The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-16
Chicago Witnesses Biggest Scan
dsI in Her History
SECRECY IS MAINTAINED
Before Grand Jury Driscol Tells the
Entire History of the Dealings
Between Employers and
Union Labor Leaders.

Chicago June 15.-The greatest scandal
Chicago has even seen. according to
States Attorney Healy. is to follow the
disclosures made today before the grand
jury by John C. DriscolI, when the
former secretary of the Associated Coal
Team Owners association revealed the
entire history of the dealings between
employers and union labor leaders, par
tieularly that branch of union labor rep
resented by the Chicago Teamsters
union.
States Attorney Healy declared that the
bribery and conspiracy charges dropped
into comparative insigniticance beside the
accusations which have been brought to
the attention of the grand jury. The
states attorney said:
OF Sensational Character.
More serious offences have been COM
mitted than bribery and conspiracy, and
the evidence presented to the jury has
been of an extremely sensational char
aeter. 1t Is very important and will lead
to startling results. The names mention
ed by the witnesses are those of men on
both. If I thought there would be no
results from their Investigation | would
call halt Immediately. | believe the
present line of inquiry will occupy the
attention of the jury for the remainder
of this week and a portion of next week,
but If necessary all the docketed cases
will be sldetracked because of the great
Importance | attach to the results of the
present inquiry"
Tomorrow will witness the gathering
before the grand jury of twenty or more
prominent nf
cago. together with leading members of
the bar Subpoenaes for them have been
placed tonight In the ha nds of private
detectives employed by the states attor;
ney, it is impossible tonight tasasa.Sn
the names OF thase for whom sd
have been issued. Charges, hoi
serious kind are said to figAi
evidence in connection wffh-~n
men have been summoned.
Recltes History of Dealing ~
John C. Driscoll was made today the
chief witness before the grand Jury and
recited what he called the History Of the
dealings between employers and union
labor. Drlscoll told how the coal team
sters and teamowners ha6 made the first
Joint trade agreement which provided that
the owners should employ only members
of the coal teamsters' union and that
the members of the union should work
for no employer not n member of the
coal teamowners' as5ocia alton. The effect
of this arrangement. the witness declared.
was to force every coal wagon owner into
the coal teamowners' association and ev-
err coal wagon driver into the teamsters'
union. The owners behind this provision
that barred union men from working for
mem not members of the association
raised the carriage rates of coal from
&c to 80 cents a ton for short hanls and
to as high as 81 a ton for longer hauls.
npfG aalF hafa fln aTrr- fxdo
eral check books which together with
the cancelled checks are expected to
prove many of the charges made by him
against business men and labor leaders
Officers Greatly Agitated.
1t was evident by the appearance of
the states attorney and members of the
jury at the time Of adjournment that
Driscol had given some very remarka BILE
testimony.
Both States Attorney Healy and his
assistant. Mr. Fake. and several men,
bers of the jury were highly agitated and
they admitted passively that evidence of
the gravest Importance had been given,
but everybody was sworn to secrecy
Drlscoll was also much agitated as he
left the criminal court building late this
afternoon. He refused. however to dis
cnss the nature of his testimony merely
saying:
told the Jury about strikes in which
I have been involved for several years.
and also told what I knew about the
present strike. That is all can say now"
Paid Shea $4,000.
1t was learned late tonight that one
OF the statements made by Drlscoll to
the jury was that President Shea of the
Transfers union accepted $4,000 at the
time of the stock yards strike last sum-
mer.
This strike began July 10 and lasted
nine weeks. About 26.000 men were thrown
out OF work and millions dollars were
lost by the packers In business and by
the men In wages. According 10 Driscoll
he went to Shea to see If the teamsters
could not be prevented from going out
on a sympathetic strike. Shea Is said
by Driscoll to have replied: 1T will cost
5000 to keep them al WORK -
Driscoll declared that he raised the
money and paid 1t to Shea and that the
labor leader was not able to prevent the
men from walking out. Driscoll after
wards. according to his story. demanded
the return of this money, and Saea de-
clared he had paid 1t over to two other
men connected with the Teamsters union.
DIES ON TRAIN