by
| President Ramsey of the Wabash rail-
| way, restraining the officers of the
| brotherhoods represented in the con-
| troversy, and the employees of the road
| serving on the grievance committees,
| from calling a strike were filed with
| Judge Adams in the United States dis
trict court at 1906 o'clock this morn
ing The aflidavits of many BROTHER
hood officials were simultaneously filed |
with the answer. Until last night.
work on the important document had
been carried OH unremittingy since
Friday last by Judge w. L. Irwin Of
Peoria, Il. j. Pinney of Cleveland, and
| John III. Murphy of Denver, counsel
for the brotherhoods interested. 1t
contained about $4,000 words.
A General Denial.
The answer is u specific denial that the
| Wabash was ever Il union or brotherhood
road. employing exclusively union or
! brotherhood members, and also denying
/ that the brothcrhoods involved ever made
| any demand or attempt to compel the
| Wabash to restrict It's employees as to
connection with brotherhoods or unions
1t denies that such organization partlcl-
4 pated In the Pullman strike in 1884 as
| charged in the complaint and admits that
| the Wabash company never made any
distinction in selection of its employees, as
to whether they We're members of broth.
| erhoods, since or prior to the Pullman
strike. 1t denies all allegations that the
Wabash ever had any complaint from
employees respecting wages and rules since
1884, but states that the employees have
for years had grievances and differences
with respect to wages and regulations,
and that this controversy arises not only
from complaints of members of brother
hoods, but from employees not members
OF brotherhoods, and that the effort OF
the officers of the brotherhoods are as
representatives of over l.2V0 switchmen,
brakemen and liremen upon its lines. The
employees In the train service have fire.
quently presented their grievances TO the
officials for adjustment. and officers have
persistentiy refused to consider such
grievances, and this continued policy
finally eliminated in presenting the griev-,
ances to the boards of adjustment and
grievance committee of the brotherhood
of Locomotive E'iremen and brotherhood
of Railway Trainmcn.
The First Grievances.
The first presentation of their COM
plants through the boards of the organi-
cations was about four months ago, and
deavoring to take the matters up with Mr.
Ramsey of the Wabash during all that
period. They have been granted brief in
terviews only about three times, and at
each We're put off by alleged excuses and
compelled to leave without satisfaction
or understanding.
cations have consplred to force roads to
recognize such organizations as repre-
senting and controlling its employees In
their relations with the road, and deny
that any demand or attempt has been
made to compel the Wabash to become an
exclusively union or brotherhood road.
| 1t is denied that any attempt has been
made to prevent the Wabash to discrim-
mate against employees not members of
said organizations. 1t Is denied that any
in vioati6ohns oPear y maae to employ o eM
ment. or in violation of agreement, OF
Interfere with the operation of trains OF
prevent that railroad from carrying out
contracts with shippers for transporta-
ton OF property, or to prevent 1t affordinR
reasonable, proper and equal facilities for
traffic between it's railroads and other
lines of railroads.
1t is denied that the defendants tried TO
: compel the Wabash and it's connecting
lines, or their employees, to violate the In
! terstate commerce act, or any agreement
i with reference thereto: to prevent the
!. Wabash carrying mails, or TO prevent the
Wabash In the discharge of Its duty as
I common carrier.
Road Will Not Be Harmed.
| 1t is denied that the Wabash vii, be
subjected to suits and prosecution. result
Ing in rreparable loss, by reason of any
act of defendants.
The defendants deny that w. G. Lee. p.
III. Morrissey, #. II. Dodge c. H. Wilkins.
or any Representative of the brotherhood
OF RailMay Ifainmen, and John j. Han
nahan, Timothy Shea and f. w Arnold.
/ or amy representative oil the brotherhood
VI Locomotive Flrcmen within two wears
past Prior to the date of the filing Of the
bili Of complaint, or at any other time
unlawfully and maiiciously conspircd 10
induce several hundred employees of the
| Wabash to become members, of said or
gnnization but state that they have in
vited and requested certain amy many of
the employees to become members for The
purposes set out In the constitution. and
not nc, ,a any other They deny that such nvi-
suit OF conspiracy to injury, ana deny
That they together with T. {. White, II,
r. = ilegoX, George n, w bradley. j. Sell,
aud William Mckay, Charles A. Lawton.
Frederick Engehaldt, b. w. Schafer,
Charles j. :, Ausef, g III. Nicmyer, A H.
as employees of the Wabash at any time
unltwtully agreed that in case the Wa
n ,s refused to recognize said organiza-
strike, and tie up the railroad or prevent
| employees from returning to work. or 9th
ers from ~, taking the places, or preventing
iic. Defendants deny all charges OF nm
lawful conspiracy, Combinations confed
erations or other unlawful contriving
Acted for Men.
/ 1T is denied that defendants renorto1 10
Wabash employees that they would get an
| increase OF wages for them, bur atlmit
that they represented to the Complainant
4 that many employees were dissatistia1
| with the wages and rules, but state thn
| fact TO be that at the request of MANY Of
| the Wabash employees they had been on.
| dcavoiing for a long time to have such
4 grievances settled and adjusted and mad
conferred together and agreed 10 present
| their several grievances Jointly ana in
| sist upon fair consideration thereof ,nd
| adjustment.
The defendants deny that the Wabash
| cannot accede to the demands without 's;o
| leting contracts with many employee AVA
without interfering with the operaticrn Of
| Its lines, and deny that such Cornerstone
as requested would interfere with the nnrs
| Torrance of its duty as common carrier
| in respect to the interstate commerce. law
or in operating mail trains
| The defendants deny they ever ma,ici-
| ously threatened to order a strike but
| bash that many of it's employees had de-
| termined to withdraw from its employ
| ment unless 1T acceded to reasonable "a
| quests. but that If a strike should occur
| 1t, would be voluntary act of the en-
ployes ~ |
1t is denied that any attempt was made
70 induce a strike by letters or circulars.
put II any inflammatory letters or circu-
lars were sent out 1t was not done bv any
committee or officer of the labor organi- |
zaIion or by their approval or consent
The defendants deny that the Wabash
is entitled to the relief prayed for or any
| part thereof, and now having fully an |