The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-19
And an Argument I'm Favor Of Making
the Injunction Permanent De-
lfvered by Col. BlOdgett.
ASSOCIATION OF EMPLOYERS
OF STRUCTURAL
STEEL HAVE ORGANIZED.
Union That Will Deal as a Body with
Labor Disputes Affecting Any Menu
Der of the Association.

ST. LOUIS. March 1s.-Affidavits were
afternoon in the Wabash injunction suit
Col. Wells H. Blodgett, the leading coun-
sci for the railroad. was the first to address
the court, and after he had spoken for an
hour an adjournment was taken until to-
morrow morning. In opening his argument
Colonel Blodgett declared that ''our conten-
ton is that the employees of the Wabash
road are not dissatisfied. that no alleged
grievances originated with Them but with
the defendants in this case" The speaker
then read in full the charges made against
the officers and members of the two labor
organizations in the original bill of COM
plant, emphasizing the points he expected
TO prove. 1T is important" he declared,
after reading from the BILL that 1t should
be understood what is meant by a union
road 1t is road where committees of
labor organizations are recognized and con-
tracted with; where written agreements are
signed by the men, or their representatives,
and by the managers of the road. A nom
union road formulates its own rules and
schedules and posts them where they may
be seen. There are no signed agreements.
The first point which wish to discuss is
whether the defendants in this case con-
spired to injure the Wabash Railroad In
order to bring about the recognition Of their
union"
Colonel Blodgett then read numerous ex-
tracts FROM the record which he asserted
showed that two organizations working to-
gether demanded recognition and threat
ened trouble in case 1t was denied them.
'It is alleged in the bill of complaint" he
said, that in order to compel the railroad
company to recognize them-they have
conspired to induce the employees to violate
their contracts. 1t has been denied by the
defendants that there were any contracts
between the company and it's employees. 1t
is not necessary to discuss that at the pres
ent time. as among the numerous affidavits
which have been presented to the court Is
one from Superintendent Mayer, of the
Wabash road, giving the names of many
men with whom he has formed contracts.
We claim that the grievances said to exist
on the Wabash road originated with the
defendants in this case and not with any
evidence of this l point out that there is
not in any of the reports of the meetings
of their grievance committee brought here
by the defendants a single statement to
show that any of these so-called grievances
were ever discussed by that committee.
These grievances must have originated
somewhere, and we claim that the proceed
ings of the grievance committee show that
they were made in accordance with the de-
mands of the Western association of the
general committee of these two organiza-
tons as a foundation for their demand for
official recognition of their union" At this
point in Colonel Blodgetts argument court
adjourned until tomorrow.
Among the affidavits submitted by the
railroad company to-day were those of
John w Schrader, who said that he was a
member of the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen that he was personally acquaint-
ed with Grand Master Morrissey, and de-
clared that he had heard Grand Master
Morrissey threaten to bring about general
tie-up of all the Gould lines unless their
organization was officially recognized by the
Wabash road. Robert j. Robinson and C..
W. Smith gave similar testimony concern
ing Mr.. Morrissey, Grand Master Hanna
han. of the firemen, and Vice Grand Master
Lee. of the trainmen, saying that they had
made statements to the effect that they
would tie up the road and cripple its bust
ness If their demands were not granted.
In rebuttal Messrs. Morrissey, Hannahan
and Lee offered affidavits of energetic de-
NAL. They declared the affidavits charging
them with uttering threats to tie up the
road or injure the business were false in
every particular and declared they had
never before heard Of the men who made
them.