Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-10
STRIKE CRISIS NEAR
Clash of State and Federal
Authority Expected.
DRIVER SHOOTS IN CROWD
Fires When Mob Attacks Express
Wagon in New York Street.
MANY CHAUFFEURS STILL OUT
Employees of All Coal Companies, It
Is Said, Will Quit Work
Before Tonight.

NEW YORK, November 1O.-Possibili-
ties OF a clash today between state and
federal authority over express strike COM
plications intensified interest in all de-
and companies. A hint of state arbitra-
tion was the only peace note sounded.
The sending out Of a wagon by one of
the big grocery firms whose employees
are on strike was speedily followed by
shooting. The driver OF the wagon,
whose name was given to the police as J.
Back, was attacked as soon as the wagon
appeared on West JOth street. All kinds
of missiles were hurled at him, but he
managed to keep his assailants off for
some time by liberal use of his whip.
When the crowd began to press Back
harder he drew a revolver and began
firing toward members of the mob who
were climbing into the truck from the
rear. One bullet glanced on the side
walk and struck Charles ]. Polk, q tailor,
over the right eye. When Polk was hur-
ried away to a hospital the seriousness of
his injury had not been determined. Back
escaped the crowd, but was arrested on
his return to the stables.
The seizure, under Mayor Gaynor's au-
thority, Of express company wagons
driven by unlicensed drivers offered an
opening which it was believed the COM
panies would speedily take advantage OF
to bring matters to a head. 1t was inti-
mated that the process Of injunction
would be invoked by them to prevent fur
ther seizures.
Licenses Are Held Up.
1t has been held that express drivers
must be licensed, and applications for
licenses for several hundred strike break
ers have been held up because. 1t is de-
clared, there has been q general failure on
the part of the individuals given as refer
ence to come forward and vouch for the
suitability Of the applicants. Practically
all the licensed drivers Of the companies
are on strike. and a nearly complete ces-
sati0n of traffic will be caused il the city
enforces the policy OF seizing unlicensed
wagons. 1t looked today as IL q, crisis in
the strike were at hand.
Besides nearly 10000 drivers and help
ers Of the express companies and delivery
concerns. between 1900 and 1900 taxicab
chauffeurs are on strike. Express busi-
ness Is virtually at q standBtil. Nom
against union men is in
sisted upon by the strikers. and the lat
ter declare their efforts to secure arbi-
tration have been baked by the refusal
of the companies to negotiate with them
on this basis.
Strike Of Teamsters Likely.
A general strike Of teamsters in SYM
pathy with the men now out is still i'm
minent. but there seemed to be a DISPOSE
ton to await today's Developments and
those of tomorrow before taking
steps toward effecting a general tie-up.
The first move to tie up an established
passenger transportation line since the
strike started occurred this forenoon.
when fifty-two chauffeurs OF the Fifth
Avenue Coach Company, which operates
the line or motor buses on 5th avenue
and Riverside drive, went out on strike.
simultaneously there was an important
accession to the strikers ranks when 25U
drivers OF one of the big coal companies
struck. This was looked upon as possibly
initiating a general walkOut of the coal
drivers in sympathy with the strikers
which has been threatened.
Omnibus Men Quit.
Later in the day the whole bus force
OF the 9th avenue company, both con-
ductors and chauffeurs, to the number Of
200, went on strike.
John Dawson and Michael Cashal. rem.
resenting the coal drivers union. were
authority for the assertion that by night
all the coal drivers of the greater civ.
numbering probably 1,JOO. will have gone
out.
Secretary Charles w. Forster of the In
ternational Brotherhood of Team3ters an.
nouDced today that twelve hundred union
chauffeurs had returned to work. All OF
the smaller companies, employing fifty
men or less, have signed the union agree
ment with the exception Of one. That
on strike.