The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-07-28
One Hundred and Fifty Men En-
plGycd ut Armour Packing 60.
Taken Violently Ill.
MANY BADLY FRIGHTENED.
Physician Summoned Early in the
Morning Finds Sufferers Al
most Panic Stricken
All Recover.

one hundred and fifty men, strike break
ers at the Armour Packing. Company
plant at the National Stock Yards, East
St. Louis, were made violently i'll early
yesterday morning the result of some un-
known person drugging the coffee used at
supper Tuesday night. Some %: the men
were SO badly poisoned that it was feared
they would not recover.
About / o'clock yesterday morning the
men complained to the guards of severe
pains and illness. As the number who
complained increased. Doctor J. l., Wig
gins. the company physician. WAS notified.
He hurried to the Armour plant. and by
the time he arrived there he found things
in Il state closely bordering on panic.
More than $50 men were apparently death
" sick. and those who had not been af-
fectcd were badly frightened.
Doctor Virgins soon arrived at the
reason for the Illness, and prescribed for
the $50 men at once. A dozen of the we'll
men who had had experience in nursing
were given charge of the sick and Doc
tor Virgins personally attended those who
were worst affected. BY morning almost
Ill were resting easy. although a dozen
were unable to leave their cots all day
yesterday.
A thorough investigation revealed the
fact that someone had poured the drug
into the coffee or the water which was
used for making it, and all who drank
OF the coffee were made ill. Those who
drank two cups were the sickest and those
who did not drink any were not affected.
Representatives of the packers stated
yesterday that they had taken back sew
eral hundred of the men who had gone out
on the strike. They refused to say in what
departments these men had been placed or
from what departments they had struck.
1t was said further that the packers were
getting skilled butcher help, which they
had been having trouble in getting up to
a day ago. Strikers asserted on their part
that the packers were not getting any of
the union men back and that they expect
ed to win the strike by the end of the
week. None of the allied trades in East ST.
Louis have been called out yet
This morning at BelleviIle the appIica-
tion 10 dissolve the injunction against the
strikers will be argued before Circuit
Judge Holder. A mass of evidence and
testimony will be presented on both sides
Both sides will be well fortified with affi-
davits also.
N~C->T STATEMENTS.
representative of the St louis
Dressed Beef and Provision Company said
last night that a few of the striking
butchers applied for work at the COM
pSnys plant yesterday and were received
The strike leaders deny this report and
say that all The strikers were present at
the regular mass meeting yesterday morn
Ing and expressed their determination to |
To-
not settled.
AT the daily meeting al No. 1910 Frank |
lin avenue yesterday morning several of !
the men reported that they were an |
preached Tuesday night by representa- |
tives of one of the downtown employment |
agencies and offered good wages and a |
bonus in money to return to their old |
places. 1t is said that 80 men We're thus |
approached. some of them as late as II |
O'Clock. The strike leaders say that the |
offer was not accepted in a single case. |
and that the men are more determined |
than ever. because it was made, thinking |
that the packers are in close quarters.
officers of the St. Louis Dressed Beef |
and Provision Company said last night |
that this action was not taken on their
authority. They said. however, that they
had learned Of certain employment |
agency which was making strong efforts |
to place the strikers with their old en-
ployers.
The downward tendency of prices on all |
fresh meats which have been affected by
the strike was still noticeable yesterday.
1t was reported by several butchers that |
both beef and pork have fallen about one
quarter of a cent a pound and that veal |
and mutton have dropped one-half a cent.
The St. Louis Dressed Beef and Pro-
vision Company operated its plant yester-
day to about the same extent as on p-e-
vious days Of the week. 1t was reported
that they killed 146 cattle and $50 hogs. As
before, the strikers deny that the packers
could have handled that number