The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-10-20
Are PARTIES To AN
UNLAWFUL COMBINE
Full and Complete Answer Made by
Railway Clerks to Injunction Suit Of
New Orleans and Northeastern Rail-
road Company.

Jackson, Miss, Oct. 20.-Bereaux Il
Venable, of Meridian, and Alexander
& Alexander, of this city, have filed
for the Railway Clerks their answer
to the injunction granted against them
by Judge Niles in favor of the three
roads on whose lines a strike now ex-
lists. The answer has been filed in |
the office of Commissioner L. B. Nose |
ley. The clerks admit several of the |
allegations charged in the bill and
plead justification, but to most of them
they enter an emphatic denial.
An interesting feature of the answer
is the fact that they charge that the
railroad companies "have no standing
in the court of equity and conscience
to enjoin any supposed threatened in
fraction by defendants of the laws
against conspiracy or any unlawful
combinations, since they themselves
are unlawful combinations and con-
spiracy.-
They also protest against the en-
forcement of unnecessary work on
Sundays, saying that they are advised
under the laws of the state it is not
lawful for any one, whether person or
corporation, to employ another in la
Dor or business, except for certain ne
cessities and while this statute does
not apply to railroads, they are ad-
vised that their merely clerical work
in the general freight office is not the
kind of labor on railroads which is
expected
Some of the most important parts of
the answer are as follows:
Defendants are advised and charge
that the said compliments have no
standing in the court of equity and
conscience to enjoin any supposed
threatened infractions by defendants
of the laws against conspiracies or any
, unlawful combinations or confedera-
lions, since, they themselves in the
very matter complained about, name
| ly, the employment and management
, and compensation of their clerical
help, are guilty of unlawful combina
r ton and conspiracy as above stated
| Defendants deny that they have
been and still are for the unlawful pur
pose engaged in maliciously interferr
ing with complainants contracts.
9 Defendants deny that some of the
n defendants, acting for and in behalf
+. of the unchartered association known
:. as the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks
n made demands of compliments thai
;. they enter into a contract with then
through the association. They admit
that certain of the defendants, acting
as a committee of the clerks of the Q
& C. system presented certain re
quests.
4 Defendants deny that they have
conspired maliciously or otherwise tt
interfere with compliments contracts
of employment with their clerks.
=. Defendants deny that they hav'
q conspired with themselves or other
with the intent to deplete complain
: ants force of clerks to interfere witt
% them in the performance of their du
:, ties and obligations.
), Defendants deny that they hav
If conspired together to hamper, hinde
20 and prevent compliments from proper
n ly handling the trade and commerce
entrusted to them and that they hav
formed an illegal combination in RI
straint of trade and violation of tn
|, act of congress of July 2, 1890.
Defendants deny that they hav
conspired together illegally to hampe
B. hinder and prevent compliments frol
Id promptly or at all handling and tran
at porting mails of the United State
over its lines or that they have an
are obstructing same violation Of Sc