The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-12-01
Fifty Armed Deputies
to Keep Peace at
keasbey.
STRIKE-B BREAKERS COME
UNDER HEAVY GUARD
Battle Likely If New York Men
Are Put to Work
in Pits.
WOMEN HELP WORKMEN
WHO ARE HOLDING OUT
Elizabeth Soldiery Ordered to
Keep in Readiness for
Hurried March.
tFrom a STAFF Correspondence

lrrom StaH CorrespondenI1
PERTH AnBOY, Dec. 1.-The two
of militia, comprising $50
men, were ordered withdrawn from
the cIay-pits here today when the
owners of The plants reported that
they bod 200 guards armed with
Springfield rifles ON bsrges In the
Rnritan river, and sheriff Quackenbox
reported that he had nifty armed
special deputies. and was preparing to
swear In fifty more.
Ten minutes after the militia had
been withdrawn all of the strikers who
had gone back to work left their places
and We're again on strike. 1t was then
believed that. the return of some Of the
men was ruse to get the militia with
drawn.
troops went another order for the two
companies at Elizabeth to hold them
selves in readiness to proceed to Perth
Amboy and Keasbey on an hours
notice
Without the restraint of military law
1t is feared that the heavily armed
guards employed by the plants. who
have been. recruited from men out of
work in New York, will become reck-
less and that hostilities may ensue
Perhaps the gravest danger lies in
withdrawing the restraint the militia
exercised on the whiske traffic. Liquor
is feared as the real menace of peace
Two barges, under tow of the tug
Fireproofer, of the National Fireproof-
ing Company, came down the bay late
last night and this morning they were
anchored off that company's plant in
the Raritan river.
On board were between 400 and 500
men who had been recruited as strike
breakers in New York, and over them,
on the same barges, were 200 strapping
and looking young men, each
of whom carried Springfield rifle and
a belt of long brass cartridges. They
were all in plain view from the brow
of the spithead back of the claypits
when daylight came.
Refuse to Return.
Incidentally, this spithead is likely
to be the scene of the first hostilities, IL
there are to be any,
1t was believed early today that the
bavkbone of the strike had been broken
when more than 200 of the strikers re-
turned to the plant of the Pardee Com
pany But they soon came back to the
ranks of the strikers, exploining that
they had gone to the office to get the
pay due them. None of the more than
], 900 strikers were paid until this after
noon.
Then there was a general demand for
pay. The companies. particularly the
National Fireproofing Company, urged
each man, as he came up to get his
pay, to return to work. But 1t was re-
ported that not a single man went back.
Instead, all of them demanded all OF
the money due them, including the frst
weeks pay. which the companies have
always held bacq on It's employees.
This was taken to indicate that there
was no hope of the strikers accepting
the offer of $40 day. ard the comps-
MES prepared to put the strike breakers
to work.
The two barges in the river had been
fitted up for living purposes and the
National Company proposed to keep the
men on board these barges at night and
work them in the plants during the day.
Fifty Armed Deputies.
Fifty of the sheriffs deputies imrne-
diately took the places of the militia
men on the land side of the fire-clay
plants on the removal of the troops.
They were armed with revolvers and
stout sticks.
The temper of the strikers was
further heated by this move and 1t was
feared that an attack would be made
on the deputies. These are the same
deputies who fired on the strikers last
Wednesday and wounded six.
Women in keasbey are doing much to
strengthen the strikers. They are taking
an active part in the strike and APP
are willing to starve with their
husbands. Several men have been kept
from returning to the plants by the
women. A number of wives have
started out as peddlers of small wares
in Perth Amboy and neighboring cities
to support their households while their
husbands keep up the strike.
The strikebreakers on the barges in
the river were recruited from more
than 1000 applicants who crowded Cort-
landt and West streets yesterday after
noon Those selected were placed on
Board the barges. which had been
hastily prepared for living purposes,
and under cover of darkness. they
were shunted out into the river and
taken down to the Raritan and Perth
A r,hov