New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-24
TRANSFERS ULTIMATUM.
CURRAN rs TURNED DOWN.
Officials Say Mem Vho Broke
Word Cannot Get Back.

Representatives of the teamsters' union and
of the striking freight handlers neld confer
ence last night at No 147 East Fifty -thrd-st.
There were manifestations of much excitement
at the meeting. After the delegates separated.
E. W. Gould. delegate of the teamsters. said
there probably would be a sympathetic strike.
we shall ask for conference with the New
haven officials Tomorrow Gould said. 'and if
the conference is refused, 5000 teamsters In this
city will be ordered out in a sympathetic strike
IL the conference is granted. and the New
Haven officials refuse to accede to Just de-
mands. there will be strike ordered 1t is pos
sible the strike may extend TO all the union
teamsters in the Eastern States
Lawrence Curran, president OF the National
Organization Of Freight Handlers, came to New
York yesterday take charge of the strike
against the Marine Department of the New
York, New-Haven and Hartford Railroad. He
was in conference with Captain j. A. Miller, the
superintendent of the Marine Department, and
o. NJ. Shepard. general superintendent of the
railroad.
After his conference with Captain Miller he
sent kilograms to the New England points
visited by the various lines. ordering the men
not TO go out strike until they had heard from
MIN again. From Captain Miller he learned
that the Civic Federation wished to help settle
the strike He took this news with i'll grace.
Wen settle this strike all by our lonesome"
he said. What do they want 10 butt in
for. anyway"
He then saw o. NJ. Shepard. with no result
except 10 show that the strikers ready to
quarrel among themselves. the local men resent
ing the action Of Curran in coming here to take
charge OF things. When he went TO the general
managers Office in the Grand Central Station
he was accompanied by five other men, repre-
senting the locals OF the Freight Handlers.
Freight Clerks. Firemen and Oilers and Truck
mems unions. After waiting his turn in the
anteroom for half an hour Curran was admitted
to the Office Of Mr.. Shepard. while his followers
were left cooling their heels. They resented
this and in the hour they had TO wait for Cur
rams temperance they grew indignant and i'm
patient. Finally Thomas V. Heay represent
ing the Freight Handlers Local. No 63. said to
the others:
I'VE won't have any one-man rule. II he
makes any agreement that isn't satisfactory it
won't go with US, that's ALL"
When Curran came out from the Office he
apparently in i'll humor himself. Both parties
lost their temper after few minutes conver-
sation. and after the others had upbraided him.
Curran replied:
I'm not stuck this job. and II you don't
like the way I'm running 1t I'll go back TO Chi
cago. You felers want TO act like n parcel OF
- AoolS' 1Ou SOI me mere 10 ia up your ul4-
ferences. and I am trying to do it."
Curran was exceedingly angry. and the men
made no reply. When he asked by
porter what he contemplated doing next. he
replied:
You wait long enough and you'll find out"
GENERAL MANAGERS STATEMENT.
General Manager Shepard told later what had
occurred at the meeting. He said:
did not recognize Curran in any way, shape
or form acting In any official capacity. / re-
ceived him simply individual, the same
/ seeing you newspaper men. / neither
ganzation. but l simply received him as would
any other calling business. He asked
me, the representative of the railroad. TO
employ the five hundred odd men who are out
These men were working under an agreement
signed last March, binding for one year. which
was made with each individual. stipulating ex-
pressly that II any grievance arose II should
be settled with the man next superior on each
side. the employer and employe.
The men. 1 told him. could not come back
again under any circumstances. individuals
otherwise. They broke their word with us.
and when you cannot rely mans word he
is no good. They have forfeited all claim TO any
recognition whatever from us. and they will
not receive any. There are plenty OF men in the
United States anxious for work, and who
men enough to keep their word
We refused 10 deal with these men because
they are not in our employ, and since they
not. why should we recognize them when they
come here making demands? We would not rec
ground. I met Curran only as an individual. and
we found that we had nothing In common TO
discuss.