Waterbury Democrat., 1903-01-22
Strikers Press Committee Gives Out Some Inside
 Facts.
BARRETT ASKED AN INTERVIEW WITH SEWELL
It Was Refused and the Trolley Manager Went His WayThe Morn. ing the Strike Was Decided Upon MT Sewel Replied to Question of the Strikers. '' That What
 You Woke Me Up For Y'

The following statement was issued by the strikers executive committee this afternoon:
 "On this, the 18th day of our strike, we find the situation practically un- changed from that of yesterday. The men are firm as ever and in their us- ual happy frame of mind, awaiting de- velopments coolly and hoping for the best.
 We have been requested to clear away an impression which has been circulated concerning A:1y we struck. It has been intimated that as a union we rallied around some discharged men and because the company would not take them back, struck. That is not so. AS we have stated time and again we have been, uneasy and fret full over grievances for more than a year and even had these men not been discharged, it was only question of time when we would make the de- mands we did. We will state, how ever, that the discharge of MT Bar rett and the other men precipitated the strike.
 Again, it has been stated that the time MT Barrett is alleged to have failed to report for work, from Satur- day until the following Wednesday, was spent in furthering the interests of the union. We can prove that during that time MT Barrett was not out of the city and was not employed in work having connection with the union.
 "And now, as 1t seems to be, the public inference that Barrett and the other men were discharged really for being in saloons with uniforms on, we think the public should know that the only evidence offered by Manager Sewell of such violations of the rules is that last August-think of it-he knows that Barrett was twice in sa- loon while on duty. If discharging a man in January for what occurred the previous August is considered good and fair business principles, we fail to see it. MT Barrett says he feels in his heart he is innocent and is willing to leave his case in the hands of a re putable committee of citizens. his fate to be decided by their findings.
 "The Saturday evening previous tc the strike, MT Barrett, who had just been discharged, rode on the same cal as MT Sewell as far as his residence When Mir Sewell got off, MT Barrett also alighted and asked for i've min utes' interview. He was refused He begged for three minutes interview for the sake of his manhood and fol the eight years both had been together as employer and employe. It was re fused. He was obliged to go back without chance to speak. A few minutes of Mir Sewell's .time then might have averted the >striks@ ''The night that the men decided to strike-or the Sunday morning, rather flor it was two o'clock before the for. nal vote to go out had been taken before adjournment a committee was appointed to call MT Sewell by tele. phone and tell him of the action. The committee was instructed to also tell MT Sewell (which they did) that if he had anything to offer of conciliatory measure, the vote would be rescinded and the men would go back. His re- ply to the committee was, s'Is that what you woke me up for?" "We sent the following communica- ton to MT Sewell this morning: MT J. E. Sewell. General Manager
 Connecticut Railway and Lighting
 Go.
 Dear Sir:-The proposition as sub- mitted by you at conference on the 2Oth inst has been laid before our members at full and representative meeting, and we hereby wish to in form you that they unanimously de clined to accept any of the terms of said proposition, save ten hour day, to be executed inside 121a consecutive hours. the concession granted to the barn men of 20 cents per hour, and the snow blow work to be paid 9 cents per --~T
 70. MORGAN, 'H. DENNIS,
 ..5 ... CT. B. COLLINS,
 l. k4,,