The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-26
STILL A MENACE
A General Sympathetic Strike
of Union Labor
Is Regarded as Not Unlikely in
the Quaker City,.
MURPHY rs ARRESTED.
The President Is Charged with
MURPHY rs ARRESTED
The President Is Charged With
Tnciting a Riot.
He Says He Was Only Giving a
Timely Warming.

Philadelphia, Feb. 26.-The beginning
of the second week of the strike against
the Philadelphia Rapid Transit COM
pany, finds the city authorities appre-
hensive of what today and tomorrow
may develop, in spite of the great gains
toward the establishment of order
made in the last two days.
Today is a half holiday in many of
the industrial plants whose employees
are strongly in sympathy with the
strikers and the ability of the police
to control crowds is expected to be
again severely tested. Last Sunday
proved to be the hardest day on the
police of any during the strike.
The arrest of John j. Murphy, the
young president of the Central Labor
union, who will be given a hearing to-
day on the charge of melting to riot.
has added to the uneasiness in labor
circles. The warrant for Murphy's ar
rest was issued by the direction of
Director of Public Safety Clay follow
ing the publication in the afternoon
papers of the following statement said
to have been made by the head of the
Central Labor union:
You can depend upon it that by
Sundays meeting a general strike will
be called. If one man is shot in Ken
sington there will follow a carnival of
riot and bloodshed which will startle
the entire country.
81 should not care to be responsible
for such an outbreak. The state police
would be helpless; want it understood
that there are men in the northeast
who can shoot as straight as any trooper
who ever drew breath. Just wait a
little while for developments and you
| will see something which will open your
eyes,
Murphy Makes Denial.
''ThiS statement was made to news
paper reporters for publication said
| Director Clay, "one of whom was sent
for and who stated that the above
statement of Mr.. Murphy's, as publish
been advised by the law officers of the
city and county that the same is vi
olation of law and melting to riot, ant
| therefore it is my duty as director Of
public safety, to place him under ar
rest"
| Murphy denied that he had made
such statement for publication. He
says he merely expressed an opinion
as to what might develop if the strike
continues and the company refuses tt
arbitrate. The published statement it
self, he said, shows that a warming
and not a threat was intended. I'm
| like Pratt, who was denied bail wher
arrested on similar charge, few
days ago, Murphy was permitted tt
enter bail before a friendly magistrate
for a hearing today.
! The fiat refusal of the board of di
rectors of the Rapid Transit company
to entertain a proposition of arbitra
ton leads many to believe that thu
contest between the company and thu
union will continue until one or tn
| other surrenders.
| Compared with yesterday. there wa
no noticeable change in the earl.
hours of the day in the matter o
street car facilities. Cars were oper
| ated under police protection on nearl.
| all lines. Two or three lines, the com
pany claims, are being run with near
! ly the full number of cars.
The menace of a general sympa
| thetic strike still hangs over the city
President Murphy says he fully expect
the central body at its regular meet
| ing tomorrow to endorse such move
He would not predict whether al
trades unions in the city would join il
| a walk out.