The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-17
GOMPERS A WITNESS.
He Testifies Further in the Buck Stove
Boycott Case.

washington, Sept. 1.-THE taking
o. testimony in the Gompers- Mitchell
MORRISON alleged contempt case in
connection with the Bucks Stove and
range company nti-boycott proceed
lhgs against those officers of the
American Federation of Labor was
resumed by Examiner Harper today
with President Gompers ON the stand
MI. Davenport again was interroga-
Tor Tor the prosecution and he sought
especially to develop the facts con-
cernlng the circulation of the January
issue of the "Federationist," the Of
hc1al publication of the organization
which number Mr.. Gompers has stated
was expedited i'll order that it might
be gotten out before the injunction
should become operative. Mr.. Comp
pers said that he personally attended
TO the getting out of the publication,
but he could not recall that an ex-
ceptionaly large number had been
printed. When Mr.. Davenport sought
to develop particular details about
that proceeding Mr.. Gompers replied:
IF you'll tell me just what you want
I'll frankly tell you, and thus save
the time and trouble necessary to do
SO much prodding.''
Continuing Mr.. Gompers said that
when he gave orders for the expedit-
ing of the editorial of the edition he
had not been aware that the injunc-
ton would be made operative, but on
the contrary he had considered it pos
sible that the stove company would
rest satisfied after obtaining Justice
Gould'S opinion and would not furth-
er prosecute the matter. When the
Injunction did become effective he had
taken the precaution to call in the Of
ficers of the Federationist and eau
tion them against them doing any
thing that might be in violation of
the courts order. This he had done
because he did not want any of them
to become involved in the proceeding
and he had told them to refer all
doubtful matters to him. He said that
after the injunction went into effect
| the copies that had been placed in the
| mails or sold to the newspaper COM
panies.
Mr. Davenport asked Mr. Gompers
| to state his purpose in sending out the
January issue after the injunction was
| ticipate the operation of the decree
which otherwise would have prevent
| ed you from issuing it?
| Mr.. Gompers replied that he had
not been sure whether Mr.. Van Cleave
would file his bond and thus make the
decree operative, ttbut in any event, -
he went on, 81 wanted to issue the
January number Just as it had been
prepared prior to December 3d."
with the name lof the Bucks Stove
and. Range company on the unfair
list % Mr.. Davenport suggested.
Mr.. Gompers replied in the affirm
alive.
/ was not your motive to be found
4 in the apprehension that the injunc-
/ ton would be carried into effect % '77f
| II had no motive in particular.
! There was no INJUNCTION in existence
to prevent my getting the issue OUT
] What was the occasion for the
hurry?'
/ ~ wanted to get the issue out be-
fore the injunction decree became OPP
erative."
| "Why?''
/. "That is a question 1 ought not be
called upon to answer"
/ Mr.. Davenport insisted and Mr..
| Gompers replied:
81 wanted to get the issue out so we
! could continue the We don't patro-
nize list without Interruption"
| without interruption by whom?"
without interruption by any one, -
| Mr. Gompers replied.
| Did you not mean that you wanted
to avoid the interruption of the
court %
1.-THE answer includes ALL" said Mr..
| Gompers. there was danger of inter-
| ruptionI by the Bucks company"