The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-25
SENSATIONAL
 DECLARATION Attempt Made to Bribe
 Gompers. CHARGE AGAINST VAN CLEAvE Wanted Gompers to Desert Cause
 of Labor. This Revelation Was Made During the Cross-Examination of Labor Lead CT in Contempt Proceedings
 At washington.
CHARGE AGAINST VAN cLEAvE


 Washington, Sept. 24.-Samuel Com
 pers, president of the American Fed eration of Labor, today introduced th' name of former Secretary Taft ant made serious charges against J. W <, Van Cleave, president of the Nationa Association of Manufacturers.
 The charges were made as part oi Mir. Gomper's testimony in connection with the proceedings against himself Vice President Mitchell and Secretary Morrison, of the Federation, in the Buck Stove and Range contempt case
 In the case of MT. Taft, Mir. Gompers in effect said that he had supplied the sentiment behind the injunction decree while the direct charges was made that MT. Van Cleave had had MT. Gompers and other Federation officers shadowed by detectives and had undertaken to have MT. Gompers bribed to desert the cause of organized labor and join its enemies. The efforts of MT. Ralston. counsel for Gompers. were directed towards showing a counter-conspiracy by the manufacturers to destroy trades unionism.
 He read the portion of MT. Taft's personal nomination acceptance speech bearing on the anti-injunction plank ad commenting upon the extract, Mir. Gompers said:
 Tt Is substantially the basis of this injunction suit and these contempt pre- ceedings under that injunction"
 Taft's Name Used.
 Mr. Ralston-"I understand you then, it is reliance upon Mir. Taft's decisions that you are here today?"
 MT. Gompers-"Justfce Gould. in his opinion, so asserts and he quotes from in5unctions issued by Judge Taft while upon the bench"
 MT. Ralston-"Judge Taft's standing in the matter then. having the endorse ment of the National Association of Alanufacturers?'
 Mir. Gompers--"Yes.
 The revelation was made during the crosssexaminatton or Mir. Gompers by Attorney Ralston. Have you ever been followed by, dktectives?" Mir. Raiston asked! e
 MT. Gompers replied that he had been.
 T have been,' he said, "and so have my colleagues of the executive council of the Federation on many occasions"
 Tn whose interest?"
 At the instance of Mr. Van Cieave."
 'F'or what purpose?"
 For the purpose of bringing to him such information as might reflect on my course in the cause of labor."
 MT. Gompers then related the par ticulars of an effort to have himself followed, which he said had occurred In Washington in the latter part of the summer of 1907 and had continued tors several days. ---f
 He said that he had first observed a man following him from his home to his office and he said that this pro- ceeding was kept up day and night for some time. the man following him on the street car and standing outside his oince until time to return to his home.
 On one occasion" he said. "he kept closer to me than ordinaily. That was one evening whtn I attended meeting of lodge of Elks of which I am member. He followed me to the lodge room and when came out ob- served he was standing opposite the building and again he took the same car which boarded to reach my home. It is particularly lonesome ride from the car line to my house and when the man followed me I turned and de- manded to know why :. was following me and directed him to desist from do- inf -1. He at first declared that he was not dogging me but afterwards ad litted that he was doing so. I recognized Linn, and he me, as a mem- her of the Masonic fraternity. He then told me that he would desist from pursuing me and admitted that he was detective, saying that MT. Van Cleave had employed him to dog me-" The cross examination then bore on the question of bribery. Have you" MT. Ralston asked. lever been approached by emissaries of MT. | Van Cleave who wanted to bribe your
 "1e es." responded MT. Gompers.
 In reply MT. Gompers began a long | narrative. the purpose of which was | that in the latter part of the summer | of 1907, while on business in New | " I.. who gave the name of Brandenburg | and claimed acquaintance with him. who told him after they had several | meetings that he had been sent by MT. Van Cleave to offer him money to de- sert the cause of labor and betray its secrets.
 Mir Gompers said that Brandenburg had told him that 1t was Van Cleave's purpose to destroy his (Gompers's) | character, but that he, Brandenburg, had persuaded that 1t would be better to make an ally of Gompers and that Van Cieave consented. Brandenburg had then proposed to him, in behalf of Van Cleave. that he desert the cause of labor and accept from Brandenburg a guarantee of an income of $5,000 or $6.000 year for the remainder of his life.
 Politics Injected.
 National politics was infected in todays proceedings almost as soon as the cross examination of President Gompers was begun by Attorney Rals- ton. counsel for the Federation.
 The examination led into a lively col. loquy in which the National Manu- lecturers Association. of which James W. Van Cleave Is president, Mir. Van Cleave's presence at the Republican National Convention, and Judge Taft's attitude toward injunctions were dis cussed. MT. Ralston's questions were in support of his theory of an organiz- ed effort to destroy organized labor. MT. Gompers said he had nothing to do with the circulation of '.he Fedora tionist for January. 1908. as charged. ''So far as you know" he was asked. has there been any distributwson of the We don't patronize list including tne Bucks Stove and Range Company since December 23. 1907. when the in- junction decree was issued?''
 Mir Gompers replied in the negative, and added that not since the issuance