Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-23

Washington Dec 23-The famous
contempt case OF the Buck Stove and
Range company against President
Gompers, Vice President Mitchell, and
Secretary Morrison, of the American
Federation OF Labor. was decided today
by Justice Wright, of the supreme
court OF the District Of Columbia. ad-
versely to the federation officials.
Gompers was sentenced to twelve
months Imprisonment, Mitchell to nine
months and Morrison to six months.
The case grew out OF the alleged
boycott Of the company's products and
the putting of that company on the
unfair list, and the federations alleged
violation of Judge Goulds recent
mandamus, and has attracted wide at
tention.
The Buck company's prosecution OF
the officials of the federation began
In August, 1907. The original action
was test case, wherein 1t was sought
to enjoin the labor unions from using
UNFAIR" and I'VE don't patronize'
lists in their fight against the firm and
individuals. Justice Gould issued a
permanent injunction forbidding the
publication of the company's name In
these lists. Gompers. in an editorial in
the Federationst of January last, made
known his intention not to obey the
courts order, contending that the IN
junction issued was in derogation OF
the rights of labor and an abuse of the
injunctive power of the courts. >Gom-
pers, Mitchell and Morrison subse-
uuently were cited for contempt. ana
this phase of the case has been before
the court for many months.
Defendants Scathingly Denounced.
Judge Wright's decision was a scath-
ing denunciation Of defendants. He re-
cited the conditions anteceding the In
junction and referred to the fact that
for twenty-five years the Buck plant
had been operated as IA ten hour shop
and had always maintained the open
shop" He also spoke Of the numerical
strength of the American Federation OF
Labor. with its two million members,
and OF its repeated endorsement 81 the
boycott of the Buck company. thru Inc
American Federationist, thru speeches
by defendants. letters, circulars. etc.
The court referred to the use OF the
I'VE don't patronize" list and the "un-
fair" list of the labor organization, and
said the members of labor unions were
forced and coerced into supporting it,
whether individually willing or un-
willing, approving or disappearing" by
various methods. The court read ex-
tracts from number OF resolutions OF
labor organizatins bearing on the
Buck case as tending to show the
methods Of influencing members Of the
unions, "and these methods" the court
remarked, "seem to be known as per
suasior' of customers. The stove COM
pany, the court said, had been intimi-
dated, browbeaten and coerced out of
their business relations with their GUS
toners 'by direct interference with
and boycott Of their (the customer's)
trade relations with their own GUS
toners and the public generally"
Sought to Kill Business.
Following an exhaustive discussion
of conspiracies in restraint Of trade,
Justice Wright said:
From the foregoing it ought to seem
apparent to thoughtful men that the
defendants to the bill, each and all Of
them, have combined together for the
purpose of bringing about a breach of
plaintiffs existing contracts with 9TH
ers," Of depriving plaintiff of property
(the value of the good will of its bus
iness) without due process Of law, and
of restraining trade and commerce
among the several states.
Intended to Violate II.
The ultimate purpose Of defendants,
the court said in this connection, was
unlawful, their concerted project an Of
fense against law and, it added, they