The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-11-22
GOMPERs REPLIES TO ATTACKS
Tells of ALLEGED Attempt to BTlhe
Him
Was Sick iu Little Rock Nhca
Paper Was Alleged to Have Been
Signed by Iiim-Rcading or DoCu-
mcnt Followed by Dramatic SCcuc-

Norfolk, Va, November 20.-A SEN
sation was created in the Federation
OF labor this afternoon by President
Gompers in his speech. replying 10 the
attacks upon him and other officers OF
the federation by tnr manufacturers
association, when he told of an al
legged attempt 10 bribs nim at the Vic
,cria hotel in New York in October by
young newspaper man, giving his
Name as Brandenbery. the latter, Mr..
Gcmpers said. having declared that he
represented the National Manufactur-
ers Association and was prepared To
offer him immunity from ell exposure
and make him financially secure the
remainder OF his life II he would sign
certain paper and otherwise aid In
the exposure" OF the ether leaders In
the American Federation OF Labor.
with the view TO totally destroying
the influence of organized labor in the
country.
The paper, President Gompers said.
was to purport to have been signed
when he (Gompers) was I'll in Little
Rock, Ark. in 1895. This paper, says
Mr. Gompers, he had preserved and
| while death-like stiffness prevailed in
the convention Mr.. Gompers drew
forth the original document and read
Il. The climax was most dramatic
one. Mr.. Gompers during his recital
CT the alleged attempt at bribery,
| who were with him at times in con-
| nection with interviews with Branden-
| berg TO verify his statement. This
| the delegates, rising in their seats,
did. At the closing of President Com
! terS speech there was n great demon
| strdtion, even Victor l.. Berger, OF
| Milwaukee, the socialistic opponent
| of Mr.. Gompers, rising and with up
| lifted arms, declaring that although
| he had At convention after convention
bitterly opposed the reelection OF Mr..
| GOmpers, he would be the one this
! year to move ID make his reelection
| unanimous, with a yore OF confidence
not only to President Gompers but ~
all the officers of the American Feder-
| alton OF Labor, this, declared Mr..
Berger, lis the answer of the social
:sts TO the manufacturers association
a motion offered by w. ID. Ryan.
CT Springfield, ILL.,, representing tho
Illinois Mine Workers. voting TO Pres
| ident Gompers complete confidence I'm
his very act and deco and denouncing
the manufacturers association, receiv-
ed immediate Consideration and was
adopted amid enthusiastic excitement
New York, Nov. 2O.-Broughton
Brandenbsrg, president OF the Nation
al Institution or Immigration and a
magazine writer. said tonight that he
was the man referred TO by President
Gompers of the American Federation
of Labor, when the latter at the con-
vention at Norfolk today, declared
that 'One Charles Brandenberg, a
newspaper man attempted TO bribe
him to take part in an exposure OF
other federation leaders"
In statement Mr.. Brandenberg en-
pEatically denied that he had attempt
ed to bribe Mr.. Gompers. He also
stated that he had no connection with
the National Manufactures Associa-
ton and that his dealing with Com
pCrs was solely in the interest OF a
publication which he represents. He
himself, he said, had been the intend .
Ell victim OF plot that failed He
declared that Gompers' statement to-
Gay was an effort 10 foresta!l the ef-
lect OF what he knew was about 10
be published.