The sun., 1903-12-13
LABOR UNION is FINED $1,000.
A CHICAGO JUDGE Furnishes TIE
PRESS FEEDERS.

Judge HOldom Holds the Union Responsible
| for Violating an Injunction Through
Acts OF vioIence--The Decision Is the
First OF the Kind in the Country.
| CHICAGO, Dec. IA fine Of 81. 900 for
illegal acts was impose upon Franklin
Union No. 4, Press Feeders, by Judge
Holdom to-day. The Court found the
union as a corporation guilty of contempt
| of court for violating an injunction re-
straining 1t as an organization from inter-
| fering with the business or employees OF
| ten printing firms, members Of the Chicago
! Typothete.
Judge Holdom's action creates prec-
edent, it being the first time in the history
OF trades unionism in this country that
court has fined union as corporation.
| With his decision Judge Holdom has handed
down an opinion in which he severely con-
demned the acts OF pickets and union men,
bers which followed the press feeders
strike.
Such warfare cannot and will not be
| tolerated by the courts in land Of peace
where people are governed by law said
Judge Holdom; "and the law would be
lacking in one of its most necessary attri-
butes II it was impotent to punish for such
violation"
As soon as the decision was rendered
John A. Bloomington, counsel for the union,
offered cash appeal bond of 81 500 and said
he would carry the case.to higher court.
Judge Holdom in his opinion reviewed the
details Of the strike declared on Sept. ~
and of the terms of the injunction granted
fnI int onfc
of violence testified to in court as having
been committed by the strikers.
| From the affidavits in evidence in
this CASE" said the Judge, 1T appears
that more than fifty people have been,
since the inception of the difficulties set
forth in the bill, assaulted, intimidGted,
called by opprobrious epithets and threat
| ened with harm, simply because they
! worked in place vacated voluntarily
| by members of Franklin Union l. all
Of the alleged aggressors. with the excep-
tion OF John Mucher. being members of
the union. John Mucher. condemned twice
| for assault and unlawful picketing in COM
pany with members Of the union, in viola
| tion Of the injunction, has been defended
by the lawyer Of the union.
| Bearing in mind that the charge in
| the bill is that Of conspiracy and that the
! acts enjoined were those used in further
| ance Of such conspiracy, it would seem
| from the evidential facts that the actions
| of the union at the meeting Of Sept 81,
in the establishment Of the strike head
| quarters on Custom House Court. the
assault and intimidation by Assistant
Sergeant-at-Arms Kavanaugh and by Visit
l ing Committeeman Hagberg, the payment Of
1 - A. nst, -
BIZ the, union treasurer. with the union
monsy, and the fact that no discrimination
! NaG nnAds. against the n1embers of the union
known to be guilty Of acts in themselves
criminal, establish the union as a con-
spirator with its offending members. party
and privy to tho violations of the injunct ion
of which some OF its members stand con-
victed. and therefore guilty of violation
Of the injunction and amenable to dis
| ciplne OF such violation, providing it can
be so disciplined under the law
| Recounting the acts of the strikers, Judge
Holdom said
Punishment is meted out in accordance
with the gravity of the offence committed.
| The consequences Of violation Of the in
| junction by the union have been many
assaults on innocent persons seeking to
l
selves and their employers. There has
| been no discrimination between the sexes
women have been assaulted and ter
rorized and followed to their homes and
their families intimidated. Murder has
even resulted from the unlawful acts Of
the union and it's striking members. The
complainants have been interfered with
and arrested in the prosecution of their
! r,,l "a, tn
expense, annoyance and anxiety in assert
ing their rights before the law and in seek
ing the protecting arm of this court.
"The Court is impressed" the Judge said,
just before imposing the fine, with the
utter impossibility, in this particular case,
of attaining the ends of justice by the i'm
position of a nominal fine, and that the
duty resting upon the Court impels fine
somewhat measured by the gravity of the
offences committed, the continued dsre-
gard of the injunction and the persistent
! persecution Of honest wage earners who
are entitled to the protection of the law in
the pursuit of their daily avocation. To
the courts they have right to look for pro-
lection with confidence that such rights
shall be maintained in their integrity"
Details of various acts of violence were
tOld OF Dy JuuRe hoitloIn On Oct ID,
I903." he said, ID. E. Drydon, employed by
Marsh Il Grant, was knocked down by
Assistant Sergeant-at-Arm kavanaugh
Of Franklin Union No. 4, and assaulted
and kicked by other strikers; Bertha
Kester was visited several times by
John Hagberg, a member of the
visiti ng committee of the union;
also Eta Goelnick. visited by the
same John Hagberg; Sophia Baumel. also
visited by said John Hagberg; all given
the union card and offered money to quit
their employment, and also threatened
wth harm, and in the case OF Sophia Baumel
told that her picture would be posted in
the neighborhood where she resided"