Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-13
MESSENGER BOYS OUT
Bicycle Squads Aid Telegra>
pliers by Leaving Work.
CHASED "NON-UNION KIDS"
Patroled City and Frightened Off
Juvenile "Scabs."
WILL FORM ORGANIZATION
Another Labor Body to Be Added to
Washington's Long List.
Out to "Stick"

Messenger boys of the Postal and West
ern Union companies are out on a SYM
pathetic strike with the telegraphers.
That they are enthusiastic and per-
sistent was in evidence today when the
police CHASED them from pillar to post"
as one OF their number expressed it.
Their meeting place was in the open on
the concerted roadway or on the curb
stone of the downtown district, and the
provisional president of the prospective
Messenger Boys Union, a freckled-faced,
tousled-haired lad of about sixteen. an
nounced, with a broad grin, that for the
present his headquarters would be in his
inside pocket.
spirit of boyish fun pervaded the
purpose of the lads to assist the oper-
ators in their contest. and a number of
pranks were played on boys who sought
to take their places in the employ of
the company. The messengers We're out
early. this morning and proceeded to
picket the Western Union and Postal ap-
proaches to the rooms set aside for their
their appearance ready for the days
work were requested to join the ranks
of the strikers. Those who showed any
hesitancy were quickly persuaded" by
means that were often more forceful
than argumentative that their logical po-
sition was with the strikers The boys
who were mounted on bicycles formed
a corps of rough riders" and charged
and thanked any luckless lad who dared
to start out to deliver a telegram.
May Get a Hall.
Word was sent to officers of the Central
Labor Union that the messenger boys were
without a meeting place, and it is said Sec
rotary Sam DeNedrey at once took steps to
find hail or other place for them to hold
their sessions, especially the police were
said to be chasing them whenever they con-
gregated in groups on the street. 1t was
also said that steps will be taken this even
ing to form the telegraph messengers into
an organization, with regular officers and
a strike committee.
Sure we been riding all over town. We
been southeast. northeast and down south
west. Raiding al 1.-The offices. They amt
many boys working now
In this fashion one of the enthusiastic
members of the non-workng brigade of
messenger boys described the tour of the
bicycle riders to all outlying offices this
morning the trails of the "scabs.' The
boys insisted that they strike, and
they stopped at nothing in the effort to con-
vince others of their kind that 1t wasn't
conducive to health to be a "scab.''
band of about fifty members of the
messenger boys union" fiocked together
all of this morning, and they took the great
est delight in whizz,ng around corners at
top speed and in making repeated visits in
a body to the different branch offices to be
sure that no new boys had gone to work IN
the places of the Strikers
Scattered by coop"
About 1920 o'clock the whole band raced
along Pennsylvania avenue and stopped
the branch Office of The Postal company at
No. 914. where one two Lcy - were at
work. They were deploying for concert
ed attack when Policeman J'.f.1 A. Foley,
mounted on his horse at the corner of 10th
street and Pennsylvania av Hnue, not -~~' To-.
commotion. The cry, lilies that cid cop
again." was sut:c't'-t to scatter the hostile
forces, and in les,S tLav tan it takes to
late the tale the s,ys were on their wheels
pedalng out of the danger zone at top
speed.
Sergt. Lehman ana Pol1cemen McSSer ana
Wolfe of the first precinct, who were on
duty this morning in the vicinity of the
Western Union office. 14th and streets,
had their hands full keeping the messenger
boys out of mischief, and they took turns
delivering lectures full of paternalstic ad-
vice to the young Americans. 1t is not at
all certain that the advice was wholly alb
sorbed by the boys. because they persisted
in forming into a tentative organization,
and in posting scouts, whose duty 1t was to
detect and mete out immediate punishment
upon "scabs.'
Cornered by Strikers.
One unfortunate boy was cornered at 10Th
and f streets about noon and his messages
were confiscated, his record sheet torn up
and most of his clothes were torn off -hm
before policeman arrived near enough to
the scene to cause the beligerent young