Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-23
SYMPATHETIC STRIKE.

Philadelphia, Feb. 22.-As retalia-
| tory measure for the arrest of Nation
| al Organizer G. O. Pratt OF the Car
Mems Union, President John ]. Muir
ply of the Central Labor Union which
claims membership Of 100000 per-
: sons, has communicated with the
presidents of all local trades unions
affiliated with the Central body. ask
ing them the advisability OF calling a
general strike in sympathy with the
car men Mr.. Murphy earlier in the
day stated that g general strike had
been ordered. but he modified this la
tor when he announced that the prop
osition for a general confict had been
referred to the various unions.
This thing has been forced upon
us" continued Mr.. Murphy. THE po-
lice have deprived Pratt of his liberty
on trunped up charges and labor will
not stand by and see it's leaders treat
ed in such a manner"
Frat was given a hearing in the
Central police station today and held
in $4,000 bail. He was charged with
riot. melting to riot and conspiracy,
the bail on each count being $1,000.
Before Fratt's case was heard a
number of alleged rioters We're given
hearings Two of them were held with
out bail to await the result of in
juries received by a policeman in one
of yesterdays clashes.
AT 100 P. NJ, the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Co. announced that it had 500
cars in operation. The number under
normal conditions is 1900.
Pratt upon his release this after
noon. went to his hotel with his coun-
sell where he issued the following
statement:
while / have no fault to find with
my keepers or those who testified
against me, yet 1 never saw a greater
farce in court of justice in my life
l have nothing whatever to do with
melting a riot in Philadelphia. l was
on my way up the street, attending to
my own business when they said l led
a mob Of rioters. | did nothing of the
kind. If l get square hearing l have
no fear of the outcome
United States postal inspectors have
been investigating the delay caused to
a street railway mail car yesterday
when trouble makers dumped the con-
tents of three ash wagons on the tracks
in Kensington, and there is a probabili-
ty Of the federal grand jury taking ac-
ton.
Labor leaders declared this after
noon that there would probably be no
general strike at this time. The order
for a general strike, however, has been
sent to all trades unions in the city to
be acted upon when it is thought nee
essary.
Philadelphia Feb 22-Washingtons
birthday opened in Philadelphia with
its citizens facing most critical sit
uation. With the public mind inflamed
with people taking sides in the great
conflict between the strikers and the
street railway company and with the
police grinly determined to put down
lawlessness, it will be remarkable if a
clash more serious than those of either
Sunday or yesterday does not occur be-
tween the unruly element and the
constituted authorities. Trouble began
early this morning.
The first trouble of the day was re-
ported at 8 A. NJ at Kensington, in
the northeastern part of the city, the
great mill district of Philadelphia,
where two boys were SnOI. "A CTOWu OF
youths lay in wait for car and as it
passed, they hurled a lot of stones.
Two policemen who were in the car as
protectors of the trolley crew opened
fire on the boys with revolvers, and
when they fled it was found that two of
them had been wounded. Both were
rushed to hospital and an examina-
ton showed that one had been shot in
the chest and the other only slightly
injured.
The incarceration of c. 0. Pratt, ma
tlonal organizer of the Amalgamated
Association of Street and Electric
Railway Employees. and leader of the
strikers, has not helped the situation.
bu, on the ether hand has brought
about the ugliest kind of feeling be-
tween the strikers and sympathizers
and the police authorities. Tension is
at fever heat.
Pratt was taken into custody last
Continued on Page Twelve.)